Sifu Sergio
Pascal Iadarola
Worldwide renowned teacher and author; Researcher: Internal Martial arts Grandmaster in several styles. One of the most knowledgeable wing chun and Taijiquan alive today.
The Living Wing Chun Encyclopedia
From early childhood, Sifu Sergio Pascal Iadarola dedicated his life to the study of martial arts, moving beyond competition toward a deeper search for authentic knowledge. What began in Amsterdam became a disciplined pursuit of Wing Chun as a complete and living system, rather than a collection of isolated styles.
His journey led him across Europe, China, and Southeast Asia, into private training, family lineages, and rarely taught internal traditions. Through decades of direct transmission and research, Sifu Sergio became one of the few Western practitioners to preserve and transmit the true internal roots of the Eternal Spring arts.
Multiple Lineages
30+ Years Research
Living Encyclopedia
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Sifu Sergio Pascal Iadarola began his martial arts journey at the age of six in Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
training in the Japanese art of Judo. During his early years, he competed successfully in several local
tournaments, laying a strong foundation for a lifelong dedication to martial arts. In his teenage years,
he expanded his training to include Pencak Silat (Pamur style) and Wado Kai Karate, further broadening his
technical and cultural understanding of combat systems.
A lifelong admirer of Bruce Lee, Sifu Sergio immersed himself in studying Lee’s life and martial philosophy.
Learning that Bruce Lee’s own martial foundation was Wing Chun, Sifu Sergio naturally gravitated toward this art.
His early research included written correspondence with some of Bruce Lee’s first students, such as James DeMile
and Jesse Glover, seeking insight into Bruce Lee’s personal martial development. At the same time, he actively
explored Amsterdam’s diverse martial arts scene, visiting numerous schools to observe classes and train in a
wide range of systems.
In 1987, Sifu Sergio began formal Wing Chun training under Sifu R. Vogel and Grandmaster Wang Kiu, a direct
student of the late Grandmaster Ip Man who had immigrated to The Netherlands in the 1970s. Shortly after
beginning his training, he encountered Wing Tsun Kuen by Grandmaster Leung Ting. Deeply inspired by the book
and its systematic approach, he made the decisive choice to pursue the Leung Ting Wing Tsun lineage. Later
that same year, he began training under Frank Schäfer, although his progress was temporarily halted by a
serious car accident.
After approximately nine months of recovery, Sifu Sergio resumed his training with renewed determination.
In 1994, he received his 1st Technician Level directly from Sifu Keith R. Kernspecht, Chief Instructor of the
European Wing Tsun Organization (EWTO), in Aachen, Germany. Between 1994 and 1998, driven by an uncompromising
pursuit of excellence, Sifu Sergio traveled extensively throughout Europe. He attended numerous seminars in
Germany and Italy with Sifu Emin Boztepe and undertook hundreds of private lessons with senior Leung Ting Wing
Tsun masters, including Sifu H. P. Edel and Sifu S. Avci. These years culminated in his appointment as Israeli
Chief Instructor of the EWTO, requiring relocation to Tel Aviv.
Throughout this period, Sifu Sergio held a clear personal goal: to become a private student of Grandmaster
Leung Ting. This aspiration was realized in Hong Kong, where he was accepted as a personal student under
exceptional circumstances. Prior to relocating, he traveled to Zagreb to complete the unarmed Leung Ting
Wing Tsun curriculum under Sifu Slavko Truntic. Between January 1998 and October 2001, he received over
100 hours of private instruction from Grandmaster Leung Ting in Hong Kong and Shunde (Shun Tak), while
concurrently training at the Leung Ting headquarters on Nathan Road. In 2000, he completed and received
final corrections for the entire unarmed system—an achievement attained by only one other Westerner at
that time.
In late 2001, Sifu Sergio traveled to New York to complete the Leung Ting Wing Tsun weapon systems under
his Si-Pak, Fong Wai Hung (Alan Fong), becoming the first individual ever to be taught the Bart Cham Dao
by him. He was promoted to 7th Level Practitioner in recognition of his skill and understanding. In
January 2002, he founded the International Wing Kung Fu Association (IWKA). As his research deepened,
he discovered older and more complete Wing Chun and Weng Chun lineages, leading to decades of intensive
study across China, Southeast Asia, and Vietnam. His research culminated in the acquisition of original
19th-century Kuen Kuit, confirming Wing Chun’s internal origins. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in
childhood, Sifu Sergio attributes much of his exceptional capacity for learning and systemization to
this condition. Today, he is recognized as a leading authority on classical and internal Wing Chun and
Weng Chun systems, dedicated to preserving and transmitting the authentic roots of the Eternal Spring arts.
