Sifu Peter Mogridge

Welcome to The Number 1 Traditional Ip Man Wing Chun School in Milton Keynes. Urban Wing Chun Kung fu - Traditional Ip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu , based around Milton Keynes with Classes for all ages, fitness levels and abilties. Urban Wing Chun Kung Fu teaches traditional Ip Man Wing Chun with its most Senior Instructor Sifu Peter Mogridge being under the guidance and teaching of Grandmaster Samuel Kwok. We offer friendly classes with a comprehensive grading system to ensure a smooth journey on your way to learning one of the most effective and efficient Kung Fu Systems in the world. " WING CHUN " MILTON KEYNES.

What is Wing Chun?

Wing Chun is a very unique and scientific form of martial arts. Wing Chun is a style of Kung Fu that originates from China, the martial art was later refined in Hong Kong. Wing Chun's specialty is in close contact combat, using quick punches and kicks with a tight defence, coordinated through agile stances and footwork for a quick advance.

The effectiveness of Wing Chun is achieved by well coordinated attacks with simultaneous defence and vise versa. Due to its effectiveness this martial art makes for an effective form of self defence. The student must learn to deliver the correct amount of energy, whilst staying relaxed when possible.

A good Wing Chun Sifu (instructor / teacher) will teach the student to overcome force with positioning and turning rather than meeting it head on. The style uses kicks, sweeps, palm strikes, punches, trapping and control techniques as part of its fighting arsenal.

The Martial Art Syllabus

There are many different parts to the Wing Chun system. Learning this style of Kung Fu requires knowledge of Chi Sau, the hand form, the weapons and dummy forms and sparring.

Chi Sau

Unique to Wing Chun is "Chi Sau" (or Chi Sao), a form of training to help develop and put into practice your techniques and theories you learn during your training. Chi Sau teaches and helps the student to develop a responsive reflex, along with good position, how to overcome your opponents strength, correct usage of energy and taking advantage of the shortest possible distance between you and your opponent. Chi Sau will also help with sensitivity, or "reacting to feeling rather than sight". In addition to this Chi Sau helps students learn to react to unpredictable movements as there is not set of predefined movements.

The Forms

The principles, theories and techniques of Wing Chun are founded on the three hand form and the wooden dummy techniques. Training begins with Sil Lim Tau (little idea), Chum Kiu (bridge seeking), Biu Gee (thrusting fingers). Then the serious of students will learn Muk Yan Jong; (wooden dummy), Luk Dim Boon Gaun (six & a half point pole) and finally Bart Cham Dao (eight cutting double knives).

Kung Fu Lineage

Pictured on the left is Grandmaster Ip Man (sometimes referred to as Yip Man). Ip Man taught many famous martial artists including the late Bruce Lee. The other photos are Ip Man's sons Grandmasters Ip Chun and Ip Ching, and their student, Samuel Kwok. This linage can trace its history back to the origin of Wing Chun.

It was Ip Man's dream to make the Chinese martial art Wing Chun, a well respected fighting system around the world, and through tuition by his sons, Samuel Kwok has played his part over the last twenty five years. Sam Kwok has helped bring Wing Chun to the forefront of Martial arts practice today. Grandmaster Kwok has wrote a couple of great Wing Chun Books and made many Wing Chun Videos and DVDs which help students across the world improve their Wing Chun. There are many Wing Chun schools and instructors up and down the United Kingdom, as well as across Europe, in Denmark, Germany, South Africa, Australia and the United States to name a few. Many of the Sifu's at these schools owe a great deal of their understanding of the art to the influence of Samuel Kwok's teaching of traditional Ip Man Wing Chun.

About Grandmaster Ip Man

Early life - Yip was born to Yip Oi-dor and Ng Shui, and was the third of four children. He grew up in a wealthy family in Foshan, Guangdong, and received a traditional Chinese education. His older brother was Yip Kai-gak, his older sister was Yip Wan-mei and his younger sister was Yip Wan-hum.

Yip started learning Wing Chun from Chan Wah-shun when he was 13. Since Chan was 70 at the time, Yip was Chan's last student. Due to his teacher's age, Yip learned most of his skills and techniques from Chan's second oldest disciple: Ng Chung-sok. Chan died three years after Yip's training started and one of his dying wishes was to have Ng continue teaching Yip.

