“It’s like brushing my teeth,” says Michelle Yeoh, the Oscar-winning actor and star of Everything Everywhere All at Once, of her relationship with wing chun. “It’s a daily ritual I would not miss. Even if we have early call times on set, I will still commit to waking up earlier, to activate my mind and body.”
Martial arts is a form of mindfulness for Yeoh, who was born in Malaysia. “The benefits extend beyond physical fitness,” she says. As well as increasing strength and flexibility, martial arts “improves mental stamina and confidence”, she says. Perfecting each technique “requires focus, balance and concentration. It requires the mind and body to act as one.”
