The Instructor
Sifu Rob Ley
Over two decades of dedicated study and teaching in the authentic Ip Man Ving Tsun system.
Biography
From a tender age, Sifu Ley immersed himself in various disciplines such as Silat, Kali, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kick Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, and boxing. However, it was his profound devotion to the art of Ip Man Ving Tsun that became the focal point of his remarkable journey.
Sifu Rob Ley trained under the late Grandmaster Roland Tong and underwent the traditional Bai-See ceremony, establishing the teacher-to-student relationship at the heart of the Academy's Ving Tsun lineage. The Academy's records state that Roland Tong was a student of Ip Man. The dedicated evidence archive now presents Grandmaster Tong's original VTAA lifetime membership card and historical photographs, with further primary material to be added as it is prepared for publication.
Academy records list a Master of Ip Man Wing Chun recognition from the World Martial Arts Council in 2014, followed by Master of the Year awards connected with the Munich Hall of Honors in 2015 and the Innsbruck Hall of Honors in 2016. These are presented as recorded Academy credentials pending publication of the supporting certificates and event material.
The same Academy record includes Martial Arts Family of the Year recognition in Munich in 2022 and an Ip Man Ving Tsun Master of the Year award at the World Hall of Honors in Atlantic City in 2023. Future archive entries will show each item with its awarding body, place, year and supporting image.
As Co-Founder of the International Ving Tsun/Jeet Kune Do Alliance alongside Sifu Lamar Davis, Sifu Rob Ley holds the position of Senior Instructor for the Ip Man Ving Tsun Division, sharing his knowledge with students and enthusiasts worldwide.
Direct Transmission
The Ving Tsun Lineage
Lineage records the teacher-to-student transmission of the art. The Academy gives priority to its modern teaching line from Ip Man through Grandmaster Roland Tong to Sifu Rob Ley, while presenting earlier traditional history with appropriate qualification.
Ip Man
Hong Kong Ving Tsun Teacher
The source of the Academy's modern Ving Tsun teaching line
Grandmaster Roland Tong
Sifu Rob Ley's Teacher
Recorded by the Academy as a student of Ip Man; his teaching forms the direct bridge to Sifu Rob Ley
Sifu Rob Ley
Student of Grandmaster Roland Tong
Over two decades of study and teaching in the traditional system received through his Sifu
Rob Ley Academy
International Teaching Network
Continuing the transmission through academies in England, France and Brazil, plus direct online tuition
Supplementary Traditional History
The Traditional Family Tree
This wider family tree records the Academy's traditional account. The earliest generations are largely preserved through oral history and should be read differently from the photographed and documented modern teaching line.
The Academy's Mission
Preserving Ip Man Ving Tsun for future generations
Rob Ley Academy preserves and transmits the traditional Ip Man Ving Tsun system received through Grandmaster Roland Tong. Its training methods, principles and curriculum remain connected as a complete teaching method and are passed responsibly to students and instructors around the world.
Teaching Philosophy
Structure Before Strength
The core principle of Ving Tsun — and of Sifu Rob Ley's teaching — is that correct structure always precedes the application of force. A student who understands how to align their body, how to use their skeletal structure, and how to remain relaxed under pressure will always outperform a student who relies on muscular strength alone.
This principle makes Ving Tsun uniquely accessible. It is a system that rewards intelligence and sensitivity over physical attributes. A smaller practitioner who understands the principles can genuinely overcome a larger, stronger opponent — not through tricks or luck, but through the application of sound biomechanical principles.
Sifu Rob Ley's classes focus on building this foundation methodically, ensuring that students develop genuine understanding rather than superficial technique. The goal is not to produce students who can perform forms, but students who can apply the principles of Ving Tsun in any situation.
Credentials
Qualifications & Awards
Academy-Recorded Martial Arts Recognition
The entries below reflect the Academy's current records. Certificates, event photographs and formal association documents will be linked here as the evidence archive is prepared.
Master of Ip Man Ving Tsun — World Wide Martial Arts Council (2014)
European Master of the Year — Munich Hall of Honors (2015 & 2016)
Outstanding Contribution to Ip Man Ving Tsun — European Hall of Honors (2022)
Martial Arts Family of the Year — Munich Hall of Honors (2022)
Ip Man Ving Tsun Master of the Year — World Hall of Honours, Atlantic City, USA (2023)
Co-Founder — International Ving Tsun/Jeet Kune Do Alliance; Senior Instructor, Ip Man Ving Tsun Division
Lineage records in preparation
VTAA instructor registration, Bai-See documentation and formal representation records will be stated in detail when the relevant primary material is ready to publish.
Fitness
Level 2 Instructing Gym Based Exercise
Level 3 Personal Training
Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral (GP Referral) — covering Asthma and COPD, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Mechanical Back Pain, Anxiety, Stress and Depression, Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia, Obesity and Diabetes
Box Fit
Spinning
Circuits
Train with Sifu Rob Ley
Join one of our academies or attend an upcoming retreat or the Yearly Chi Sau Masterclass.