Sifu Sergio Pascal Iadarola is the International head and chief instructor of IWKA. He started his career in martial arts at a tender age of six. He started with Japanese art of Judo in the Dutch capital Amsterdam (Holland). He was introduced to Wado Kai Karate and Pencak Silat the Pamur style at the age of just 12.
Being a Bruce Lee fan, he would peruse all information available about Bruce Lee. Sifu Sergio and his friends toured martial art schools in his home town to watch as well as learn from the array of martial arts taught.
As Bruce Lee began his journey in Wing Chun system, the young Sergio got more information about the famous kung fu icon by writing letters to Jesse Glover and James de Mile who were early students of Bruce Lee.
Though in 1987, Sifu Sergio trained in Wing Chun system under the aegis of Grandmaster Wang Kiu and Sifu R. Vogel. But inspired by the book ‘Wing Tsun Kuen’ written by Grandmaster Leung Ting, he switched to a school affiliated to Leung Ting system WT. He trained under Sifu F. Schäfer. Leung Ting is known to be last closed door disciple of the late Grandmaster Yip Man. The switch from Sifu Wang Kiu to Leung Ting transpired in just 4 months. After a car accident put a 9 month holt to his training he got his 1st Technician levelin 1994. Awarded to him by the chief instructor of the EWTO Sifu Kernspecht, in Germany Between, 1994 to 1998 he traveled Europe and took lessons from various masters of Leung Ting Wing Tsun [WT] like Sifu S. Avci, Sifu H.P. Edel. He trained in seminars including those Sifu E. Botztepe in Italy and Germany. For the period of 1997- 1998, he shifted to Tel Aviv as Israeli chief instructor for the EWTO. He was appointed by Sifu K. Kernspecht. The position lasted only for a year owing to socio-political climate.
While in Asia he got to meet his Sigung Grandmaster Leung Ting in Hong Kong and was accepted as a private student of Leung Ting. Immediately he visited Zagreb to complete the unarmed Leung Ting Wing Tsun system under the Master students of GM Leung Ting – Sifu Slavko Truntic. When finished he returned to his Sigung Leung Ting, where his Sigung only had to make corrections. In this way Sifu Sergio did not have to start from square one. Between, January 1998 to October 2001 he took over a hundred hours of private lessons from the Grandmaster himself in Hong Kong and in Shunde (Sun Tak). He also studied rigorously in Leung Ting HQ under GM Cheng Chuen. In Hong Kong Sifu Sergio would sleep at an acquaintance house which was right opposite to the school of GM Leung Ting.
In late 2001 Sifu Sergio went to New York. He learnt Leung Ting Wing Tsun weapon system under Sifu Fong. This included Look Dim Poon Kwun or ‘six and a half point pole’. He was the first to learn Bart Cham Dao from Sifu Fong. He advanced to the 7th level practician by the blessing of Si-Pak Fong Wai Hung.
On January 2002 Sifu Sergio took the endeavour to begin his own organisation to spread the authentic Leung Ting Wing Tjun system as taught by GM Leung Ting in Hong Kong.
He did not wish to stay confined to Yip Man Wing Chun system and Leung Ting Wing Tsun system. The Yip Man Wing Chun system is a personal adaptation of the Yuen Kay San, Chan Wha Sun, and Dai Dak Lan linages. He wished to explore other lineages including Eternal Spring lineages.
Like the Lo family lineage under Sifu Cheng Kwong successor of the late Sifu Wai Check Yan who taught him the Saam Bai Fat and the art of Kam Na, during this time he also went to learn under the son of the late Grandmaster Pak Cheung and Sifu Pak Cheung Kau in mainland China.
During this period he also studied the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to further his ground fighting knowledge. After this he went on to study the art of the Tang family Wing Chun system of the Eternal Spring Lineage of the late Grandmaster Tang Yick under Sifu Tang Chung Pak who taught him the Luk Dim Poon Kwan and Sifu Sunny So (the last student of the late GM Tang Yick) who taught him the rest of the system in intense private lessons.
To further expand his understanding, he also studied both the Sum Nung (Yuen Kay San) Wing Chun system and the ancestor systems of all the modern Wing Chun lineages, including the Fukien Yong Chun Bak Hok (White Crane) system, under several Sifus in intense private lessons. He even moved to China to live in Hong Kong in order to devote all his time to the study and research the art under Sifu Sunny So and others.
He also paid several visits to the GU LO village in Mainland China where he studied the unique Gu Lo Wing Chun system under Fung Chun during several days. This system preserves the last teachings of the late Grandmaster Dr. Leung Jan.
During the last years due to intensive research into the secret society’s which came about after the destruction of the Southern Shaolin Temple ( See this link for more in depth detail ), Sifu Sergio Iadarola started studying very intensively the teachings of several Fujian systems under Sifu Tio Tek Kwie during one trip to Indonesia and one trip to Thailand where he studied under him for a few weeks plus at the same time furthering his knowledge by studying several other internal systems under different Sifus, that are clearly linked to Wing Chun in the past and contain crucial knowledge of internal power that made the IWKA Wing Tjun system even more complete.
The last studies that completed his quest and closed of the research into the Beautiful Spring lineage of Wing Chun came by coming into contact with the sources that provided him with the original Kuen Kuits from 1850 before the Siu Nim Tau got split up into three forms following the 1854 uprising and the 1855 burning down of the Fine Jade Hall and the Kuen Kuits from 1890. The period when the Siu Nim Tau was already split up into Siu Nim Tau, Cham Kiu and Biu Tze forms.
Sifu Sergio wishes to keep secret – at this period of time – some of the sources he gets his info from as well as the Sifus who actually are teaching him at this moment in the internal arts due to the continuous following of his actions by ex-student of his association.
Some of his experiences are shared with the viewer on his sifusergiochannel which is one of the best channels on Wing Chun on YouTube.
Currently Sifu Sergio Pascal Iadarola is spreading all his knowledge throughout his association the IWKA which has branches in over 14 countries at present.
Sifu Sergio is:
- International Chief Instructor and CEO IWKA based in Hong Kong.
- Official Western Representative for the Ving Tsun and Dragon Kung Fu Association of Sifu Cheng Kwong ( HONG KONG).
- Chief Instructor for the USA and Europe for Sifu Sunny So (HONG KONG).