Sifu Göksel Erdogan: Issue 87

Wing Chun Illustrated Issue 87, featuring Sifu Göksel Erdogan, is now available globally as softcover on Amazon, as a premium hardcover at WCIPremium.com, digitally on the Apple App Store and Google Play, or via WCINewsstand.com.

"Always excellently done, always thought-provoking, always interesting content, very well balanced, and always presented with grace and respect for all. I wish that all our Wing Chun brothers and sisters were as mindful in their day-to-day interactions with each other."

LARRY BUTLER

United States

The simple and profound truth about Wing Chun Illustrated is that it delivers! In a world where bias is omnipresent, hagiography widespread, and superficiality the norm, Wing Chun Illustrated truly does provide a forum for many perspectives and approaches, always with depth and content—meaning that it’s impossible to pick up an issue without gaining new, worthwhile insight into our beloved art. Truly, if one is serious about understanding Wing Chun, regardless of spelling tradition, Wing Chun Illustrated is de rigueur. Consequently, never settle for “just” present and future issues, but do get the full package, including all the back issues!

CHRISTIAN A. STEWART-FERRER

Denmark

This is an impressive magazine and I am set back with each issue by its quality of appearance and content. Clearly, this has the potential to overshadow many other national martial arts publications. Stay the course and always protect the line. Excellent job. As always, thanks and continued success.

MOSES McCLENDON

United States

I have purchased Wing Chun Illustrated in printed format and I have to say that it is simply the highest quality magazine I have ever owned! Beyond the quality paper and printing techniques utilised, the articles themselves are thorough and true to the Wing Chun system. I really appreciate owning a piece of history and I look forward to future issues!

JAMES BUMPAS

United States

I have looked forward to this magazine for months and was not at all disappointed. The articles are well written, nonbiased, and most importantly very informative. This is the first magazine that I have ever read from cover to cover. I’m encouraging all of my Wing Chun brothers and students to subscribe. I’m very much looking forward to the next issue!

WIZE SHABAZZ

United States

I have been practising Wing Chun for the best part of 30 years. In my time, I have read a huge amount of material on the art; however, I can honestly say that your magazine is by a long, long way the finest collection of articles I have come across. The fact that all views (and you and I both know there are so many) on the art of Wing Chun are made readily available in one place, without prejudice, is really inspirational and will hopefully serve as a guiding light and a template for dialogue within the art itself.

CHRIS HARVEY

United Kingdom

Sifu Göksel Erdogan Cover Feature

GÖKSEL ERDOGAN
Redefining Wing Chun Through Logic and Awareness
By Eric Lilleør
With his G.E. Ving Tsun Method, Sifu Göksel Erdogan is redefining Wing Chun for a new era. By combining physics, biomechanics and tradition, he champions teaching through understanding rather than repetition – making the art precise, logical and alive. His approach reveals Wing Chun not as mysticism, but as a refined system of balance, structure and energy flow. Building on this foundation, his vision for the art’s future is clear: beyond style or lineage, Wing Chun becomes a shared language of clarity, precision and awareness. This philosophy underpins Erdogan’s timeless yet forward-looking message – true mastery begins when imitation gives way to understanding.

Columns

WING CHUN DECODED
The Art of Sticking and Seizing
A Technical Perspective
By Sergio Pascal Iadarola
Sifu Sergio dissects the inner workings of Chi Sau, showing how Dantian-based energy refines structure, sensitivity and timing: turning sticking and seizing into an expression of internal mastery.

TALKING HANDS
Thicker Than Blood
A Viking’s Return
By Glenn Landers
Sifu David Peterson’s return to Denmark becomes both reunion and revelation: a celebration of heritage and enduring Wing Chun bonds.

THE MARTIAL MIND
Seeking the Bridge
Staying Balanced in Motion and in Life
By Kyle and Ted Ritter
How do we find balance when life shifts beneath us? Chum Kiu shows that awareness, not rigidity, is the key – a living form where harmony replaces confict, and movements teach understanding.

THE INNER CIRCLE
The Hidden Connection
Uncovering the Historical Link Between Weng Chun and White Crane Boxing
By Jim Roselando Jr & Tainyu Zhang
Could Weng Chun and Fujian White Crane share the same ancestral roots? Tracing their technical and historical links reveals how centuries of tradition shaped two distinct yet connected arts.

THE STRAIGHT LEAD
Ambush
Winning the Fight You Didn’t See Coming
By Jason Korol
Are you training for the fight that’s waiting for you – or the one you imagine? Discover how Jeet Kune Do prepares you for the brutal reality of ambush-style attacks.

Features

FRÉDÉRIQUE ABDELMALEK
The Making of a Fighter’s Mind and a Teacher’s Heart
By Eric Lilleør
Sifu Frédérique reflects on her transformation through Wing Tsun – from artistic beginnings to the realities of self-defence – sharing how patience, awareness and compassion define her teaching, and how it has evolved into a lifelong process of self-discovery.

THE CHI SAU CYCLE
Understanding the Evolving Perception of Chi Sau
By Neil Parris
An insightful look at how perception in Chi Sau evolves through five stages – from watcher to adept – revealing how hands-on experience, awareness and reflection deepen one’s connection to the heart of Wing Chun.

WONG YAN ZHI
The Art and Legacy of “Third Dog Wong”
By Zhang Tianyu
How did “Third Dog Wong” earn his fearsome reputation? Hon Gwong Gau reveals the story of his teacher, Sifu Wong Yan Zhi, whose passion, discipline and fierce energy defined his Wing Chun.

CRAIG SAVINO
The Martial Archivist
By Allan Horton
Sifu Craig Savino discusses the interplay between language, interpretation and movement in Wing Chun – highlighting how clear communication and openness to change can bridge tradition and innovation within the Wing Chun community.

THE TRAP OF FAMILIARITY
Preparing Wing Chun for All Lines of Attack
By Clay Pratka
Can tradition survive reality? Sifu Pratka shows how testing Wing Chun’s timeless principles against modern attacks keeps the art evolving – alive, adaptive and true to its essence.

Departments

STRUCTURE AND APPLICATION
Through the Dragon Gate
By Dr Robert Chu
After the closure of his school during the pandemic, Sifu Chu rebuilt not only a Kwoon, but also a vision of renewal. Dragon Gate Hall stands as a symbol of resilience; preserving and evolving the Wing Chun tradition.

MIND-BODY CONNECTION
Starting from the Foundation
By Kati Rounevaara
What if gravity were more than resistance? Sifu Kati explores how alignment, relaxation and intent transform it into a teacher – revealing balance, stability and effortless strength within every movement.

IN CLOSE QUARTERS
In Pursuit of True Speed
By John Lobb
Fast isn’t about hand speed – it’s about understanding. Discover how Wing Chun refines perception, structure and timing to create the kind of speed that ends a fight before the opponent can react.

Reviews

IN PRINT
Lafayette Harris reviews From Man to Master: A Ving Tsun Pilgrimage by Adie Gray, and These Fists Break Bricks: How Kung Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World by Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali.

SCREEN EDUCATIONAL
Alex Danos reviews the educational DVD Hand and Weapon Forms by Paul O’Neal.