What our students say...

I began learning the wing chun kung fu system in 1994. The first 4 years of hands on instruction left me with little more than a shell of the true nature of the system. It is difficult finding good, competant instruction in any martial art, including wing chun. I have met and worked with 6 wing chun instructors, since leaving my first teacher, going from one to the next (sometimes rather quickly) looking for a teacher who could give me the 'why's' of the 'what' I had already learned of wing chun. I tell you, there are many things involved in finding a good wing chun instructor and luck is one of them.
I was lucky to find Ben Buchli, long time student of Juerg Ziegler and Austin Goh of the Lee Shing Pien San Wing Chun lineage. I would encourage anyone interested in learning the true nature of wing chun kung fu to work with Ben Buchli. Though I have access to several wing chun schools within a 10-20 mile radius of my home, I drive 9 hours round trip to work privately with him. Some people might think that's crazy, but I say wasted training and empty instruction, no matter how conveniently located, is crazy. For those seeking the wing chun truth, look no further.

B. P.
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I decided to take Wing Chun classes beacause it does not require you to have a lot of physical strength. As a woman, I wanted some skills to defend myself and this class has given me confidence. I've had the opportunity to practice with a variety of people with all different skill levels. I've really enjoyed this experience. I've been taking classes for over a year and a half and will keep taking them in the future.

S. T.
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I have had the privilege of learning Wing Chun at the Academy for nearly a year and a half. After beginning my Wing Chun studies in Salt Lake City, I expected my time with Wing Chun would likely come to an end when I moved to Madison, figuring I wouldn't be able to find the quality of instruction that I had in Utah. Instead, I found an instructor who is dedicated, patient and above all qualified to teach Wing Chun. Ben Buchli teaches Wing Chun with a combination of softness and speed, whose skill is evident the first time you touch hands with him. Our classes are structured around working one-on-one with other students or the instructor, and it is clear to me that the best way to learn a martial art is through interacting directly with a partner or opponent. Ben also brings a level of intellectual rigor to the classes, making it clear that we are not just learning simple techniques, but rather principles that can be applied by the thinking practitioner to a wide variety of circumstances. For instance, very early in one's training Ben emphasizes how a movement that might be classified as a block in other martial arts styles is actually an attack as well when it is performed in the proper relaxed Wing Chun manner. I am continually learning that while Wing Chun is a largely simple style with fundamentals that can be learned quickly, it has underlying complexities that I am continuing to unravel and comprehend.

T.G.
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Training under Ben has been a pleasure. I really enjoy his hands-on approach to teaching wich is very different from many other schools in which the sifu would simply watch and demonstrate. Ben works with all of his students to make sure they not only learn the motions but effective and practical applications as well. As I am progressing through the system, I feel like I am really learning something and not just being moved along

J. N.
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I've really learned a lot, and developed skills quickly under Ben's instruction. It's a positive atmosphere, and a fun environment to learn a great martial art in. I would recommend this school to anyone looking to start martial arts training or to continue developing Wing Chun skills!

B. J.
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I, and my two sons (ages 7 and 10), began Gu Lao Lee Shing Pien San Wing Chun training at the Academy of Chinese Martial Arts (ACMA) in mid-September 2005.

To me, it's vitally important that if I'm going to invest my, and my sons', time and effort in serious training, then the object of the training must be worthwhile. Thus, prior to becoming a member of the ACMA, I had been researching various martial arts, and local training opportunities, while training on my own. I made the decision to study Wing Chun due to its' relative economy of motion, practicality, simplicity and reliance on basic, but effective, physical principles.
Wing Chun also is the "mother art" of Lee Jun Fan (i.e. Bruce Lee), although he studied a slightly different (i.e. Yip Man) lineage.

I'm extremely fortunate to have found Ben Si Fu, Michael Si Suk and the ACMA so close to home after having made the decision to study Wing Chun Gung Fu. The ACMA offers the unique local opportunity to train in an authentic, and traceable, lineage of Wing Chun Gung Fu; a rare commodity elsewhere in Wisconsin, and nearly non-existent outside of Milwaukee and the immediate vicinity.

Paying the humble fees charged by ACMA for the privilege of training in such an authentic lineage of Wing Chun Gung Fu is a check I look forward to writing each month.

I will be training diligently under Ben Si Fu for as long as he continues to offer teaching in the Madison area.

