Wing Chun Do History
From the roots of Shaolin Kung Fu, an art passed down from teacher to student for generations, eventually making Ip Man the source for Wing Chun. Bruce Lee transformed what he learned from Ip Man, becoming the world's greatest martial arts movie icon and artist. One of Bruce Lee's training partners, James DeMile, passed on what he learned from Lee to his inheritor. It's here in Michigan at Ambrose Academy, taught by Grandmaster of Wing Chun Do, Rocco Ambrose.
Second Generation Bruce Lee
Wing Chun Do’s Historic Legacy
When Sijo James DeMile started training with Bruce Lee in 1959, Bruce called what they did Wing Chun. But Bruce Lee was experimenting and encouraged them to attack him using their immense fighting skills in various ways and with intensity. He was modifying the art and making it his own.
After Bruce passed away in 1973, Sijo was working out at a gym in Hawaii, thinking about Bruce and their time together in Seattle. They were a group of young guys having fun hanging out, going to the movies, eating at Bruce’s favorite Chinese restaurant, and playing practical jokes.
He remembered how hard they trained the techniques that Bruce had shown them. He thought about the many occasions Bruce came over to his apartment to use his telephone since DeMile was the only one of his friends that lived close by and had a phone. Bruce would put in a call home and wait around until the operator called back with the connection. While they waited, they would talk about technique and practice.
While at the gym, Sijo started to reenact the techniques that he had learned from those days with Bruce during their “fight club” period in Seattle, Washington. Soon people took notice and wanted to train with him. He opened his school, calling what he did Wing Chun. He got a visit from a local wing chun instructor, ready to challenge him. After watching Sijo DeMile’s class, the wing chun instructor, Robert Yeung, explained that what Sijo was doing was not traditional wing chun. They explored the differences and exchanged techniques. Sijo realized that Bruce Lee had already modified Wing Chun to such an extent that he had transformed the art into something new. It also meant that he had to codify what he had learned and write down everything he could remember regarding Bruce’s way of Wing Chun.
Sijo James DeMile decided to call what he did Wing Chun Do, adding the Do, meaning “the way.” He felt it appropriate to honor the art that Bruce Lee had first introduced to him and to honor the Seattle group that helped Bruce Lee modify the classical to the non-classical. “The Way of Wing Chun” became Wing Chun Do, and a new “American” martial art form was born.
PATRIARCH OF WING CHUN
Ip Man
Ip Man is the patriarch of the Wing Chun style of kung fu. His teachings have become the cornerstone of the modern martial arts era. The efficiency of his fighting techniques, coupled with the knowledge that he was Bruce Lee's instructor, caused millions to regard his art with awed curiosity. Today Wing Chun is the most influential martial art to emerge from 20th century China.
MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE ICON
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was one of the most successful martial arts box-office movie stars. Some would also call him the greatest fighter of his (and maybe of all) time.
At age 18, due to the fact he was born in San Francisco and could claim American citizenship, his parents sent him to the United States. He settled in Seattle, where he began attending Edison Technical School. His martial arts skills made him a novelty and celebrity. He began to attract other martial artists and fighters amazed at his skills. Each of them was a skilled fighter in his own right.
Among them were: Jesse Glover, a black belt in judo. Ed Hart, a middle-weight pro boxer and street fighter. Howard Hall, Leroy Porter, Pat C. Hooks, another black belt in judo. Charlie Woo, Skip Ellsworth, also a judo player. James W. DeMile, a street fighter and heavy-weight boxing champion in the Air Force. Leroy Garcia, a boxer and wrestler. Taky Kimura and John Jackson, both judo players. These men became his inner circle, the charter members of his research and development team.
Bruce was an unusual teacher. His personal goal was unchanged, and he was driven not to teach but to perfect the science of fighting and to prove himself the best fighter in the world. Rather than teach them formal martial art, he introduced each attribute to enhance their skills so that they could continue to challenge him. As the group's competency grew, each in their way forced him to succeed. Many of these early students went on to teach the skills they developed during their training with Bruce. After developing his fighting skills and philosophy for four years, Bruce broke from the group and opened his first school in Seattle. He taught for a year and a half before moving to California. He left the school for Taky Kimura. Jesse Glover and James DeMile also open a school with Bruce's blessing. James DeMile, fascinated by the fighting science he had acquired through Bruce, went on to codify his knowledge and create a self-defense system called Wing Chun Do. Ambrose Academy is proud to be part of this legacy.
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Sijo James DeMile and Bruce Lee
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Bruce's Book: Chinese Gung Fu ...
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Philosophical Art of Self Defense
THE FOUNDER OF WING CHUN DO
Sijo James W. DeMile
In 1959, James W. DeMile began his martial arts career in Seattle, Washington, under the direction of the legendary Bruce Lee. As one of Bruce's first-generation students, Mr. DeMile had the opportunity of assisting Bruce in developing his unique fighting skills. It was also DeMile's privilege to appear in Bruce's only book, "The Philosophical Art of Self Defense."
Bruce, at that time, was building a group, but an exceptional group, no novices. He was looking for guys who were seasoned street fighters. Each member brought very different skills to street fighting, and Bruce wanted to pit his Gung Fu against them to find out what worked and didn't. In return, Bruce would teach them Wing Chun so he would have people to train with him. Jesse Glover, Taky Kimura, and Ed Hart were already a part of this group when DeMile joined. Bruce taught them what worked and, with their help, started modifying Wing Chun. "His only interest was fighting," DeMile said. "He would analyze techniques, break them down to their simplest form, and make them as effective as possible."