At the age of 15, Yip moved to Hong Kong with help from his relative Leung Fut-ting. One year later, he attended school at St. Stephen's College—a secondary school for wealthy families and foreigners living in Hong Kong. During Yip's time at St. Stephen's, he saw a foreign police officer beating a woman and Yip intervened. The officer attempted to attack Yip, but Yip struck him down and ran to school with his classmate. Yip's classmate later told an older man who lived in his apartment block. The man met with Yip and asked what martial art Yip practised. The man told Yip that his forms were "not too great". The man challenged Yip's Wing Chun against the man in chi sao (a form of training that involves controlled attack and defence). Yip saw this as an opportunity to prove that his abilities were good, but was defeated by the man after a few strikes. Yip's opponent revealed himself to be Leung Bik, Chan Wah-shun's senior and son of Chan's teacher, Leung Jan. After that encounter, Yip continued learning from Leung Bik.

Yip returned to Foshan when he was 24 and became a policeman. He taught Wing Chun to several of his subordinates, friends and relatives, but did not officially run a martial arts school. Some of his better known informal students were Lok Yiu, Chow Kwong-yue, Kwok Fu, Lun Kah, Chan Chi-sun and Lui Ying. Among them, Chow Kwong-yue was said to be the best, but he eventually went into commerce and stopped practising martial arts. Kwok Fu and Lun Kah went on to teach students of their own and they passed down the art of Wing Chun in the Foshan and Guangdong region. Chan Chi-sun and Lui Ying went to Hong Kong later but neither of them accepted any students. Yip went to live with Kwok Fu during the Second Sino-Japanese War and only returned to Foshan after the war, where he continued his career as a police officer. Yip left Foshan for Hong Kong in 1949 after the Chinese Communist Party established the People's Republic of China on the Chinese mainland. Yip was an officer of the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party), the Communists' rival in the Chinese Civil War.

Life in Hong Kong -Initially, Yip Man's teaching business was poor because Yip's students typically stayed for only a couple of months. He moved his school twice: first to Castle Peak Road in Sham Shui Po and then to Lee Tat Street in Yau Ma Tei. By then, some of his students had attained proficiency in Wing Chun and they were able to start their own schools. Some of his students and descendants sparred with other martial artists to compare their skills and their victories helped to increase Yip's reputation. In 1967, Yip and some of his students established the Ving Tsun Athletic Association.

Yip Man was said to have regularly used opium. One of his former students, Duncan Leung, claimed that Yip used tuition money to support his opium addiction.

Yip died on 2 December 1972, from throat cancer - Yip's legacy is the global practice of Wing Chun. Some of his notable students include: Leung Sheung, Lok Yiu, Leung Ting, Chu Shong-tin, Wong Shun Leung, Wong Kiu, Yip Bo-ching, William Cheung, Hawkins Cheung, Bruce Lee, Wong Long, Wong Chok, Law Bing, Lee Shing, Ho Kam-ming, Moy Yat, Duncan Leung, Derek Fung Ping-bor, Chris Chan Shing, Victor Kan Wah Chit, Stanley Chan, Chow Sze-chuen, Tam Lai, Lee Che-kong, Kang Sin-sin, Simon Lau, his nephew Lo Man-kam, and his sons Ip Ching and Ip Chun.

Yip also left behind a written history of Wing Chun. Many artifacts of his life are on display in the "Yip Man Tong" museum in the Foshan Ancestral Temple grounds.

About Chief Instructor Sifu Peter Mogridge

Sifu P.Mogridge started training in martial arts at the tender age of 5 years old after being given an old raff kit bag by his dad. The bag was filled with mud and dirt and hung from a tree in the garden. Pete would spend many hours practising moves he had seen in Bruce Lee films. Pete would perform kicks, elbow strikes and punches which all took their toll. Pete would even bleed from his wounds as he conditioned his body. At the age of 7, Pete had begun to practice Karate, by this time he had already perfected his favourite moves on the bag in the garden jumping kicks, roundhouse kicks and spinning back kick. At the age of 12 Pete was training hard and hard enough to attain junior back belt. At the age of 14 the young martial artist added another style to his repertoire; Kung Fu was to be taken in the tough neighbourhood of St Paul’s, Bristol at The Empire Club. Over the next few years Pete had learned three styles and continued to train, rising through the ranks again earning another black belt/sash in Hong Ku taught privately from Master Chow, a form of kung fu/kick boxing.