G.S.
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My wife, I, and later my son (age 6) all started studying Lee Shing Pien San Wing Chun about 6 Months ago and have found it a most enjoyable and rewarding experience. I have gotten more physically fit both in fat loss and over all feeling healthier than I had prior to starting at the Academy.
I feel like the instruction is excellent. Sifu Ben not only teaches you the movements of Wing Chun, but the purpose behind them and is ever making sure you are strongly rooted in the basics of the art to give one a strong foundation of learning to build upon.
I would highly recommend the Academy of Chinese Martial Arts and Well Being for anyone who wants to learn Wing Chun or for anyone who wants to learn a Martial Art. The school is both a friendly place and those who are there care about what they are learning. The kids program is set up to be age appropriate, teaching basic skills, confidence, respect for others while still being fun.
I hope to be able to continue (along with my family) attending the Academy of Chinese Martial Arts and Well Being and learning more of Wing Chun as long as it is possible.

M. T.
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The techniques taught at the Academy are practical and easy to learn. I've taken several martial arts classes over the years. However, I never felt like I learned how to defend myself, even after a year or more of training. At the Academy of Chinese Martial Arts and Well Being I've only been training three months and I already feel more confident in my ability to protect myself should the occasion arise. I've also seen improvements in all aspect of my physical ability. I'm better at sports and I feel a lot better on a daily basis. The system is very simple, easy to learn.

J.B.
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I have had the distinct pleasure of learning Wing Chun with Ben Buchli since early 2006. As a graduate student in engineering, Ben brings to bear a very unique teaching style. He is able to elucidate, in terms that make physical sense, the body mechanics and proper utilization of force and leverage that undergirds much of the application of Wing Chun. He is able to discern and correct, at a glance, any deviations in positioning or body structure that could otherwise be detrimental to one's Wing Chun practice. This type of individual attention to technique would appear to be crucial in weeding out, at an early stage, any bad habits that could hamper one's future development. This would seem to be particularly pertinent in a system such as Wing Chun where timing, positioning, and absorption and deflection of force is so critical, rather than meeting force directly. At an early stage in training this careful attention to detail may seem repetitive, but actually serves a vital purpose: to input into one's neuromuscular memory proper positioning, thus leading to a very solid competency in the basics. Ben is very concerned that his students understand what they are doing at a deep level rather than simply carrying out maneuvers mechanically. It is for these reasons that we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to study Wing Chun with Ben here in Madison.

J.A.
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I started training with Ben in 2006 and I must say Wing Chun and Ben's instruction are absolutely first rate. I had no previous martial arts training before coming to ACMA and I believe I was extremely fortunate to find this school and this Sifu. Ben takes the time to show you, the individual, the techniques and also the reasons why you perform a technique. A person's teaching style comes from within. Ben's style reflects his personality and you really see his enthusiasm and how much he cares about what he is teaching and what he is passing along to his students. You leave class with a positive attitude and if you try you can apply those same principles of Wing Chun to your own life. That too is good lesson.

K.B.
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Since I will be 66 years old in a few months with significant health issues, I had given up active martial arts a number of years ago with the exception of Tai Chi. A few years ago I was introduced to the Lo Man Kam Wing Chun lineage while working in Europe. However, upon returning to Wisconsin I had not expected to continue training. A chance meeting with Ben Buchli reintroduced me to Wing Chun in the Austin Goh lineage. Ben has tailored my training with respect to my age and infirmities and while struggling to train under a different lineage I am thoroughly enjoying learning and participating.

J.T.
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Walking into a new martial arts school for the first time can be an intimidating experience for anyone, especially when you don't know what to expect from the style or instructor's methods. Being new to Madison and unfamiliar with Wing Chun, I felt this way the first day I walked into the The Academy. These uncertain feelings changed, within minutes, as I was immediately put at ease by Head Instructor Ben Buchli's warm handshake and friendly hello. By the end of the first class, my feelings of uncertainty had been transformed into a strong desire to learn.

Almost a year has past since I began studying Wing Chun with Ben, and I strongly believe that I'm already much more capable of defending myself than I had been before. As a person with previous martial arts experience, Wing Chun is the most scientific and direct system I've encountered. It is unique in its simplicity and has shifted my perspective on the martial arts entirely in the short time I've studied it. Ben's teaching style is pragmatic and patient, and his knowledge of the art is evident in his thorough explanations of each day's lessons. Though he takes classes seriously, he is also one to blend in humor, and a class without laughter is a rare one.

Learning Lee Shing's Wing Chun Gung Fu with Ben has been a privilege, and I highly recommend his class to anyone interested in the martial arts.

J.S.
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