Advanced Fighting Systems is the name given to the Newcastle based Wing Chun Kung Fu organisation founded and run by Sifu Paul O’Neal. Master O'Neal has been training in Wing Chun for over 30 years, continuously honing his keen fighting abilities on a daily basis. He is one of the first westerners to have been taught the complete system under Grandmaster Ip Ching and is the North East's only Hong Kong affiliated master of Wing Chun.
AFS Wing Chun is seen as a very effective style of Wing Chun Kung Fu for total physical and mental well-being, as well as being the most devastating in a combat situation.
AFS practices in a friendly atmosphere with students ranging from Professionals to University Students, Mechanics to Businessmen who are all seen as individuals through the training schedule and are regularly involved in one to one tuition with Master O’Neal, in order that their progress can be closely monitored.
If you are searching for a way to learn real self defense, then this is the place for you. True self defense requires a comple martial arts system, an excellent teacher who has put in years of practice and diligent regular training from the student. Wing Chun is an art form, as a martial art it is not a sport, nor is it a quick fix. We believe that if you wish to learn self defense on a weekend course, then great, this is a good way of introducing yourself to notions of self defense. If you are seeking a comprehensive knowledge of combat, that can keep you safe and allow you to protect those that you care about, then you will find this at AFS Wing Chun, under the tutelage of Sifu Paul O’Neal.
If you want to get into a sport such as MMA, that’s alright, we are not the place for you. The AFS Wing Chun association is an exponent of traditional kung fu skills, we are not an academy for brawling nor are we some kind of fight club. What we teach is the art of Wing Chun, as it was taught to us, which includes the ethics of interacting with other people respectfully in a manner befitting that of an authentic martial art, which sadly is missing from many martial arts schools in this day and age.
Sifu Paul O'Neal
For many years Sifu Paul O’Neal has trained under the expert tuition of two of the finest wing Chun teachers on the face of the earth, Grandmaster Ip Ching and Grandmaster Ip Chun, whilst living in Hong Kong. He has been involved with the two Grandmasters in setting up new clubs in Hong Kong over the years and it can be seen his skills are equal to many of the modern day masters.
He has studied the history, and has come to understand the philosophical roots through which the art of Wing Chun has developed. As both Grandmasters are the sons of the late ‘Father’ of modern day Wing Chun, Ip Man, the lineage running through from some of the most revered martial artists of old leads directly to Master Paul O’Neal. In this way the Wing Chun which he teaches and endorses can be seen to be of the purest form.
No two teachers can teach a subject in identically the same way, just as no two sifus have identical Wing Chun skills. Due to a wide variety of reasons, it can be seen that Grandmaster Ip Chun generally teaches a softer form of Wing Chun in comparison to Grandmaster Ip Ching’s harder form. This should not be confused with the popular notion of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ styles of kung fu (Wing Chun can be seen as an amalgamation of both), but rather as a defensive (read ‘soft’) and attacking (read ‘hard’) form.
Master O’Neal has been a dedicated student of both Grandmasters at different times : he began his journey under the tutelage of Grandmaster Ip Chun and then added to his knowledge under Grandmaster Ip Ching. This duality of Wing Chun style is at the heart of the ethos behind A.F.S, in that both styles have their merits and both can be applied depending upon the situation.
For more info call 07305 808 852
TESTIMONIALS
"I've trained with Sifu Paul O'Neal now for over 6 years and his understanding and practical knowledge of Wing Chun just keeps coming! His expertise and understanding of the full Wing Chun system, as far as I can see, just doesn't have any holes in it! His teaching will help you understand Wing Chun, your body and yourself!"
Phil Robson | CEO, Pat Robson & Co
“Within 5 minutes of joining my first class, it was easy to see that AFS was the club I had been looking for. The skill of Sifu Paul O’Neal is evident from the outset and the traditional but relaxed method of teaching has enabled the effective learning and application the techniques of wing chun. Having practiced for three years now, AFS provides an outlet for me to keep fit and learn a strong yet simple martial art in a welcoming and ego free environment.”
Yaqoob Isha | Company Director, The Punjab Kitchen Ltd
“Paul is a born teacher / Sifu, he’s a natural at getting the best out of people without ever needing to resort to the domineering tactics of other martial arts instructors out there. Even in regular classes, Paul will spend time with each student, allowing them to learn and develop at their own pace. His exceptional skill in Wing Chun is self-evident, and reinforced by the obvious warmth and respect I’ve seen shown by his peers and Sigung in both Hong Kong and the UK over the past 20 years. It’s impossible to fake the ongoing fascination that Paul so obviously has with Wing Chun, and maybe it’s this genuine love of the art that makes learning from him such a pleasure and so effective. Learning Wing Chun has positively changed my life in a number of ways over the years, allowing me to feel more grounded and think more clearly – I have a lot to thank Paul for; I couldn’t recommend learning Wing Chun from him highly enough.”
Christian Steenberg | Director, Steenberg Consulting