Finally found someone who will teach me Xingyi and Tai Chi!

[Lode Runner]

I'd just about given up looking for teachers of martial-oriented Neijia, and almost out of the blue this guy offers to train me for free! He's not a master (and doesn't claim to be) but I believe his skill level is reasonably high. He studied Hsing-Yi and Tai Chi Chuan under Sifu Shu Kuang ( http://tctaichi.com/biographies/ray_hayward_bio.htm ) for four years. I'm not an expert in lineages, but his looks fairly impressive.

Says that his Hsing-Yi forms incorporate some elements of Northen Praying Mantis and some Muay Thai footwork. He's offering to work with me for free because he doesn't want his own skills to get rusty. We haven't had the chance to speak for long, but he seems like a decent and interesting guy.

He wants us to start out with some forms, lots of push hands and other two person drills, then work our way up to sparring and fencing.

I don't have any particular question or point here, except to say that I am ecstatic. I'm having to restrain myself from babbling with a fool and saying thank you a few more times. This couldn't have come at a better time in my life. I really need something like this right now, and I actually have enough free time to make a serious commitment.

I'll post some updates as our training progresses.

Never lose hope!

[chud]

Congratulations man!

[Ray Pina]

Awesome.

Double check everything with common sense. But heavy on the push hands helps keep things honest.

Good luck! Enjoy!

[iron_leg_dave]

Hopefully the muay thai footwork isn't "incorporated" into the hsing yi and tai chi. Both styles techniques are foundationally laid on their footwork.

I've never seen any mantis footwork that couldn't be found in my tai qi except shape steps, however that's translated, and stuff like that. For a younger person, doing those low walking drills will give you mean kicks and crisp jumping skills. If that's what he's up to, sounds brilliant to me.

If he's teaching you muay thai footwork in free fighting or something though, that's cool. My father in law teaches muay thai, it's really cool, they spend a huge amount of time hitting actual people that hit back, go figure right :P

Ask a lot of questions, it will be good for you, and good for him to remember answers.