Sifu P.Mogridge trained hard in the fighting Arts UFA Karate and gaining him his second black belt of 1st Dan in 1994. Pete also gained his 2nd Dan black belt just under 2 years later in 1996.

Other martial art styles to Pete's name are Bristol Wing Chun under Sifu Matthew Bryant, Shotokan, Wada Ryu, Higashi Karate, RSK kickboxing, some Muay Thai, Aikido, Fighting Arts, and Ninjitsu. At the age of 21 Pete had obtained a very high level in martial arts, a natural and known to many as an expert in his field. Pete progressed to a level that enabled him to teach. He was asked to teach the Territorial Army close quarters unarmed & armed combat.

Sifu P.Mogridge gained his security license which allowed him to become a door supervisor; Pete 'worked the club doors' in Bristol & Yate for many years. This role brought great life experiences for Pete and was often placed in some very serious situations. Pete has done some close protection work for various Page 3 models and miss Bristol. At 22 Pete began training in Wada Ryu Karate and again went up through the ranks to brown belt, allowing him to open his own martial art school in Yate and for 5 years taught a more street fighting technical Style. With many of the local hard nut brawlers attending, this allowed Peter also to learn from them helping him to perfect his street style. At 28 he started to develop his own style and grading syllabus.

Sifu P.Mogridge has had many good instructors over the years and has high respect for his Masters,Sifu Samuel Kwok (Current), Master Stephen Dyde, Sifu Tong Liu, Sifu Kevin Ball Sifu Sean Viera, Sifu Lloyd Allen, Sifu Nathan Lewis, Sifu Phill Allen, Sensei Lloyd Russell, Sifu Matthew Bryant, Master Chow, Sensei Wesley Street, Sensei John Hurley, Sensei Alex Buxton, Sensei Jeff Archer to name a fewBelow is a list of martial art styles that Sifu Pete has trained in over the years:

•Shigai Sen Kai -2nd Dan Black Belt

•UFA Karate - 2nd dan Black Belt

•RSK Kickboxing - 1st Dan Black Belt- Instructor Level

•Wing Chun Kung Fu - Instructor under Sifu Samuel Kwok

•Hong Ku - Kung Fu - 1st Degree Black Sash

•Wado Ryu Karate - Brown Belt

•Lau Gar Kung Fu - Blue Belt

•Ecka Kickboxing - Yellow Belt

Sifu P.Mogridge passion, determination and experience have lead him to believe that Wing Chun is one of the best martial arts in the world. Pete trains as much as possible during weekly classes and constantly practices as home. Pete also trains regularly with his Sifu to remain sharp & focused and to further develop his skill and knowledge base. This has helped Pete quickly work his way up the ranks. Sifu Pete is teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu at Kingston Gymnasium every Wednesday evening and Woburn Sands every Sunday morning.

Sifu Peter continues his training rigorously under the expert guidance of Grandmaster Samuel Kwok, being taught every intricate detail of the full Ip Man Wing Chun System, So Sifu Peter can carry on the teachings of the late Great Grandmaster Ip Man how its meant to be taught and understood.

Sifu P.Mogridge has qualified and has been awarded:

•As a worldwide recognised Ip Man Wing Chun Instructor By The Samuel Kwok Wing Chun Martial Art Association.

•As a worldwide recognised Ip Man Wing Chun Instructor
By The Ving Tsun Athletic Association - Hong Kong

•A life time member of the Ving Tsun Athletic Association Hong Kong - Ip Chun/Ip Ching

•Martial Arts National Instructor.

•Proficient in Child Protection.

•Risk Assessment.

•A Club for All & Equity in your Coaching.

•First Aid Trained.

•Body Language and situation assessment.

•Security Operative/ consultant.

•Fully CRB enhanced

Thank You

Urban Wing Chun Kung Fu