Sifu Kul Rai: Issue 85

Wing Chun Illustrated Issue 85, featuring Sifu Kul Rai, 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 Kul Rai Cover Feature

KUL RAI
A Martial Journey Beyond Ego and Illusion
By Eric Lilleør
As the Schools of Kung Fu England National Instructor for the UK Schools of Kung Fu by IWKA, Sifu Kul Rai pulls no punches when it comes to Wing Chun’s strengths and shortcomings. With honesty and insight, he unpacks the need for pressure testing, modern tools and cultural openness, while staying rooted in the art’s timeless principles and personal empowerment. His journey – from early influences and formative teachers to developing a values-led teaching approach – reveals a deep commitment to preserving tradition while embracing evolution. Sifu Kul advocates clarity, humility and discipline as the cornerstones of effective instruction, aiming to cultivate martial artists who carry the art beyond the training floor.

Columns

MARTIAL MASTERY
Where Wing Chun Meets Reality
Redefining Sparring for the Modern Practitioner
By Oliver König
EWTO Grandmasters König and Thomas Schrön explore the role of sparring in Wing Chun, highlighting its value in building resilience, realism and fighting spirit – while stressing a structured, intelligent approach aligned with the art’s self-defence focus.

TALKING HANDS
Skills to Die For
Knife Defence – Adding Injury to Insult?
By Glenn Landers
Would your skills hold up against a real blade? Sifu Landers questions martial certainty, highlighting the gap between theory and reality, drawing on personal reflection and Wong Shun Leung’s hard-earned lessons from the streets of Hong Kong.

THE MARTIAL MIND
Unbroken Chain
How Fan Sau Holds Wing Chun Together
By Kyle and Ted Ritter
Take a deep dive into Fan Sau – the principle of continuity that transforms Wing Chun from a collection of techniques into a seamless, adaptive system of flow, timing and strategic control.

THE INNER CIRCLE
Master Chan Hoi Suen
The Grey Eminence of Tang Yik Weng Chun
By Jim Roselando Jr, Sonny So & Zhang Tianyu
A heartfelt tribute to the late Master Chan Hoi Suen, honouring his lifelong dedication to Weng Chun, his teachings and the profound impact he had on students and the wider martial arts community.

THE STRAIGHT LEAD
From the Ground Up
Foundations for Agility, Balance and Endurance
By Jason Korol
What good is a technique if we can’t perform it due to a lack of strength or flexibility? Learn three simple yet powerful exercises that build mobility, balance and resilience, from the ground up.

Features

DARREN ELVEY
No BS, Just Kung Fu
By Glenn Landers
Shaped by real-world experience, Sifu Darren Elvey charts his path from the streets to Sifu David Peterson’s school, exploring WSLVT’s practicality, his coaching philosophy and the core values driving his lifelong martial journey.

SKY, HUMAN AND EARTH
The Deeper Essence of Wing Chun
By Derek G Chan
Learn how breathwork, relaxation and training in nature align body, mind and spirit – harmonising “Sky, Human and Earth” into one fluid expression.

ZHAU CHI HEI
Upholding the Legacy of Grandmaster Sum Nung
By Zhang Tianyu
Sifu Zhau Chi Hei, a direct student of Grandmaster Sum Nung, preserves his teacher’s legacy through disciplined training and a strong focus on fundamentals, ensuring the art remains effective, pure and relevant for future generations.

THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE
How Wing Chun Helped Me Prevail Through Cancer
By Michael Speights
Wing Chun works both in fighting and life. Sifu Speights shares how the lessons learnt through Wing Chun training helped him overcome cancer and transform a major life obstacle into an opportunity for growth.

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH WING CHUN
Building Autonomy and Confidence
By Rhi Gibson
How does trauma-informed Wing Chun build empowerment? By focusing on choice, autonomy, agency and control, students reconnect with their bodies and cultivate confidence that extends beyond technique.

Departments

STRUCTURE AND APPLICATION
The Wing Chun One and a Half Point Pole
By Dr Robert Chu
Sifu Chu presents Yat Dim Boon Gwun, a minimalist approach to the Wing Chun Long Pole. Based on 1½ core movements, it offers effective tactics for sparring, disarming and countering long weapons.

THE SMARTER FIGHTER
Chi Sau Done Right
By Martin Brogaard
What holds practitioners back from mastering Chi Sau? Discover how to overcome common pitfalls and integrate Chi Sau as a dynamic and functional part of the broader Wing Chun system.

IN CLOSE QUARTERS
The Elbow Leads the Way
By John Lobb
Understanding the elbow-to-hip relationship is crucial in Wing Chun. It anchors pressure through the body, prevents instinctive reflex disruption, and fosters habits that transform small structural changes into powerful, reliable responses. Are you ready to master it?

Reviews

IN PRINT
Lafayette Harris reviews Spotting Danger Before It Spots You: Build Situational Awareness to Stay Safe by Gary Quesenberry, and Live Life Like a Kung Fu Master by William Moy and Paul Volpon.

SCREEN EDUCATIONAL
Alex Danos reviews the educational DVD Instructor Series: 108 Wooden Dummy Motions Part 1 by Randy Williams.