I didn't just want to learn Kung Fu. I wanted to understand its soul—where it came from, how it evolved, what secrets were hidden in the shadows of history. Every master I met, every lineage I studied, revealed another layer of this beautiful art's profound wisdom.
A Lifetime of Mastery
Numbers tell only part of the story, but they reveal the magnitude of dedication required to achieve true mastery across multiple authentic lineages.
45
+
Years of dedicated martial arts study
16
Countries — Schools of the Kung Fu Department of the IWKA
16
+
Years lived in Mainland China and Hong Kong
5
+
Authentic classical martial lineages
The Pilgrimage
Follow the extraordinary journey of a young Italian-Dutch martial artist who would become one of the most knowledgeable Kung Fu masters in the world, traveling across continents in search of authentic wisdom.
1968 - The Beginning
The Young Warrior
At just six years old, Sergio begins his martial arts journey with Judo in Amsterdam. By twelve, he's already studying Pencak Silat and Wado Kai Karate. But it's Bruce Lee who ignites his passion for Wing Chun—a flame that would burn for decades.
1987 - The Calling
Finding Wing Chun
Sergio’s first encounter with Wing Chun is a revelation—he immediately senses the art’s profound depth and subtle intelligence. He begins his training under Sifu R. Vogel and Grandmaster Wang Kiu, immersing himself in the system’s foundations. Yet a pivotal moment arrives when he discovers a book by Leung Ting. Within its pages, Sergio recognizes a deeper calling—one that resonates unmistakably with his own path. From that moment on, he knows he must follow this particular lineage.
1994-1998 - European Quest
The European Journey
Traveling across Europe, Sergio attends seminars with Sifu Emin Boztepe and takes hundreds of private lessons from masters like Sifu H.P. Edel and Sifu S. Avci. In 1997, he's appointed Israeli chief instructor for EWTO, running a successful school in Tel Aviv.
1998-2001 - The Dream Realized
Meeting the Grandmaster
Sergio’s long-held dream is realized when he meets Grandmaster Leung Ting in Hong Kong. Accepted as a private student, Sergio approaches this rare opportunity with absolute dedication. To make the most of it, he ensures that he has completed the entire unarmed Wing Chun system under direct students of Grandmaster Leung Ting—among them Sifu Slavko Truntic. This preparation allows him to fully absorb and maximize more than 150 hours of private instruction with Grandmaster Leung Ting, undertaken across Hong Kong and Shunde, China.
2001 - New York Mastery
Weapons & Recognition
In New York, Sergio completes the Leung Ting weapons system under Si-Pak Allan Fong, making history as the first person ever to learn the Bart Cham Dao directly from him. Deeply impressed by Sergio’s skill and dedication, Si-Pak Allan Fong promotes him to 7th Level Practician.
2002 - The Birth of IWKA
Building a Legacy
Sifu Sergio later founds the International Wing Chun Kung Fu Association (IWKA), an organization dedicated to preserving and spreading authentic Leung Ting Wing Tsun. In time, the association evolves and is renamed the Internal Wisdom and Knowledge Association, reflecting a deeper philosophical direction. As Sergio’s reputation for profound knowledge and comprehensive understanding grows, schools begin to flourish across Europe, establishing a strong and respected international presence.
2002-2012 - The Revelation
Discovering Hidden Lineages
Through the time he spends in Hong Kong and mainland China, Sergio comes to understand that the Ip Man system represents only a portion of Wing Chun’s broader and more complex heritage. This realization leads him into an intensive study of older lineages—some of which preserve internal cultivation methods previously unknown to him—deepening his understanding of the art beyond its commonly taught forms.
2008-2018 - The Living Encyclopedia
The Great Pilgrimage
Sergio leaves his successful European schools to his students and moves to China, then Hong Kong. He becomes one of the first Westerners to open a successful Kung Fu school in Shenzhen China and Hong Kong central, studying intensively with masters like Sifu Cheng Kwong, Sifu Sunny So, and others.
