Who Is Sifu Chow and What Is His Wing Chun Lineage?

Updated

Sifu Chow is a New York City Wing Chun instructor who trained in the Ip Man – Leung Sheung – Ng Wah Sum lineage in Hong Kong in 1967, opened what the school describes as the first Wing Chun school in New York City in 1972, and holds certification from the Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association (HKVTAA). His school, Wing Chun by Sifu Chow, currently teaches Sunday classes in Tribeca and offers a free trial class by email reservation.

Lineage and Training History

According to the school's site, Sifu Chow's Wing Chun background traces through a specific branch of the Ip Man family tree:

  • 1967 – Began training in traditional Wing Chun in Hong Kong under the Ip Man – Leung Sheung – Ng Wah Sum lineage.
  • 1992 – Private training under Kenneth Chung.
  • 1996 – Private training under Ip Chun (Ip Man's son).
  • 2005 – Entered into the Ip Man Wing Chun Genealogy.
  • 2019 – Entered into the Leung Sheung Genealogy.

Lineage matters in Wing Chun because the art has no single governing body, and different branches emphasize different forms, drills, and fighting theories. A documented line back to Ip Man through Leung Sheung places this school in the Leung Sheung branch rather than, for example, the Wong Shun Leung or Leung Ting branches.

Credentials Beyond Wing Chun

The site lists several additional qualifications:

  • Certified Wing Chun Sifu of the HKVTAA
  • MMA master coach of Global Proving Ground
  • Personal Trainer manager for NYSC
  • Black belt in Karate under Master Carter Wong
  • Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie (2025)
  • Featured among 20 Wing Chun luminaries in Wing Chun Masters by Jose Fraguas (2014)
  • Honorable Best Instructor recognition from Lessons.com (2018)

The cross-training in Karate and BJJ is worth noting if you care about how a teacher handles range, grappling, or pressure testing — though it does not change the Wing Chun lineage itself.

The School: Location, Schedule, and Cost

Item Detail
Location Modern Martial Arts, 78 Reade St., Tribeca, New York City
Class time Sundays, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm (contact page also lists 11:30 pm – 2:00 pm)
Monthly fee $90 monthly (one page) / $99 monthly for the NYC location (another page)
Starter kit One-time $100: T-shirt, sash, DVD of 2 basic forms, Wing Chun handbook with glossaries, 8 theories, and reading materials such as Jarn-Dai-Lik
Payment No credit card needed; cash on first payment, personal check accepted after the second month
Contract None
Trial Free trial class for everyone, beginners and advanced students

Note the fee discrepancy: the site shows both $90 and $99 monthly in different sections. Confirm the current amount by email before your first payment.

How to Join

  1. Email [email protected] to reserve a spot in a free trial class.
  2. Attend the Sunday session at 78 Reade St. (Tribeca) to try the class.
  3. If you continue, pay the monthly fee in cash for your first payment; personal checks are accepted from the second month onward.
  4. Purchase the one-time $100 starter kit, which includes the T-shirt, sash, basic forms DVD, handbook, and reading materials.

No contract is required, so there is no long-term commitment to sign.

Who This Suits

This school is a reasonable fit if you want traditional Ip Man-lineage Wing Chun in Manhattan, prefer a low-commitment arrangement with no contract, and value a teacher with documented lineage records and decades of teaching history in NYC. It is a smaller operation — one weekly class slot — so it may not suit someone needing multiple sessions per week or a large training group. Because enrollment runs through email rather than an online booking system, expect to wait for a reply to confirm availability and the exact current fee.