MARTIAL ARTS, TAI CHI, QIGONG, ACUPRESSURE TRAINING
Beginning her Martial Arts training in 1993, Laoshi Markle trained in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Kung fu.
After a couple of years of feeling dissatisfied with the feeling of the training, the instruction and sometimes the unethical methods of the schools, she sought training during the summer times in San Francisco with Master Chau of the Chau Gau Kung Fu Academy in Buck Sing Choy Lee Fut, Hard Qigong and Medical Qigong. The experience of training 6 days per week, minimum of 4 to 5 hours per day, sometimes more, deeply affected her future decision making on Martial Arts. Upon her first arrival, Master Chau showed her how to hit a sandbag full of bricks with her elbows and fists. During the day, to the dismay of many, she attended a summer school with purple bruises up and down her arms. Within just 2 to 3 weeks of daily hitting and Chinese ointment application, her bruises went away and she had no pain when striking. It was this experience that propelled her forward into the world of Martial Arts permanently. When she was young she returned to live in San Fran for 3 summers, also learning Muay Thai and American style Kickboxing from Sifu Justin Clayton.
After a couple of years of feeling dissatisfied with the feeling of the training, the instruction and sometimes the unethical methods of the schools, she sought training during the summer times in San Francisco with Master Chau of the Chau Gau Kung Fu Academy in Buck Sing Choy Lee Fut, Hard Qigong and Medical Qigong. The experience of training 6 days per week, minimum of 4 to 5 hours per day, sometimes more, deeply affected her future decision making on Martial Arts. Upon her first arrival, Master Chau showed her how to hit a sandbag full of bricks with her elbows and fists. During the day, to the dismay of many, she attended a summer school with purple bruises up and down her arms. Within just 2 to 3 weeks of daily hitting and Chinese ointment application, her bruises went away and she had no pain when striking. It was this experience that propelled her forward into the world of Martial Arts permanently. When she was young she returned to live in San Fran for 3 summers, also learning Muay Thai and American style Kickboxing from Sifu Justin Clayton.
Following her first summer stays in San Francisco, Laoshi Markle met and began training with Master Angela Yan in Buffalo in 1997. She ended up training each and every day with Master Yan for almost 3 years. After training, she would again practice on her own every evening. She watched Master Yan perform qigong healing on countless numbers of people, and followed her to every seminar she taught at in Fredonia, Pennsylvania and NYC. During that time she learned valuable self healing and medical qigong, martial arts healing massage & acupressure, 24 Yang Tai Chi form, 42 Yang Tai Chi form, as well as Chinese Medicine Theory, I Ching, and other valuable lessons about life.
After her time in San Francisco and time with Master Yan, she began training in Pennsylvania with Chinese Wushu Grand Master and former Champion, Nick Gracenin. She spent several years of intensive training in longfist and Yang Tai Chi with Master Gracenin, and found this time to be key in the future development of her Martial Arts training.
After her time in San Francisco and time with Master Yan, she began training in Pennsylvania with Chinese Wushu Grand Master and former Champion, Nick Gracenin. She spent several years of intensive training in longfist and Yang Tai Chi with Master Gracenin, and found this time to be key in the future development of her Martial Arts training.
FULL CONTACT FIGHTING 2000 to 2004
Due to feeling that point fighting and the light contact sparring of the Martial Arts world in America were not sufficient to test the mettle of a Martial Artist, Laoshi Markle decided to fight full contact beginning in 2000. She fought boxing and kickboxing full contact fights, sparring and training 5 days per week under the guidance of Coach Dean Eaounnu for several years. During that time in addition to her Kung fu and Qigong training, she trained minimum 4 hours per day to prepare for amateur fights and sparring matches, most of which were with young men. Her picture and fight results of her first boxing match were published on the front page of the sports section of Geneva, N.Y. Newspaper in 2001.
Declining to do Golden Gloves and turning down offers to become a pro kickboxer, Laoshi retired to focus on traditional Martial Arts full time. Coach Dean later went on to train 17 national champions, one of which Laoshi had a sparring match to a draw. There was a 50 pound difference between them at the time, and Laoshi says she recalls how the girl punched hard and straight similar to the men she had sparred with.
