Feature: Chinese Wing Tsun martial art becomes more popular for self-defense in Egypt

"Wing Tsun started to become more popular in Egypt as it is a simple martial art for self-defense that requires neither effort nor physical strength," said trainer Mohamed Noah, or Sifu as his students call him, at the small Wing Tsun academy in Maadi district south of the capital Cairo.

Located in the first floor of a building in a quiet street, Egypt Wing Tsun Academy, the only officially certified Chinese academy for Wing Tsun in the Middle East, consists of a medium-sized parquet-floor hall with a wall-size mirror on top of which there is a portrait of Grandmaster Ip Man, Chinese Kung Fu legend Bruce Lee's teacher.

"The popularity of Wing Tsun martial art increased in Egypt due to the recent movies about Ip Man, Bruce Lee's teacher, and the circulated online videos on it," Sifu Noah told Xinhua at the academy.

On the left side of the training hall, which accommodates 15 students in each session out of the academy's 70 students, the logo of the academy was hanging as a large triangular shape with a fist in the middle, reading "Egypt Wing Tsun, Special Forces Combat System."

"Wing Tsun as a martial art was created by a Chinese woman who wanted to defend herself without using much effort or power to overcome her opponent," Sifu Noah explained, noting it is a main reason for the growing popularity of Wing Tsun in the Arab country.

Noah said he has been practicing Kung Fu for about 17 years and he has been involved in Wing Tsun for the past nine years, pointing out that his coach, Grandmaster Tam Yiu Ming, visits the academy once every three months to hold tests for new students and evaluate the level of others before giving them certificates.

On the right wall of the hall, there was a board displaying dozens of photos of graduates including men and women of different ages, varying from teenage to 50 years old.

"Besides self-defense, Wing Tsun gives a mood of relaxation, inner tranquility and healthiness, and that is why it currently attracts more students from both genders," the Sifu told Xinhua.

As the training session began, over 15 students lined up in one row before Noah grouped them in twos to practice Wing Tsun moves he taught them in the previous class.

Ahmed Taimour, a student in his late 30s, role-played some of the moves with the Sifu as to how to face someone attacking with a punch, a kick, a stick or even with a knife, and also how to free oneself when arm-twisted by an attacker.

"I loved Kung Fu and martial arts in general since childhood, but when I knew about Wing Tsun and joined the academy more than three years ago, I became so addicted that I can't stop it," Taimour told Xinhua, noting he passed nine levels out of the twelve and that he would start the Technician levels afterwards.

The senior student said that Wing Tsun never wastes one's effort or energy and it is a very practical way for self-defense. "I do love Wing Tsun and this is why I recommended it to a couple of friends who have recently joined the class," he told Xinhua.

Motaz Wagih, 28, who joined the academy only four months ago, said he became so interested in Wing Tsun that he never missed a class although he lives in Abbasiya neighborhood a little far away from the academy in Maadi.

Wagih said that Wing Tsun is a beautiful martial art that does not require exhausting exercise or body building to practise as it is mainly based on intelligence rather than physical strength.

"It gave me a feeling of self-confidence in such a short time," Wagih told Xinhua, "and it makes one know what to do and how to quickly react if subjected to a tough situation or an assault while going back home late at night or walking with his sister, wife or friend." Endit