2007 AWCA Training Camp

Grayslake, IL

The annual AWCA Training Camp was held this year on September 28 and 29 in Grayslake, Illinois, at the gym of Si-Fu Dennis Sigurnjak, Instructor Level 2. With a well-rounded group of practitioners at various levels – as well as traveling from around the world – this was a camp to be remembered.

Leaving Phoenix bright and early Friday morning for Chicago O’Hare airport, we met up with participants that literally spanned the U.S. and abroad. From Illinois to Texas and even the United Kingdom, it was a pleasure to finally meet with some of our DLP members.

After a bit of lunch and checking into our hotel, we ventured to Si-Fu Dennis’ gym for a bit of training while other member’s flights came in later that evening.

Saturday morning was met with a round of welcomes for those that arrived, followed by breakfast. Starting at 8:30am, we trained the entire day up until about 4:30pm. Breaking only once for a quick bite to eat, it was almost non-stop the whole day, with a lot of great training being experienced.

Due to the variety of levels in attendance, some worked the Siu-Nim-Tau while others worked the wooden dummy. The great thing about training camps is that you get pushed to learn faster, while simultaneously seeing where your current training fits in with the system.

First day of training.

On the way to class.

First time meeting.

Having a laugh (because they haven’t a clue what’s coming).

Out of film? Whaddaya mean out of film? It’s a digital camera!

Getting down to business.

Si-Fu Phil driving in with a common non-Wing Chun attack to force Todd into working the proper defense.

Changing up.

Working Lap-sau and how to feel the spring/tension of Man-sau.

Footwork.

Jeet-gerk.

The mechanics of kicking.

Working Kwun-sau.

If you’re not sweating, you’re not working hard enough.

Clinch defense.

Si-Hing Steve Vallie explaining the importance of Wu-sau.

Si-Fu Dennis Sigurnjak teaching the finer points of the wooden dummy.

Shat-geng-sau, or Throat Cutting-hand, on the wooden dummy.

How Man-sau can make or break a practitioner’s defense.

Some learned the first half of the wooden dummy, whereas others finished learning the complete form. At the same time, some completed the entire Siu-Nim-Tau form and learned where Chum-Kiu kicking comes into play.

It was a great time for all of us, and hopefully it will let everyone who did not get to attend see what they missed out on and spark the fire to get to the next one.

This year’s training camp was a great success, and I am very proud of what I saw for everyone that attended. We are already looking forward to next year’s training camp, so I hope to see everyone there.