One of the foremost authorities on 'Modern Wing Chun,' DeMile has adapted Bruce's modification of the ancient art of Wing Chun and created Wing Chun Do, a practical self-defense system. DeMile is listed in Bob Wall's Who's Who in the Martial Arts and The Genealogy of Ving Tsun (Wing Chun) Family. He has written many articles for national and international magazines. He has written four best-selling martial art books and produced several training videos, including "Bruce Lee's One and Three Inch Power Punch." DeMile traveled extensively worldwide, teaching his dynamic self-defense concepts and techniques to students, police, and the military. Sijo (Founder) James W. DeMile passed away in 2021. May he Rest In Peace.
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Meeting Sijo James DeMile
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Instructor's Camp in Hawaii
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Chi Sao Practice with Sijo DeMile
INHERITOR & GRANDMASTER OF WING CHUN DO
Rocco Ambrose
I studied whatever martial arts I could find: TKD, Moo Duk Kwon, Tang Soo Do, and Southern Shaolin Kung Fu. I knew a lot about martial arts but little about fighting and real self-defense. Most of my martial arts techniques didn't work against a real fighter. This point was evident when I began sparring with a Golden Gloves boxer. A little research convinced me that what I needed was Wing Chun. However, the only thing available was a Wing Chun Do school about 40 minutes from my house in Monroe, Michigan. My new teacher was Sifu Jim Clark. As a lifelong Bruce Lee fan, I was pleased to find the Wing Chun Do - James DeMile - Bruce Lee connection. I started my training in 1982. I could not have imagined that when I began my WCD journey, I would someday be named Inheritor to James DeMile's Wing Chun Do Gung Fu system.
In 1984, I had the pleasure of meeting Sijo James DeMile in a seminar at the school and realized that I wanted to be an instructor in Wing Chun Do. In 1985, after receiving my brown sash, I, along with several sihings (senior students), petitioned Sijo DeMile to start a new instructor-training program. Convinced that WCD was the best self-defense system in the world, I wanted to learn every aspect.
In 1988, I was certified as Basic WCD Instructor (Sifu) and began teaching at the local YMCA. In 1989, I opened my first school and began to develop my teaching skills. After running a successful school for several years, I received full certification as an Advanced Level WCD Instructor in 1993. I'm included in Grandmaster James W. DeMile's book the Tao of Wing Chun Do (Fifth Edition) and featured in DeMile's video, Bruce Lee's One and Three Inch Power Punch.
In 1996, he was chosen charter member of the Board of Directors for the Wing Chun Do International Association. In 1998, I was promoted to Sibok (Senior Instructor), allowing me to train and certify instructors for WCD International. In 1999, Sijo DeMile named Ambrose Academy as the Midwest WCD International Training Center, which gave me the privilege and distinction of training instructors as fully certified future instructors for WCD International.
I attended annual Instructor Training camps from 1985 through 2002 and any Instructor seminars in subsequent years, the latest in 2011. Between 1990 and 2018, Sijo DeMile has presented over forty seminars on Wing Chun Do, the One and Three Inch Power Punch, DeMile Defensive Tactics, and DeMile Developmental Meditation at Ambrose Academy. Each event was an occasion of celebration for us, our students, and those who came in from the Eastern United States and Canada.
In June 2001, at the first Annual Wing Chun Do Convention, held in Waikiki, Hawaii, I was named Instructor of the Decade for innovations and contributions to Wing Chun Do. In 2002, Sijo DeMile came to Michigan and presented me with the prestigious Sijo Award. Sijo DeMile handcrafted the dragon's head on the award and is one of my prized possessions. In 2003, I was named as Inheritor of Wing Chun Do when Sijo decided to put more of his emphasis on DeMile Defensive Tactics. I am pleased to see that in the last few years, he has been back teaching and promoting what I think is the best self-defense system on the planet, Wing Chun Do.
I have promoted Wing Chun Do through radio, television, and newspaper interviews since 1988 in the United States and Canada. My article on the "Nine Critical Perimeters of Wing Chun Do" appeared in the April 2005 issue of Inside Kung Fu Magazine. In 2007, an interview by Paul Bax in his new book, Descendents of the Dragon.
I had the privilege to accompany Sijo for over a decade to numerous Jujitsu seminars, competitions, and conventions in Small Circle Jujitsu, Jujitsu America, and United State Sports Jujitsu Association. This relationship offered the opportunity to meet and train with many world-class martial artists. During this time, I was certified as a judge and referee for Ohio, W. Virginia, and Washington competitions. In 2003 and 2004, I was a judge and refereed the Chi Sao competition at the Great Lakes Kung Fu Tournament.
In 2013, Sijo traveled from Hawaii to celebrate my 25th Anniversary in business. He surprised me with the rank of the instructor of instructors in Wing Chun Do, making me Sibok, senior instructor of the system.
In 2017, Sijo James DeMile came to Michigan to announce his retirement and named me the future Grandmaster or Professor of Wing Chun Do Gung Fu self-defense system. I am honored and grateful that he is confident that I am the person to move Wing Chun Do in the future. What started as a student-teacher relationship based on mutual respect and purpose has grown into a deep friendship and affection. I will miss my teacher, mentor, and friend with his passing in 2021. While in the hospital, Sijo told his wife Irene that he wished he could have visited our school one last time. He loved the people and energy of our school and the love we had always shown him.
In 2022, Ambrose Academy of Wing Chun Do will celebrate its 34th Anniversary, serving clients/students since 1988. We will continue to grow Wing Chun Do in honor of Sijo James DeMile's legacy.