Declining to do Golden Gloves and turning down offers to become a pro kickboxer, Laoshi retired to focus on traditional Martial Arts full time. Coach Dean later went on to train 17 national champions, one of which Laoshi had a sparring match to a draw. There was a 50 pound difference between them at the time, and Laoshi says she recalls how the girl punched hard and straight similar to the men she had sparred with.
BUDDHIST STUDY AND KUNG FU
In 1998, she met and began studying with her current Master, Dharma Master Reverend Shen Kuang. Through Reverend Shen Kuang she met Dharma Master, and Kung fu monk Reverend Chun Bo. Other than Buddhist study & practice, she learned Kung fu, Chinese herbs, cooking and more, For more information on this most significant and important aspect of her training click below:
Buddhist Study and Practice
Buddhist Study and Practice
CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CHINESE TEA
Finding that in order to fully understand the Chinese Martial Arts and culture, she had to train in the finer arts of Chinese tea and language-Laoshi Markle had private Chinese language lessons with Professor Lu Xue Hong from UB and private lessons with Confucius Institute teacher, Ms. Yang Yang for a combined few years, beginning in 2004. In addition, going to Buddhist Temple weekly for over 15 years, has allowed Laoshi Markle to study and listen to the Chinese conversations, and in recent years she has begun to speak on her own. Spending time in China, as well as hosting Chinese delegations in Buffalo, have been the most helpful aspects in learning to speak.
Laoshi Markle learned the Chinese Tea Skill, or "Gong fu Cha" from Mr. Darrin Wong in Toronto. She then met up with many Tea connoisseurs in China. She also studied Japanese tea ceremony, intensely for one year from Sensei Atsuko Mitchell.
In 2013 and 2014, she visited tea plantations in Jiangsu Province, and in 2016 she will visit Fujian Province Wuyi Mountain tea plantation to study more on the art of tea growing, making and drinking.
Laoshi Markle is currently writing a book on the wisdom of tea. She continues to study the Chinese Art of tea and to refine her tea skills, and now offers lessons on the way of tea, or "Cha Dao." This style of tea uses the skill of Chinese tea as a way to achieve levels in meditation, patience and self introspection.
Laoshi Markle learned the Chinese Tea Skill, or "Gong fu Cha" from Mr. Darrin Wong in Toronto. She then met up with many Tea connoisseurs in China. She also studied Japanese tea ceremony, intensely for one year from Sensei Atsuko Mitchell.
In 2013 and 2014, she visited tea plantations in Jiangsu Province, and in 2016 she will visit Fujian Province Wuyi Mountain tea plantation to study more on the art of tea growing, making and drinking.
Laoshi Markle is currently writing a book on the wisdom of tea. She continues to study the Chinese Art of tea and to refine her tea skills, and now offers lessons on the way of tea, or "Cha Dao." This style of tea uses the skill of Chinese tea as a way to achieve levels in meditation, patience and self introspection.
DANCE, YOGA AND FITNESS
Laoshi Markle studied at UB in the theatre and dance program, including ballet and jazz. She gave up dance to pursue Martial Arts exclusively. She had many years as a personal trainer and fitness Instructor, and also found that this way was incomplete in helping others on all levels. By the time she was learning to fight, she had given all of her previous pursuits to pursue Martial Arts more deeply.
Laoshi Markle also trained in Hatha and Shivananda Yoga. And again chose to give up Yoga training to pursue Martial Arts full time, finding as many Masters have, that the stretching, qigong, Dao yin, meditation etc. of Chinese Martial Arts supply a complete training regime and lifestyle on their own. This regime results in excellent flexibility, skill, energy storage and peace of mind.
Laoshi Markle also trained in Hatha and Shivananda Yoga. And again chose to give up Yoga training to pursue Martial Arts full time, finding as many Masters have, that the stretching, qigong, Dao yin, meditation etc. of Chinese Martial Arts supply a complete training regime and lifestyle on their own. This regime results in excellent flexibility, skill, energy storage and peace of mind.
