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Martin first began to study Martial Arts in 1968 when he joined a Judo club at Central Washington University. From that time until the late seventies he also studied Shito Ryu Karate and Northern Long Fist and a small amount of Aikido. When he moved to New York in 1976 he met Tuhon Leo Gaje and began to study Pekiti Tirsia Kali and after awhile he was introduced to the late Eddie Jafri, who became his Pentjak Silat teacher. After a long period of study Martin was promoted to Matass Na Guru in Pekiti Tirsia. It was during his early study with Leo Gaje that he and Tom Bisio became friends and training partners. Later when Tom began to learn Xingyi, Kajukenbo (eventually Martin was promoted to Fourth degree Black Belt by the founder of Kajukenbo Adriano Emperado) and Baguazhang from Vince Black Martin began learning the arts from Tom. In 1995 as an instructor with the North American Tang Shou Tao Association he traveled to mainland China for the first time to further his study of traditional Xingyi and Ba Gua and he began to learn Baguazhang from Zhang Huasen and Wong Shitong, and Xingyi from Li Guichang (disciple of the famous Xingyi Master Dong Xuisheng) and his disciple Song Zhiyong. Since that time he has returned to China as often as possible to pursue his study of Internal Martial Art. He teaches Xingyi privately and can be contacted for lessons or questions about the Xingyi of Li Guichang or Liang Zhenpu style Baguazhang by e-mail. |