Sifu Mukadder Gül, martial arts teacher and one of the few being successful in running several schools in Germany since more than 20 years: the Wu-Te Academies.
Being one of the very advanced profs I have met in 30 years of training he claims himself being a „lifetime student“ of Wing Chun and Serrada Escrima. And you know what? I like that attitude, it's very rare in the martial arts world.
When I met him I already got my first black belt in Ju-Jutsu and I was an MMA/Ju-Jutsu-Allkampf competitor under Frank Witte. I was 25 an I could fly. Mukadder taught me how to stand. (Even thou I still suck haha). He took me on a journey into the profound art and wisdom of Martial Arts. Not for show or competition but for life, self-defence and survival and for passing on the arts.
It’s hard to run a successful school with this mentality in this world where most people don’t care about martial arts and, if so, they might be attracted to MMA, UFC or miltary FMA styles or Krav Maga (with their outstanding marketing). The martial arts world is confusing to people. And right there Mukadder taughed me another thing: consistency. Don’t try, do!
I can’t remember that I had ever had a question in combat or life that he wasn’t able to answer, only my ex-girlfriend wasn’t such a fan our training as I sometimes got home with terrible marks all over my body trying to stop him from stabbing me with a blunt metal knife hahaha.
I have had the very best and most intense private sessions and training camps ever! In Germany and Turkey where we have trained up to 12h per day (in one discipline and topic) and Hong Kong where I was fortunate to get to know the VTAA (Ving Tsung Athletic Association) and to meet Mukadders' teacher Ip Ching (son of Ip Man!) and his students and student-students that all pretty much kicked my ass haha.
Mukadder brought in some of the big dogs in Wing Chun and Serrada to train with us at the academy in Germany. Ron Heimberger, Antonio Bacino and JC Cabiero (a direkt student of Angel Cabales!). He always claimed his intention was to make it to the source in martial arts as close as possible.
So he is not the kind of martial artist who jumps around doing flying kicks or double-sticks the air with Sinawali 999, nor does he teach in front of a wall full of medals and golden cups from countless tournaments, also no military decoration in the background hahah, he is more like the kinda guy that makes a knot out of you in 2 seconds to give you a wise life lesson then hahaha.
Thank you Sifu! One of the very few big bummer about my travels, teaching and living abroad is that I miss my daily sessions with you. Hope to see you soon!! I am sure you will teach me something then :)