Austin Ving Tsun Academy

This is one of the best (if not the best) martial arts school in the Austin area. Dai Sifu Jeff Webb is extremely skilled and professional. More importantly, he is a very hands-​on instructor. Many so-​called Martial Arts schools will have their student instructors teach the class but not Sifu Webb. Aside from Friday’s class, Sifu Webb personally teach every adult class.
I enjoyed the class so much, I have my kids enrolled the kids kung fu class and they are having a blast.
If you are looking for a school that is professionally run, provides practical techniques, and is reasonably priced, you should definitely check out this school.

(There is also a Kid’s Kung Fu program now — at both school locations)
I enjoy the classes and the people and have made many new friends, including friends with the instructors and job leads. The instructors are great and come from a variety of martial arts backgrounds. They respect the students and instill confidence in your ability as a student to learn the style and as a student you have confidence in their ability to teach. Of the three styles I have taken Ving Tsun (Wing Chun) has proven to be the most fun and is at the same time challenging enough so that you can’t get bored.
The classes are usually a mix of starting with your forms (there are 2 for students) or punching exercises as a warm up and then moving into practicing what is required for your student grade by either working with students of the same grade or higher ranked students. You also get to practice the other stuff you have previously learned by working with the newer students and nearly everything has an application in the real world of defense.
Do we not spar (unlike other styles, such as Tae Kwon Do), Ving Tsun is not a «sports» martial art, it is for self-​defense, you defend yourself and stop the other person before they can hurt you (in the real world, not in class) so there is no gentle, safe way to spar (Google Wing Chun if you have doubts).
There are also few forms; actually there are 3 empty hand forms, 1 wooden dummy form, and 2 weapon forms, and students only learn the first two forms until the end of the student grades. Not that there isn’t plenty of stuff, do such as Chi Sao and Lat Sao, both of which require a partner and help built technique and reactions, while «teaching» your muscles how to react (check out Wikipedia for more information).

Let me start by saying that I enjoyed these classes. I took them with a girlfriend, as a way to spend lunches together, and get a little exercise. The instructors are awesome, instill confidence, and are very friendly. They’re genuinely nice people. The Sifu (lightening fast Jeff Webb) almost always instructs, and has very competent instructors for when he’s away. Unfortunately the bulk of this class is spent doing forms and drills. The back room is filled with sparring pads, but not once did we don then. We were told «it’s hard to test this stuff without getting hurt.» Hm. I’m sorry, but I just don’t agree with that logic. Having taken several full contact martial arts classes in my life (including a year of private lessons), I’ve come to believe the only way to learn is through real-​time testing. I’ve had a few bloody noses, and some bruised ribs, but I’ve never been severely hurt in an active class. This is where the term Aliveness comes to play. I do think this could be an effective class, and an effective fighting form. But I am sad to say (because I loved the people here) right now I think it needs a little work to become applicable in the real world. Look alive guys, and this school will rule!