East-West Wing Chun Kung Fu

This is my 2^nd Martial Art. The 1^st I learned was KAJUKENBO. My inspiration to learn Wing Chun came from watching Donnie Yen’s Ip Man (2008) and how it can be used to protect yourself as well as bring spiritual peace within the self.

East West Wing Chun is «one-​of-​a-​kind»! Here, you don’t just learn wing chun, but take a step further and break down the techniques for quality realistic application. The instructor, Jasan, does a great job of integrating wing chun into any style or situation. For me, coming from a Tae Kwon Do background, wing chun was a complete 180°. Jasan, who has trained in, and has an understanding of many different styles, was able to guide me through my training with much more clarity, making each drill easier to understand. For anyone coming from a military style black belt system, Don’t let the school’s casual setting and lack of outward rank fool you: the instructor Jasan and his assistant instructors are highly knowledgeable in all things wing chun. East West Wing Chun Oakland has a great friendly atmosphere where all students are invested in helping each other grow. They are located in the heart of Oakland Chinatown. It doesn’t get more authentic than this!

If you want to learn a martial art, come to East West Wing Chun! You don’t have to feel intimidated about that ‘bigger guy over there’ or ‘the one with the black belt over in the other corner’ you’ve been trying to avoid.
Everyone here is here to help each other grow. When you have questions for anyone, you can always feel free to ask. From day one, everyone is friendly and helpful to you learning Wing Chun. Yes, even if you don’t remember all their names the first few days.
The pace is what you want it to be. There’s absolutely no pressure from anyone.
The pressure is all yours. And it has to be self applied. They can’t teach you more until you’re ready to learn more. Why teach you how to correctly punch a bag, until you correctly hold a fist.
No egos, no agendas, just camaraderie among classmates. And Jasan is not your typical instructor. This is a guy who’s always ready for a joke. He’s an instructor you can sit back and have a beer with.
There are no belts, no package deals, where if you get to a certain color belt, you’ll get a discount. But for $ 60/​month, good luck getting that anywhere. Here, you are free to come to the evening AND night class. That’s six classes. AND Jasan teaches Eskrima on Mondays. But wait… There’s more! Between the evening and night classes, he holds an intense workout right in the school.
Class starts with ‘form’ work, progresses to drills, and finishes more on the ‘real world’ side. After ANY day at EWWC, you go home feeling satisfied. Mind, body, spirit.
Every once in a while, an opportunity will come up for us students to compete. If you do decide to compete, everyone helps you practice and prepare.
If you’re not a fighter but still want to perform, every now and then, EWWC is invited to perform a demo in Oakland Chinatown for the moon festival and New Year’s.
Class is extremely chill. No uniforms or ‘proper attire’ requirement. Come as you are. Tell a few stories/​jokes while you’re here.

I’ve been attending classes at East-​West for about 5 months now. Previous to this I trained for about 4 years in a very strict and traditional Shaolin (long-​fist) system under Master Cheng in Atlanta (where I moved from 9 months ago). The 2 classes (and systems for that matter) really could not be more different. Ironically, however, I’ve found the quality of the training to be very high at both schools. It really goes to show that when looking for martial arts training, it’s worth looking around to find the right fit, because the approaches and techniques can vary greatly (even just in the world of kung fu).
When I moved here, I knew that Master Cheng’s class was unique, and that if I looked for the exact same experience I would end up disappointed. So I decided to keep an open mind and visit as many kung fu schools as I could before I decided. It was a bit overwhelming because there are so many schools here!
In the end I decided on East-​West. While location and price were a factor, what really sold me on the school was Sifu Jasan. His approach is very humble, but it’s obvious when he instructs you that he really knows his art. I like that he delivers new instructions to each student directly, but also fosters an environment where each student is also a teacher, sharing what they’ve learned.
Wing Chun’s movements are very particular… subtle changes in direction and angle mean a lot. We are constantly changing partners in our 1-​on-​1 exercises, and each person corrects and advises as they see fit. Even us beginners have opportunities to guide and learn from each other. In this way, I find that I’m getting a rounded view of each technique from many different perspectives, but it’s rooted by 1-​on-​1 instructions directly from Jasan.
Finally, for anyone looking for a martial arts program that will give them a really good work-​out, Wing Chun might not be what they are looking for. Compared to my Shaolin training where every student and the walls would be dripping in sweat at the end of class, this is nothing like that. The classes are very technique focused with an emphasis on staying relaxed and conserving energy. That said, Jasan leads a 30 min workout session twice a week (between early and late classes) that is very intense. All students are welcome to join at no additional cost.