2012-Present - The Living Encyclopedia
The Complete Master
After decades of research across multiple continents, Sergio has reconstructed the authentic internal Wing Chun system. Featured as “The Living Wing Chun Encyclopedia”, he now shares this profound knowledge through the Eternal Spring Institute.
The Masters’ Circle
Sifu Sergio's journey brought him into contact with some of the most respected masters in Wing Chun and Taijiquan history, each contributing to his profound understanding and skills of these arts.
The Lineages of Mastery
Wing Chun Lineages Studied:
- Leung Ting Wing Tsun System(completed)
- Lo Family Weng Chun (Siu Lam Ving Tsun)
- Tang Family Weng Chun (Eternal Spring)
- Sum Nung Wing Chun (Yuen Kay San)
- Gu Lao Wing Chun (Dr. Leung Jan)
- Vietnamese Wing Chun (Yuen Chai Wan)
Snake crane Wing Chun
Ancestor Systems:
- Fujian Yong Chun Bai He (White Crane)
- Emei Zhe Zhuang (12 Postures)
- Internal cultivation methods
- Secret society teachings
- Original Kuen Kuit (1800s & 1890s)
The Master's Philosophy
Beyond techniques and forms, Sifu Sergio's teaching embodies a profound philosophy that transforms not just bodies, but minds and spirits.
Beyond the External
One of Sifu Sergio’s most significant discoveries was the realization of the original force type and internal engine used in Wing Chun Kuen—as referenced, for example, in a secret Wing Chun manuscript written by Law Tiu Wan in 1890. Separately, through decades of research and hands-on transmission, he formulated the specialized Six Core Elements Program, designed to facilitate and accelerate the learning of the ancient methods. His teachings extend far beyond external choreography, emphasizing the development of genuine internal power, refined energy cultivation, and a profound mind–body-energy connection. "Most people practice Wing Chun as empty forms. I fill the forms with life, bringing out the real internal engine that should drive true Wing Chun— the internal cultivation that transforms practitioners at the deepest level is crucial."
"My mind doesn't just learn techniques—it absorbs entire systems, understands their connections, and sees the hidden patterns that link ancient wisdom to modern application."
Wing Chun is not just about fighting. It's about understanding yourself, your opponent, and the space between you. When you truly understand Wing Chun, you understand the fundamental principles of balance, harmony, and efficiency that apply to every aspect of life.
Recognition & Legacy
Sifu Sergio's dedication and achievements have earned him recognition from martial arts communities worldwide, cementing his place as one of the most knowledgeable Kung FU masters alive today.
International Recognition and rankings
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7th level practitioner Leung Ting Wing Tsun given by Sifu allan fong
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8th Dan of Chinese Disciplines of the Martial alliance from the “Federacion Espaniola de Lucha”
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Master level certification from Sifu Cheng Kwong from Law family Siu Lam Weng Chun GrandMaster level
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9th level GrandMaster of the “Weng Chun and Fujian White Crane association”
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Special instructor of the Neijaquan department of the Xiamen BJJ and Shuaijiao academy of the Beijing Yanging Wushu Association and Australia martial arts council in Fujian province China.
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First western author to have his book in the archives of the Foshan library and museum
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Wing Chun Illustrated MagazineNamed "The Living Wing Chun Encyclopedia" in 2013
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Hong Kong SchoolOne of first Westerners to open successful schools in Hong Kong and Shenzhen china
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YouTube ChannelRespected educational channel documenting lineages with more 320 videos up to date
Current Positions
International Chief Instructor & CEO
IWKA - Internal Wisdom and Knowledge Association & its Schools of Kung Fu and experience martial arts departments.
Official West Representative
Vin Tsun and Dragon Kung Fu Association (Sifu Cheng Kwong)
Chief Instructor Europe
Tang Family Weng Chun (Sifu Sunny So)
Eternal Spring Institute - Madeira Islands
Co-Founder and GrandMaster
Offical Master Instructor Spain & Portugal
Federación española de lucha Martial alliance (chinese disciplines) 8th dan master
Learn from a Living Master
Now is your opportunity to study with one of the most knowledgeable Wing Chun masters alive today. Whether online or in person at our Madeira sanctuary, Sifu Sergio’s teachings will transform your practice.