Paul has studied martial arts for over 20 years with a special interest in Xing Yi Quan.  He primarily studied under Sifu Damon Smith in the UK but has cross-trained widely seeking out other skilled martial artists to learn from. 

He competed in the European Chinese Full Contact Sword Tournaments 2011 and 2012 where he placed in the quarter and semi-final respectively. There he met Scott M Rodell Laoshi and began training Chinese sword fighting, holding regular UK seminars, and becoming an accepted apprentice Jianfa student in 2019. 

Paul has also travelled and trained in China. First in 2016 when he trained intensively in Yi Quan with Yao Cheng Rong and Shuai Jiao (Chinese Wrestling) with Wang Tong Qing in Beijing. In 2019 Paul travelled to Tianjin and Shanxi to meet with representatives of various Xing Yi and Xin Yi Styles.

Paul has inherited his Xing Yi from Sifu Damon Smith who learnt from four masters in three different lineages. Firstly, Master Yeoung Ko Te, a Malaysian of Chinese decent, whose grandfather studied under the renowned Xing Yi Master Gou Yun Shen. It is from Master Yeoung that much of the Yan Yi content comes from. Secondly Master Zhu Guang from Beijing who had studied under the prominent teacher Luo Da Cheng.  And finally with two masters in Beijing who taught a family style again descended from Gou Yun Shen. 

The merging of these three lines as well as Paul's own experiences from Yi Quan and other groups means that this style is uniquely rich in variety, depth and detail, especially the Twelve Animals.

Paul has also studied esoteric traditions with Sifu Smith including eastern and western traditions and was introduced to Kato Eiichi Sensei and Kato Kaoruko Sensei who taught him much about Japanese shamanic tradition.

Paul previously worked as a professional ecologist for over 16 years before pursuing Xing Yi Academy full time. His professional experience has given him a deep understanding of animal strategy and behaviour able to be applied to the Xing Yi Animals   

Josef began training in Xing Yi with Paul around 2011 and has also trained with Sifu Damon Smith.

Joe is a competent Xing Yi Practitioner with a good grasp of the Five Elements and Twelve Animals as well as having cross-trained in a number of other martial arts to lesser extents.

Paul and Joe have trained together in Shamanic technique and esoteric arts under Damon Smith, often practicing together doing strange and unusual tasks from social experiments, to deeply meditative techniques, in cities or out in nature. 

Joe's expertise also extends to the technical and since 2014 has been behind the camera and the editing desk for Xing Yi Academy. Joe's background as a musician and music producer has expanded into the realm of film and his attention to detail and creative flair means that our content is always has a high production value.  

Joe also hosts the Woven Energy podcast on Practical Shamanism with Damon Smith and run his own YouTube Channel and music tuition business - Creative Piano Academy.