Master James Sinclair

Master James Sinclair began his martial art studies in 1972 when he started a karate style under the guidance of Sensei Alan White. Sensei White instilled in James the martial art spirit that he carries to this day. Even though James later left to train in Wing Chun, he has always held his first teacher in high regard. The first influences that any person experiences are so important and, through Sensei White's encouragement and example, James has been left with a lasting legacy of Martial Art Spirit.

Master Sinclair has gone on to meet and train with many, much more 'famous' martial artists who did not have an ounce of the manners and self respect that Sensei White displayed. It is a sad a situation when these 'names' simply turn out to be ruled by ego, and are often guilty of psychological abuse, and sometimes physical, of those students in their ward. It must be pointed out that Master Sinclair sees it as a a great honour and responsibility to teach willing, eager minds. A lot of people take to martial arts to look for positive role models for guidance. There is great potential for personal growth. Students have made a personal choice to undertake a challenge in their lives and are willing to put their own experiences second to the teachers. They take on the addage of 'empying their cup....'

Master Sinclair, went on to train in Wing Chun Kung Fu for a decade in Essex & London. Showing total one mindedness and dedication he soon became a senior student and even represented his teacher at British Kung Fu Council and Martial Art Commission events.

By 1979 James was recognised as a teacher of Wing Chun Kung Fu by the martial Arts Commission of Great Britain. James took the art to many venues and gave public demonstrations. Master Sinclair did his best to represent Wing Chun in a positive light to the burgeoning classes that were developing under his, and his colleagues', tuition and helped bring Wing Chun to many people's attention. In the late 1970's James performed the Siu Nim Tao form on stage at Westminster Central Hall for the Bruce Lee Convention. Guru Dan Inosanto was the guest of honour and was still humble enough to take time out to inspire a young enthusiastic martial artist.

Unfortunately, during James early career a lot of challenges were issued at the style and it was a period of violence and ego. Wing Chun ended up fighting Wing Chun, and other systems also joined in the melee. Master Sinclair had no choice but to accept these challenges, as a senior student, and fought mostly as a result of the misplaced ego of his foolish teacher. Master Sinclair has never instigated a fight of any kind in his life, and after 10 years of loyal training and full time teaching James was left with no option but to finally leave to seek a more true path for a martial artist and has never looked back.

In 1981 James was fortunate enough to meet and train under the guidance of Grandmaster Ip Chun. It was a tremendous experience to meet a gentleman who was so well respected due to his lineage, but also backed that respect up with honesty and integrity. James bought Si-Gung a special Caithness Cystal Paperweight as a thankyou. 25 years later, in November 2005, Si-Gung once again recalled the gift and mentioned that he still has it on display in his home. This is the tenor of the man James repects. He makes all students feel special. Unfortunately this was the last time James would meet the GrandMaster for a few years.

After the challenge fights and a few years of almost continuous violence, James had contemplated retiring from the martial arts in a public sense. His long term friend Master Wai Po Tang and private student Steve Lee Swift convinced James not to retire and the long winded United Kingdom Wing Chun Kung Fu Association was born. The name simply said where James was, what he did, and that he was going to develop an Association of like minded people who stayed together out of mutual respect. This was in direct contrast to those teachers who were seeking individual fame and fortune by getting every student to wear their name. With no political allegiances the UKWCKFA began to grow and enjoy a great camaradarie.

In 1987 James went to a Manchester martial art shop. He ended up touching hands with the late Danny Conner, who had just spent a number of months in Hong Kong and China developing his skills with Grandmaster Ip Chun. Also present in the room were Peter Lewis and Peter Consterdine. Peter Lewis and Danny Conner were so impressed that Peter Lewis wrote a feature article for Fighters Magazine. At this time James had still not formally completed the art and introductions were to be made that led doors to open in Hong Kong and eventually a reuniting with Grandmaster Ip Chun.

First James was introduced to Grand Master Ip Chun's senior student, Master Samuel Kwok, in London at the Chinese Martial Art Assoc. meeting. James later touched hands with Master Kwok in a Chinatown Car Park. This led to an invitation to Sam Kwok's home in Lancashire. Here Trevor Jefferson and one of Trevor's students were present to test James. The usual ego situation was present but this soon changed when they touched hands. James was asked to become a student of Master Kwok's. However, James was happy in the UKWCKFA and although grateful, he liked the political independance he had and would not hand over the UKWCKFA. James remained in contact and allowed Master Kwok to conduct seminars, and sell merchandise to UKWCKFA students.

In 1987 James was invited to meet Grandmaster Ip Chun at his birthday celebration meal. Si-Gung invited James to sit beside him at the top table and a long and interesting discussion was held. After the meal James and his students (Steven Mair, Matt Millbank and Abid Mahmood) were invited to a gym to chi sau with Si Gung's students. There was a tense atmosphere and animosity toward James as he was the new face. James handled himself very well and this led to Gandmaster Ip Chun teaching seminars for James's students in Essex.

Following this period James was receiving personal tuition from the grandmaster at James' home. They built a good relationship, a relationship that is still alive today through James' students who travel to Hong Kong as part of their own martial art dream.

By 1989 James had formally completed the Wing Chun system and visited Hong Kong and China at the invitation of Grandmaster Ip Chun.

Grandmaster Ip Chun's invitation to Hong Kong and China led to many interesting martial artists being met and many sticky hand sessions. James also visited Pak Mei and Gong Sai Preying Mantis kung fu masters during his stay. In Foshan China, Master Sinclair met Grandmaster Pang Nam (Black Faced Nam), an old Wing Chun teacher who showed some very different interpretations of the style.

