If you are tired of Bagua teachers, or Tai Chi and martial arts teachers who

• Play the guru, make wild claims or punish disobedience
• Use deep-sounding jargon to produce mysterious word salads
• Hate on other styles
• Tell you it will take decades – or that it will be so easy

….then we will probably get on.

Hello, I’m Edward Hines, a Bagua teacher in Brittany, France.

I’ve been practicing for over 40 years and if I can make it clearer for you I will. If I can make it more helpful for you, I will.

I like other styles and disciplines. I dislike dishonest teachers and dishonest teaching methods.

I’ve learned some things over the decades and made plenty of mistakes.

All of that is on offer to you, so you can be better at this than I was or find the level that benefits your life.

That’s what I have to offer as a teacher.

The Bagua teacher bio piece – important teachers and influences

Cheng Man Ching line

My first Tai Chi teacher had trained with several students of Cheng Man Ching. I started there in 1983. It was in many ways a strange school with no applied martial practice, but with some useful emphasis on softness and sensitivity.

I was only 15 years old when I started, and I didn’t know better. But it still opened a door on the vast possibilities of this kind of training and a fire was lit.

As a result, I went to Taiwan in 1991 to get more extensive training. I thought I’d be there for 6months or so, but it was closer to 4 years before I left.

During this time I studied with three students of Cheng Man Ching, mostly Tao Pingxiang, briefly with Liu Hsiheng, on and off with Ke Qihua.

Luo Dexiu and the Yizong school

I started my Bagua journey in 1991 when I met amazing Bagua teacher Luo Dexiu.

Luo taught me the complete Yizong Gao style Bagua system, along with Chen Pan Ling Taiji, Hebei Xingyi, and various qigong cultivation sets.

More than that Luo taught me to search for the patterns underlying and connecting each system.

Luo is a powerful, realistic and sophisticated martial artist. He shows the what and the how of martial Bagua with great clarity.

The weight of his hands leaves an impression but is still a shock each time you feel it.

Gao style and Luo’s training remain a frame into which I can place ongoing martial skills and experiences.

Tony Felix

I cannot thank Tony Felix enough for his coaching in sanda (full contact kickboxing with throws) and other martial skills. I worked with him in the late 90s and the turn of the millennium in London.

Tony can hold the tension between ‘sport’ and ‘traditional’ methods. This period was also an opportunity to revisit Saint Pancras boxing club, which I had trained and fought at as a small boy (It’s the club you can see in the film Snatch).

A small group of Tony’s students fought in tournaments around the UK, some of which attracted competitors from around the world. We cleaned up on the medals back then. Good memories, many black eyes, and an important part of my education. 

An eternal BJJ white belt

I also started BJJ at this time, though a bad knee injury (in sanda) put me out for a while and made me review my priorities.

Though several people have helped (shout out to Tim Cartmell), I’m still a BJJ beginner, even if I can make it work with bigger people who have less grappling time than me. BJJ is very cool that way.

If I ever get to Blue belt, I’ll let you know!

Steve Morris

Probably time to mention Steve Morris. I’ve only trained in the same room with him twice, though I often review his materials.

He helped me question and upgrade my understanding of martial arts and teaching. If you know Steve, you know.

If you don’t he’s now an 80-year-old who has scary power, on-point movement, and decades of obsession-driven knowledge.

Steve stepped away from and does not advocate any martial arts styles. Yet I can’t not mention Steve.

I wish more people would seek him out. He makes densely informative videos and when I last heard, still teaches around London.

The ocean, Freediving and breathwork

I’ve loved swimming underwater since before I could speak. I discovered Freediving as a discipline in the late 90s. It’s one reason I live close to the sea. Breath control has always been important to me.

While I can’t claim any special alchemical knowledge, Luo has patiently walked me through the Daoist practices that he has delved into deeply. It has given me a solid framework that I continue to research.

There are a lot of traditions and methods out there. Exploring and triangulating on the root of qigong, breathwork, and internal cultivation is something that I will continue until the last expiration. 

Fitness and Movement culture

To teach Tai Chi to local authorities in the UK I qualified as a fitness instructor in the mid-90s. It wasn’t something that appealed originally, but for all ‘internal’ people look down at modern strength training there are some real gems to discover there.

I was active in the burgeoning of ‘movement culture’ from 2012 on and have worked with many of the ‘big names’ in it.  

In 2012 I was also a co-founder of the first Crossfit box in Paris. I know, Crossfit and Tai Chi? It’s all about balance!

Post-pandemic Bagua teaching

Since 2020 I have offered online Bagua courses and online Bagua classes via Zoom.

I have also worked 1:1 coaching students in Bagua and Taiji – Tai Chi online.

In the courses below I have compiled a short but thorough introduction to qigong and breathing methods, A simple overview of Bagua concepts and movements, and a deeper dive through the Gao-style system of Baguazhang.

In-person training and seminars

You are welcome to visit me and the dogs in Brittany.

We have space for guests and space to train. It’s a beautiful area with stunning coastlines. We have regular group gatherings too.

Occasionally travel to teach. I like where I am so I’m not so keen to leave as I used to be. But the world is wide and fascinating.

Send me a message if you want to invite me somewhere or fancy time away from it all to practice.

What you won’t find here

These courses here are down to earth. Everything is testable and applicable (with practice) against resisting opponents. But that is work not everyone wants to do.

You won’t find excessive jargon. You won’t get thirty minutes of theory to explain how to lift your hand ‘correctly’. 

You won’t find any air of superiority because of the label ‘internal’. 

You won’t find a slavish need to look a particular way, to dress a special way (no silk pajamas) or pressure to buy any magic products. 

These courses are not about cosplay or putting other cultures on pedestals. 

You won’t find lies about how deadly these courses will make you.

The tuition does not depend on background music, long intro sequences or graphics. Videos go straight to the point and respect your time.

You won’t be looked down on because you like fighting.

You won’t be looked down on because you just like the movements and don’t care about fighting. 

Your questions will be welcome whether you are an experienced martial artist or a total beginner

A practical approach

Many internal arts schools encourage students to do basics for years before engaging in partner practice or anything free. While there are arguments for that approach it’s not really how humans learn.

I encourage students to approach the development of martial arts differently.

Movement quality, internal power and the like all need to be developed, and the best way is through clear, simple exercises done with focus and curiosity.

But learning is faster if there is contextualisation at the same time. 

How do internal qualities help solve martial problems? The sooner you are exposed to martial problems, the sooner you can add depth to your movement understanding. You don’t need to wait for years.

It’s like building a bridge. it goes faster if you start from both sides – though you need to take care to meet in the middle.