John Groschwitz (Instructor)—Menlo Park
John started his martial journey with Northern Shaolin in 1995, and later that same year met his teacher Vince Black, who introduced him to Xingyi and Bagua. From 1996 to 2002, he studied Lan Shou, becoming a 'Name-Listed Disciple" of Liu Wanfu, and from 1998-2005 continued to train in Northern Shaolin under Wong Jackman. He has trained in Shen Long Xingyi and Liang Zhenpu Bagua since 1995, Cheng School Gao Style Bagua since 1998, Song Shirong Xingyi since 2001, Water Boxing and Kajukenbo since 2003, and has also studied Yang and Wu-Hao Taiji, and various systems of Qigong, in the U.S. and Mainland China. In 2006 he became a disciple of Li Runxi, in 2012 a disciple of Liu Shuhang, and a disciple of Vince Black in 2014. He is currently the Senior Translator for NATSTA, and most recently translated the Cheng School Gao Style Baguazhang Manual.
Naoko Koike, L.Ac. (Instructor)—Menlo Park
Naoko was born in Japan and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1996. She started studying Northern Shaolin in 1995 and later trained under Wong Jackman for seven years. She also joined the North American Tang Shou Tao and began studying Gongfu medicine, Hebei style Xingyi, and Bagua in 1995, and in 2000 began training directly with Dr. Vince Black in the heart of the Gongfu medicine system—Xingyi, Bagua, Taiji, Liuhebafa, and Kajukenbo. She is currently an Instructor in Shen Long Xingyi, Cheng-School Gao-Style Bagua, and holds a 4th dan Black Belt in Kajukenbo. In addition to ongoing training under Dr. Black, she has trained with various masters such as Dr. Xie Peiqi, and Dr. Share K. Lew. She studied intensively in Hebei style Xingyi with Liang Kequan and Shanxi style Xingyi with Li Runxi, becoming Li Runxi's disciple in 2007. In 2012 she was accepted as Liu Shuhang's 31st disciple in Cheng School Gao Style Baguazhang. She became Dr. Black's disciple in 2014. She is a licensed acupuncturist in California.
Joe Park, L.Ac. (Assistant Instructor)—Petaluma
Joe is a California State licensed and nationally certified acupuncturist and herbalist, and has been practicing internal arts for more than twenty years.
Shawn Smolinski, L.Ac., AOBTA-CP (Assistant Instructor)—Santa Cruz
Shawn is a California State licensed and nationally certified acupuncturist and herbalist who began his gongfu training in 2003 with studies in an obscure form of
Taijiquan that also incorporated elements of shuaijiao, or Chinese wrestling. In 2004, Shawn began training in Chinese Medicine at Five Branches University, where he later met members of the North American Tang Shou Tao Association.
Shawn joined NATSTA in the spring of 2006, and began training Shen Long Xingyiquan, Cheng School Gao Style Bagua, Liang Zhenpu Bagua and Taijiquan.
In 2007 he traveled to China with a group of NATSTA members to continue studying Gao Bagua with lineage holders Liu Shuhuang, Li Xueyi and Ge Guoliang;
and Song Shirong Xingyiquan with Li Runxi. Beginning in 2008 Shawn began studies in Liu He Ba Fa, known colloquially as Water Boxing. From 2009 to 2011 he
apprenticed with Six Harmonies Traditional Medicine Center to learn Jin Shou Tuina, the style of Tuina massage associated with the NATSTA lineages.
In 2010, Shawn became an Assistant Intstructor in both Shen Long Xingyiquan and Cheng school Gao Style Bagua Zhang.