Master of Sports – Martial Arts (Plovdiv University/BG)

School in: Kaufungen, Kassel

Trainer 1 since: 1996

Motto:

WT means for me freedom, joy of life, humanity and development of the personality.
 All united in a martial art of mindfulness that meets all my needs and demands.

Why did you start with WingTsun?

At first, I practiced different martial arts. However, through various experiences in the reality of the street, I became more skeptical about these sports because the scenarios in training did not prepare me for those of the street. One day, it must have been in 1992, an acquaintance took me to WT classes. There I was confronted with the practicality and efficiency of WT. After a relatively short time I knew that I wanted to learn this martial art. I started with WT, because for me the lessons, the philosophy and the closeness to practice were important and the training was good for me.

Why are you still doing WingTsun?

WingTsun has always been a joy for me because there is so much to learn. Each student grade was a goal. After that, the higher grades (then technician grades) were the goal. At some point came the master degree and the current 6th MG. In between, my wife and I, along with our twins, completed master’s degrees in martial arts in Bulgaria. I believe that in all my WT time my joy in it has grown with each learning phase. Another reason is that I love learning WT and enjoy how it keeps developing and becoming more progressive. This positive forward-looking attitude towards life gave and gives me a lot in my life. I would like to pass on the knowledge and this attitude towards life. I think it is good that people become more defensible and more human with it, because through the WT training and the associated content, the sense of touch and the sense of feeling are trained.

What was your standout WT experience?

From the point of view of demands, I found the defense of the master’s thesis in Bulgaria to be a great challenge. Emotionally, I was very happy about the appointment to the 6th MG in Hockenheim, when I stood there on the big stage with SiFu, GM Bill Newman, GM Schembri, GM König and Meister Groß, and in front of the stage were my family and a large audience. That was my most beautiful experience.

What changed for you when you received the 1st HG or 5th MG?

When I began with the WT lessons, the 1st technician degree (today 1st HG), was at first the only graduation, which seemed realistic to me as a goal. I did not think about higher degrees, because for various reasons I did not think it was possible that I could achieve them. When I reached the 1st HG at that time, I was of course happy. The first big certificate was for me something like the entrance ticket to the higher levels of WingTsun.

The 5th MG was a very special experience for me because I had never thought it possible that I could get this far. Many years of consistent work in theory and practice lay behind me. Every past degree was something special for me. The master degree was something like the crowning of the past years. I loved WT even more and wanted to continue learning and deepening. This has not changed until today.