Grandmaster Ip Chun finally stated there were only his own idiosyncrasies that he could now teach James. He stated that James would no doubt develop as his direction was correct. He wished James to spread Wing Chun to the best of his ability and registered James at the Yip Man Martial Art Association, and even put James under his own name on the family tree. However, this was later withdrawn due to political interference. James continued to train and teach and has continued to keep out of the politics of martial arts.

During Master Sinclair's 30 plus years in martial arts he has fought numerous semi-contact competitions, as well as some boxing, full contact and Thai training and sparring. James also fought many private martial art challenge matches with no rules.

Now justifiably recognised as one of the most talented teachers available, Master Sinclair has conducted seminars and demonstrations with many of the elite martial artists of the world such as Dan Inosanto (JKD & Kali), Master Sken (Thai Boxing), Greg Wallace,(6th Dan BASKA), Kevin Brewerton, (World semi Contact Champion x times) Bob Fermor (Nunchaku & other weapons), Mike Billman (5th Dan Shotokan Karate), Terry Coughtrey (3rd Dan Jui Jitsu), Dave Oliver (Taekwondo 6th degree).

James is particularly renowned for his speed and control, and at a seminar completed over 35 punches in three seconds onto a focus mitt. Many people have witnessed him break three tiles suspended on string, and arranged 180 degrees around him, before coins, dropped at arms length, could reach the floor. James has to react to the drop and all tiles are broken in less then 1/5 of a second.

Master James Sinclair teaches professionally and has many branches in England, and the United States. The UKWCKFA now has three full time schools. One in Rayleigh Essex, another run by the talented Sifu Mark Phillips in Southgate, North London and one by his longest term student Sifu Abid Mahmood in Birmingham West Midlands. James' wish is to spread Wing Chun Kung Fu and make it as popular and accessible as the many Japanese and Korean styles.

James has appeared on television several times in the BBC documentary series 'The Way Of The Warrior' where he is seen performing some rudimentary double sticky hands. He was also in the major Channel 4 documentary 'The Living Body'. In recent times he has been featured on cable television, and had numerous radio interviews.

Since 1994 Master Sinclair has been a qualified Shiatsu (Japanese massage / acupressure) practitioner and has been studying Oriental Medicine for some years now. James occasionally introduces the concepts of chi and pressure points into the martial art classes. He does not specialise in pressure point attack and knockout, instead he prefers to encourage the understanding of the knowledge in order that the students gain a good grasp of the culture and realise that it is better to heal than damage another person.

The UKWCKFA has expanded to teach Wing Chun to children from 5 years of age and the classes are developing well. In 1997 James and a few senior students attended the Kent Martial Art Festival For The Disabled. Here James showed his considerable teaching talent by taking novel training ideas and adapting them to help the the blind, paraplegic and persons with learning disabilities. Wing Chun is such a clever and flexible system that most people can be taught and achieve a reasonable skill level even in the face of adversity. These humbling experiences make teaching and sharing skill a pleasure.

Master Sinclair is featured in a book entitled 'Ultimate Martial Arts'. This is a compilation / reference style publication. With Sifu Mark Phillips they demonstrate some chi sau, pole, knives and wooden dummy. There are also women and children of the Association featuring other aspects of Wing Chun Kuen.

In June 1998 James contributed to Martial Arts Illustrated's video magazine. In October 1998 James visited the studios of Martial Arts Illustrated and had a photo shoot for the magazine. The front cover and lead article were released in January 1999.

In September 1999 the much awaited first video was released. Titled 'Wing Chun: Pure & Simple' it has been very well received and has become a classic teaching tape. Sold all over the world, there has never been one complaint, except when is the next installment out?

Released in December 2001 the interactive cd rom has approx. 1 hour of Wing Chun video footage with all aspects of this incredible art exposed. Demonstrating the forms, sparring, chi sau, gradings and much, much more. It is a fantastic piece of technological information and was released to give anyone and everyone a real insight into Wing Chun Kung Fu. Whether you have trained in WingChun for years or are simply enquiring for the first time, there is simply no better way to experience the sight and sound of this remarkable style than with this interactive cd-rom?

In September 2000 the UKWCKFA finally opened their first full time Kwoon. This has been well received and some great guest insturctors like Rick Young, Erik Paulson and Steve Benitez have given us the pleasure of sharing their skills through tremendous teaching ability. We will keep striving to improve the quality of the Wing Chun we teach by researching more approaches to training methodologies.

In January 2004 Master Sinclair was featured in the Bravo televison series entitiled 'Ultimate Warriors' He gives a valuable insight into the wonderful art of Wing Chun, with some demonstrations and candid speaking. To be featured in a series alongside the Gracies, Frank and Ken Shamrock, The Dog Brothers, UFC & Cage fighters, Professonal Streetfighters and old friend Bob Fermor was a real honour and very humbling. This series has been repeated many times and we hope you find our small contribution enjoyable.

In Novemeber 2005 Master James Sinclair revisited Hong Kong & China for the first time in 16 years. James and his team of talented students made a very big impression and as a result James has finally received the recognition many feel he deserved. He has been made a lifetime member of the VTAA and recognised as a Sifu in Wing Chun despite nolonger being under any student. Grandmaster Ip Chun approved the awarding of the certificate and at the same time recognised Jame's own students for their ability by awarding them the certificates too.

Below are some of the photos of the trip. Click here and follow the link to a small write up on the event.

As long ago as 1987 'Fighters' magazine had an article predicting that James "....may wellbecome the teachers' teacher". Surely that time has come.

Photo from the Martial Heritage

Multi-Style Seminar

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