This is my first martial arts course. I understand there is likely anxiety for anyone starting a new activity in a new atmosphere. Let’s go through a few likely questions newcomers may have:
What’s the first day like? Jasan will step aside and personally give you instruction on the theories behind Wing Chun as well as guide you through the beginning of the 1^st form. In my mind, all the instruction is essentially 1-​on-​1 with Jasan, but the meat of your time is spent practicing what he’s taught you with other students. Each step of the way through, Jasan is there to provide instruction and guidance, but it’s up to you to put in the work to practice practice practice.
What’s the atmosphere like? The radio is usually playing in the back (sometimes it’s 80’s music, sometimes it’s hip-​hop). Most students come in after work or school. We call the instructor by his first name without a title. Folks crack jokes and share stories, and you can be as serious about your practice as you’d like on any given day.
Are there egos? There are no belts and no ranks; there are assistant teachers and students of varying levels practicing with each other, but it’s never mentioned who is above who. It’s clear that everyone is there to learn from each other, no matter what skill level.
Hopefully this helps to alleviate some concerns curious minds may have about coming in. Unlike going to the gym, I’ve never had that «I don’t wanna go today» feeling; on the contrary, I feel bad for missing days and wish I had more time to come in to practice.
Highly recommended.

I started attending classes about 4 months ago and have been attending classes weekly ever since. I remember feeling intimidated by the prospect of never having done a martial art, but I immediately felt like a part of the class and now feel like the school is an important part of what I do each week. Jasan, our teacher, does an awesome job of introducing new members into the art and incorporating the new members directly into drills with all of the other members (including the most experienced). From day one, each member of the school becomes a student and a teacher, and I respect all of the people that I get the privilege of practicing wing Chun with several times a week! It is a community I am extremely happy to get to be a part of!

Great school, great value (instructionally and financially). Here’s why:
Teacher: Sifu Jasan is underrated. He knows his shit but doesn’t brag about it. He’s familiar with several martial arts styles (he also teaches Eskrima), and can break down explanations of techniques and demonstrate their application in a way that is easily understood. He’s very open to inviting in guest students and teachers. He is not a Rex/​Kwon Do,
even though he has dressed up as The Rex for a Halloween class.
He is also not trying to rip you off…
Price: 60 $ a month, and you can go to all the classes he offers each month. So you could learn both Wing Chun and Eskrima for one flat rate. I don’t think you can find a better value in the Bay Area.
Kung Fu Brothers and Sisters: The people who stay at this school like Jasan’s style and tend to be similar in spirit. They’re friendly, help each other out, and open to new ideas, but also won’t tolerate some bull. No one’s really trying to one up others here. Those who do don’t seem to last long, since that’s not the feel of the place. A lot of the students here help each other out with things, in and outside of class.
Also, this place has a growing group of women, from advance to early stages, so it’s inviting in that way, too.
Location: This place is in Oakland Chinatown. Closest BART station, Lake Merritt, is only about 3 blocks away. 12^th St. BART is just a few more blocks away in the other direction. This makes it easy for those looking to stop by after work.

Been training here for almost 4 years. It still feels like I just started yesterday, but at the same time, I can’t remember what it was like before training. In the class, everyone works with everyone in a very casual setting. Advanced and beginner students are not segregated in the class. I was welcomed very warmly when I first started, and I try my best to make sure future students feel the same way. Everyone here comes from different backgrounds so I learned a lot over the years inside and outside of martial arts. Needless to say, this is my second home.

Great lessons excellently taught by knowledgeable instructors, whose students have fought and won many tournaments. East-​West Wing Chun’s fast-​pace work out program has improved my overall fitness and the martial art lesson has sharpened my senses. Advanced students have the opportunities to spar, an excellent way to apply their techniques in a pressured circumstance, while the new students were taught step by step by Jason. Over all, as a Wing Chun beginner, I felt very welcomed, and the monthly fees are no different than my ordinary gym.

East West Wing Chun is a perfect place for beginning, or advanced Kung Fu studies. A relaxed atmosphere, no attitude whatsoever, and advanced students work with beginners, so you get many perspectives on the same routines. Instructor Jason has physical, as well as mental lessons to share. Affordable and professional, this is a great gym!