— Ip Man Lineage
Sifu Frank Matos · Founder
28 East 1st St · Mt. Vernon, NY
Our Mission
A logical approach
to combat. Nothing more.
Iron Garden was founded by Sifu Frank Matos in the spirit of Grandmaster Ip Man — the teacher whose lineage shaped Bruce Lee and an entire generation of combat artists.
For more than twenty-five years, Sifu Matos has refined a single question: what actually works?Under Grandmaster Augustine Fong, that question became a discipline.
"Greet what arrives, escort what leaves, and rush upon loss of contact."
— Yip Man · 來留去送 · 甩手直衝
25+
Years Teaching
1997
Founded
Ho Kam Ming
Lineage
You will not leave
the same person
who walked in.
The Transformation
Confidence
Composure that no situation can take from you.
01
A daily habit that reshapes how you move through life.
Discipline
02
A nervous system trained to slow time when it matters.
Calm Under Pressure
03
Function over flash. Effective in the moment that counts.
Real Self-Defense
04
A mind capable of unbroken attention.
Sharpened Focus
05
Conditioning, structure, balance — earned, never given.
Physical Mastery
06
Lineage
Ip Man → Fong → Matos
The Sifu
Sifu Frank Matos
The name Iron Garden was etched into Sifu Frank's arm during his early years in bodybuilding — a symbol of unwavering willpower fused with the inner stillness of a garden.
In 1990 he began his martial arts journey through Seido Karate and boxing. In 1997, Wing Chun found him — and never left. Under Sifu Grados, then Grandmaster Augustine Fong, he came to understand strength without force — a master of motion.
Today, he teaches what he was taught: that Wing Chun is practical, logical, and — for those willing — transformative.
"Excellence is not an act, but a habit."
Aristotle
The Curriculum
Every class is taught and supervised by Sifu Matos. Every student trains for one reason: to make Wing Chun real in their body.
Four paths. One discipline.
Direct transmission. The fastest path to authentic skill, calibrated entirely to you.
One-on-One with Sifu
Beginners and seniors train together — advanced students sharpen by teaching, beginners absorb by doing.
02 · Group Classes
Mixed-Level Training
Direct transmission. The fastest path to authentic skill, calibrated entirely to you.
03 · Beginner Foundations
Sil Lim Tau & Stance
Direct transmission. The fastest path to authentic skill, calibrated entirely to you.
04 · Combat Application
Practical Self-Defense
The Community
Real students. Real training. Real growth.
Every photograph below is a moment from the dojo floor — captured during classes taught and supervised by Sifu Matos.
Words from the Floor
What students become.
Sifu Matos doesn't sell you a fantasy. He gives you something that actually works — in your body, in your mind, in the street.
Senior Student
8 Years Training
Sifu Matos doesn't sell you a fantasy. He gives you something that actually works — in your body, in your mind, in the street.
4 Years Training
Private Student
Senior Student
18 Months Training
Sifu Matos doesn't sell you a fantasy. He gives you something that actually works — in your body, in your mind, in the street.
Adult Beginner
The first step
is always
the hardest.
Physical principles
1. Structure
2. Position
3. Distance
4. Timing
5. Power
6. Adjustments / Flow
Mental principles
7. The Way (Our teachings)
8. Control the Line
9. Conserve Energy
Application principles
10. Decisive
11. Reactive
12. Aggressive
13. Fearless
Code of Conduct - Ip Man
1 · Remain disciplined - Condict yourself ethically as a marital artist
2. Practice courtesy and righteousness – Serve the society and respect your elders.
3. Love your fellow students – Be united and avoid conflicts.
4. Limit your desires and pursuit of bodily pleasures – Preserve the proper spirit.
5. Train diligently – Maintain your skills.
6. Learn to develop spiritual tranquility – Abstain from arguments and fights.
7. Participate in society – Be moderate and gentle in your manners.
8. Help the weak and the very young – Use martial skills for the good of humanity.
9. Pass on the tradition – Preserve this Chinese art and rules of conduct.
The School
The Threshold
Reach out to Sifu Frank Matos directly. Visit the school. Watch a class. See if what we do matches who you intend to become.