Xing Yi Quan translates as Mind-Form Boxing and is the oldest of the internal arts of China. It has a reputation for being the secret fighting art of the Chinese military developed by General Yue Fei and later expanded by Ji Ji Ke. Its applications are characteristic of rapid and explosive power with continuous forward attacking movement. Even in stepping back, the exponent is still attacking. Xing Yi consists of 5 elements and 12 animals as well as pair work and weapons forms.

Bagua Zhang translates as eight palm changes. The 8 trigrams (bagua) each representing a natural phenomena – Heaven; Earth; Water; Fire; Mountains; Lakes; Wind and Thunder, make 64 possible combination of hexagrams when one is combined with a second. These 64 combinations form the I Ching or oracle which is used in divination; medicine and martial arts to name but a few.
Bagua is characterised by ‘circle walking’ and the footwork is described as that of walking through a muddy pitch. Once the walking is learnt, basic palms are introduced followed by more complex palm changes and sequences and eventually the 8 animal forms which have a correspondence to each of the 8 phenomena. There are also two person practices as well as weapons forms.

Tong Bei Quan is one of the lesser known internal arts and was rarely taught broadly until quite recently. It literally means “Generating Power from the Back Boxing”, The training methods of Tong bei quan are based on 72 techniques and traditionally this art form was taught as basic training of stance work employing angles of movements, arm and leg techniques as well as body conditioning. Some Tong Bei techniques are also integrated within Sha family Tai Chi and Xing Yi and the basic skills of Tong Bei and body conditioning can complement any martial art training.

Shifu Birinder’s additional knowledge and extensive training in Chinese Medicine allows him to personally prepare herbal medicines for both internal and external use to aid body conditioning. Some of the ancient formulas and medicines used have been passed down to him by the Great Grandmasters.