"Allow the chi to form your system.
Not the vise versa."

Martial arts has been an important part of my life since I was seven years of age. I trained initially in Tae Kwon Do, and that lasted 11 years. during the last few years, I began branching out as a person, and learned of the wonderful Shaolin Arts. I continued Shaolin Kung fu even after ending my trainging at Young's Tae Kwon Do, here in Bellefonte.

Kung fu is something that's grown for me. Intially, it was learning techniques, than it begame learning application. That was followed by concepts. Learning to apply any technique I knew from Tae Kwon Do into a Kung Fu system (animal styles) and making it of that creature's essence. This also touched upon Taiji, Hsing-I, Ba Gua Zhang, and other internal Chinese arts.

Just to note, I've also dabbled and learned basics of Muay Thai, Aikido, Wing Chung, and many many weapons.

During my kung fu, i began an art known as Ninjutsu. Tetsuryu Ninjutsu actually. I don't really like talking about the art, but I will say this. It taught me to fight. It teaches me still, how to be a great warrior. It gives me the heart, state of mind, and prowess to fight through blood, and to think with one mind in combat. If ever I needed a martial art to protect myself, the roots of ninjutsu would show through vividly. It is a deadly art, with the state of mind with a samurai's dedication and focus with each step, and a hawk's mind when focusing on one prey in flock of birds.

Still training in kung fu and ninjutsu, I began studying (on my own) the art of Yin Style Ba Gua Zhang. This is an internal Chinese art similar to Taiji in concept (Taoist) but it is based on the Ba Gua (I'Jing related) thought process and concepts. This was the missing link between my kung fu and ninjutsu.

I then began studying not arts, but my own art. Developing my own techniques, essences, and animals. I think of it as Martial Alchemy (similar to the ancient Taoist chemical processes and internal energy practices). I've developped a partial Rat Style Kung Fu system, a unique Lin Kuei (Chinese ninja) branch off system. A Kung Fu Katana Form, redesigns of many basic Shaolin animal systems, and all of which are based deeply in philosophy and heart.

But the most recent change to it all... Reading. The culture of the Chinese arts, religion, and stories all have completely reformatted the way I look at the Martial Arts. I believe there's something more out there... Ancient stories around the world tell about amazing warriors who would slay hundreds of men in single battles. And great martial artists who could jump amaizng distances (as if flying), blast chi through people's systems, and change their own physical chemistry. Although many of the stories are fantastic, I think there is alot of truth to them. The difference is, back then, people strived to be like those in the legends, and forged their own legends. Now people just tell us that those legends aren't true, and are impossible. So no one believes they can reach it. I will reach it.

My martial arts are developping in this way. You can't specifically point a finger on any one part of it, but it's becoming formless, and all emcompassing of reality. No longer an art you train, but reality itself is coming my martial art.