Dear students, colleagues and friends,
in past years, together with my grandmaster students and partners, I have invested a great deal of time and energy in research into new areas of knowledge.

Always remain curious and open-minded, always examine critically and sometimes reinvent yourself – to my mind these are strengths that not only lay solid foundations for success, but also guarantee an eventful and exciting life.
Accordingly we have looked even further over the garden fence, studied various traditional and modern martial arts and let ourselves be inspired.

While Natalie and I immersed ourselves in the ingenious Zhong Xin Dao method of Grandmaster Sam F.S. Chin, which is based on ancient, inner Chinese martial arts, GM Oliver König and GM Thomas Schrön became private students of Grandmaster Gokor Chivichyan and took instruction in his highly successful Hayastan Grappling System.

Naturally all this research was ultimately for a single purpose:
to make our own martial art WingTsun even better – more efficient in use, faster to learn, easier to teach. At the same time the principle has always been to be aware of our own roots. It is principally GM Giuseppe Schembri who has been entrusted with safeguarding the quality of the well-proven, traditional aspects of our WingTsun.

Last year, following years of study, we officially created two new departments within the EWTO.
The first is Sam Chin's Zhong Xin Dao (ZXD) as the third martial arts discipline in the EWTO. Under the aegis of the EWTO, this unique inner system of Grandmaster Sam F.S. Chin is to be exclusively taught in authentic form in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Bulgaria and Cyprus.
In addition, GM Oliver König and GM Thomas Schrön have founded the new BlitzFight department which mainly addresses younger, energetic individuals who like to practice sparring and grappling, and enjoy full workouts and functional physical training.

After this expansion, we in the EWTO now have the most complete range of disciplines since the formation of our association over 40 years ago.
Let me sketch them as follows:

I. Classical WT:
Forms, ChiSao with sections, long pole, knives

II. Inner WT:
Traditional forms, Principles, open/close, project/absorb, etc, structure, energy

III. Applied WT
Traditional forms, BlitzDefence, BlitzFight, Self-defence for women, police, etc

What Classical WT, Inner WT and also Applied WingTsun have in common is the forms, the principle of no resistance and effortlessness – they are only 3 different approaches taken by the same WT:

• Classical WingTsun (cl WT) begins with form movements to teach from outside to inside to explain the principles.
• Inner WingTsun (iWT) takes the approach of working directly with the principles without applying form techniques. Here we teach from inside to outside applying the correct energy.
• Applied WingTsun (aWT) rests on examples and situations in which it applies the WT principles.

IV. Stand-alone styles, methods, systems

1. Sam Chin's Zhong Xin Dao
2. Newman Escrima
3. Hayastan Grappling System
4. ChiKung/health promotion

The above stand-alone methods are so valuable for the development of WingTsun, and as impulse-givers, that we can regard them as auxiliary sciences or at least auxiliary disciplines for our WT.

In the EWTO this overall package can be taught on the principle of university study to students who are also interested in a professional career as an instructor or teacher in the EWTO by virtue of the extensive further education and training available under the Leadership Programme.

"Strengthening", "reinforcing" or "compacting" are a few English translations of the Latin word "consilidare".
Strengthening or consolidating this most complete EWTO programme ever will be my principal focus for the coming year 2018.

It goes without saying that for us WT enthusiasts, practical training and teaching come first.
I therefore look forward to seeing you at one of our numerous seminars soon, and wish you all a Happy New Year 2018.

Your SiFu/SiGung
Keith R. Kernspecht

PS: My two hot seminar tips for 2018

1. Special International Seminar at Whitsun

Three days in Wiesenbach from 19th to 21st May, 2018

• Mornings GM Gokor Chivichyan (grappling);
  Seminar fee: € 280
• Afternoons GM Sam Chin (Zhong Xin Dao); 
  Seminar fee: € 300

2. Sticky Hands Seminar

Five days of intensive instruction from 25th to 29th July, 2018
Venue: Villa Spondone, Tenuta Bellavista Insuese, Guasticce, Tuscany, Italy

With GM Kernspecht (iWT)
GM König (cl. WT & aWT)
Hsin Chin & Natalie (Zhong Xin Dao)

Seminar fee for the five days: only € 300