Lancaster Wing Chun, a local martial arts training center, is celebrating its one-year anniversary.

An official Wing Chun training center, the facility has direct ties to Great Grandmaster Ip Man, the teacher of Bruce Lee, who is credited with popularizing the marital art style.

Ip Man was born in Foshan, China, on Oct. 1, 1893. During his life, one of the students he passed his knowledge to was his son, Grandmaster Ip Chun, who will celebrate his 99th birthday this July. In turn, Ip Chun passed along what his father taught him to Lancaster Wing Chun's Master Colin Ward of the Northern Wing Chun Kung Fu Association (NWCKFA). Ward established the Lancaster Wing Chun Association on April 15, 2022, to create a place where people can learn traditional Ip Man Kung Fu in a safe and supportive environment.

Wing Chun is one of the few martial art systems to be invented by a woman. It is designed for a smaller, weaker individual to overpower a larger, stronger opponent by effectively utilizing centerline theory, speed and power.

The center emphasizes creating a safe environment where Wing Chun theory and techniques can be learned and applied. The goal is for attendees to learn the mechanics of self-defense and how to de-escalate and even walk away from a conflict. Wing Chun emphasizes calmness and relaxation to avoid a fight as its highest priority. However, in the event that avoidance and de-escalation strategies fail, participants also learn techniques for self-defense to minimize personal injury.

The style has been learned by both males and females from a young age, but it continues to be practiced during peoples' retirement years. The goals of current members include gaining confidence, practicing discipline, managing stress and anxiety, finding relaxation and calmness and acquiring the benefits of cardiovascular health, all in the context of making new friends.

To learn more, visit http://www.lancasterwingchun.com, call or text 717-208-2258 or stop by the center at 246 Manor Ave., Millersville. Open enrollment for classes is currently underway. Both in-person and virtual training options are available, and a complimentary trial experience is offered.