Upcoming Events
SELF ESTEEM. SELF RESPECT. SELF IMAGE.
- Do you have a demanding schedule?
- Are you overworked and need to reduce stress?
- Do you feel like you are losing mobility?
- Are you having trouble sleeping and feeling energized?
- Or do you just want a mentally engaging workout?
Either way, we have what you are looking for. For thousands of years, people have been practicing these ancient movements to decrease the negative effects of stress, aging, and risk of illness. Today we can also use them to improve our overall appearance, feel more energized, and burn more calories even when resting, all while learning great self-defense skills.
WHAT WILL I BE DOING IN CLASS?
HIIT Workouts
- 45 min. High-Intensity Interval Training
- Tues. & Thurs. @ 6:30 pm
- Wed. & Sat. @ 9:15 am
- Our workouts are intense and empowering and will leave you feeling Great!
- We combine the effective workouts of boxing, kickboxing, and Kung Fu with strength training and stretching.
- Whether you want to stay in shape, increase your fitness, improve your confidence, or learn a new skill come and find out why we have been so popular for over 30 years.
Wing Chun Skills
- Two 30-minute blocks of skills training each session.
- Tues. & Thurs. 7:15 to 8:15 pm
- Wed. & Sat. 10:00 to 11:00 am
- Bring out your inner Kung Fu Warrior.
- Our highly skilled professional instructors will guide you through mental and physical growth.
- You will improve your focus, coordination, and reflexes.
- You will be amazed at how powerful you are.
- Real-life practical and effective self-defense skills.
Start Wing Chun and Our HIIT Workouts!
Includes
- Tour of the Academy & meet the Team
- 30-minute introductory private lesson
- 1 group class
Total Cost: $19.95 +GST
Start Wing Chun and Our HIIT Workouts!
Includes
- Tour of the Academy & meet the Team
- 30-minute introductory private lesson
- Weekly group classes
- BONUS Great Way T-shirt
- Earn your 1st Belt
- Access to our Academy Online
Total Cost: $99 +GST
IS IT SAFE? WILL I GET HIT OR HURT?
If you feel that coming into a martial art school can seem intimidating and a bit scary let me assure you we are not the Cobra Kai Dojo from the Karate Kid movie.
Great Way has earned a tremendous reputation for providing great mentally engaging classes in a very safe, friendly, and positive environment where you can learn at your own pace.
- No competitions, tournaments, or contact sparring.
- One-day-per-week memberships
- Unlimited class memberships
- Classes and Private coaching memberships
- Private coaching-only memberships
- HIIT workout-only memberships!
HOW WILL I BENEFIT?
- Are you mentally exhausted?
- Lowers Blood Pressure
- Relaxes Nervous System
- Helps Relieve Insomnia
- Helps Reduce Anxiety and Depression
- Increases Focus, Awareness, and Confidence
- Improves Discipline and Posture
- Increases Self-Awareness and Tolerance
- Trains Right and Left Brain
- Harmonize Yin and Yang
- Kick Start a Great Attitude
DO I NEED TO BE IN SHAPE?
- Being in shape or losing weight is not necessary to start classes
- Previous experience or flexibility is not required
- We have a NO contact policy
- Great Way students are very friendly and helpful
- You will learn at your own pace
- No Competitions, Tournaments or Contact Sparring
- We have a very welcoming environment
- Testing and Belt advancement is optional
- Kung Fu is not a “style” it is a mindset, it means “hard work, well done”
About the Wing Chun Program
WHAT IS KUNG FU & WING CHUN?
Unlike Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Judo or Jujitsu, Kung Fu does not represent a style of Martial Arts. Kung Fu is an Ancient movement and a mindset, it translates to “hard work, well done.” Wing Chun is a style of Kung Fu like Tai Chi. It is the most popular style of Kung Fu, besides Tai Chi, practiced in the world and one of the most effective for self-defence.
LEGENDARY ORIGIN – SIL LUM (SHAOLIN) TEMPLE
The Wing Chun style originated over 250 years ago. It was created in the Sil Lum (Shaolin) Buddhist Monastery of Mt. Sung, in the Hunan Province of China as a reaction to the repressive Manchu Government during the Ching Dynasty.
Our best source for the origin of Wing Chun is the late Grand Master Ip (Yip) Man. According to Ip Man, it was created by 5 Shaolin Grand Masters at Sil Lum as a new fighting style that would dominate other fighting arts and require much less training time to master. Kung Fu became very strong at Sil Lum and aroused fear in the Manchu Government. The Monastery was burned down and the monks and disciples scattered.
5 Shaolin Grand Masters
The 5 masters went their separate ways. One of the masters named Ng Mui met Yim Yee and his daughter Wing Chun. At fifteen, Wing Chun’s beauty attracted the attention of a local bully who tried to force her to marry him. Ng Mui learned of this and agreed to teach the young girl self-defence techniques. Wing Chun trained night and day until she mastered the techniques then challenged the bully to a fight and beat him. Ng Mui gave the honour of developing the Kung Fu style to Wing Chun.
YIM WING CHUN – IP (YIP) MAN
Wing Chun translates as “hope for the future” or “beautiful springtime.” She taught her husband Leung Bok Chau and through a series of students who became masters the Kung Fu style was taught to Ip (Yip) Man.
It can thus be said that the Wing Chun system was passed on to Ip Man in a direct line of succession from its origin. There have been many movies made about Kung Fu and Wing Chun. The most famous was brought to the big screen by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Donnie Yen, who plays Ip Man in most of the movies about his life.
WILLIAM CHEUNG, BRUCE LEE AND BRIAN LEWADNY
Grandmaster William Cheung was taught by Ip Man in Hong Kong. After the passing of Ip Man William opened up Traditional Wing Chun, teaching the once private style widely across the World. William Cheung’s two most exceptional students were Bruce Lee and Brian Lewadny. Brian Lewadny is the Chief Instructor of the Canadian Wing Chun Association.
He pioneered the diverse Wing Chun curriculum complete with traditional and non-traditional weapons and all ranges of combat from standing to ground. This exceptional curriculum is taught only by the Instructors of the Canadian-affiliated Wing Chun Academies.
SIFU JAMES HEINRICH
James was born in Penticton, BC and started martial arts training in 1980. James was first to achieve the title of Sifu, Level 10 with Instructor Certification under the Instruction of Sigung Brian Lewadny in Calgary, AB.
He was also the first student to complete a Level 10 Instructors Exam by the current high standards and content of the exceptional curriculum mentioned above. Returning to the Okanagan in 1993 with his partner and wife Esmeralda, they opened Great Way Martial Arts. Their passion for the mission of Great Way, “to joyfully inspire the mental and physical well-being of our community” continues to grow year after year.
