→ Requirements of potential students of Liang Yi Pressure Point
→ The Liang Yi pressure point training facility
→ Costs and Accommodation
→ Tuition and Costs
→ Accommodation Options
→ Food – Availability and Costs
→ Additional Services and Costs
→ Syllabus for students of Liang Yi pressure point
→ Typical weekly schedule for student of Liang Yi pressure point
→ Training in Liang Yi pressure point on a part-time basis

Requirements of potential students of Liang Yi Pressure Point:

       Any students wishing to study Liang Yi pressure point must consider the following:

1. Students must be between the ages of 18-50. Those between the ages of 16 and 18 are also permitted to study Liang Yi pressure point if they are accompanied by an adult over the age of 18 years throughout the duration of their visit.
2. Students must not have a criminal record, neither in their country of origin nor in China.
3. Students with or without previous martial arts experience are welcome at the Liang Yi pressure point training facility.
4. Students must appreciate the dangerous nature of pressure point training, and understand that any skills they gain should only be used in a legal manner and in situations where it is truly necessary.

The Liang Yi pressure point training facility
       The training facility itself is a small and modest building tucked away from a main road, and is not a Gong Fu school in the traditional sense. This is because the students attend their formal lessons elsewhere, though they study Wushu, eat and sleep in the Liang Yi pressure point training building. Hence, we do not refer to the Liang Yi pressure point building as a school, but rather as a training facility.
       The Liang Yi pressure point building itself has a modest range of training facilities, including a tiled room for indoor practice, and access to a large field for outdoor training (when the weather allows). The training facility also has all the equipment necessary for practicing weapons forms, though students are of course free to purchase any additional equipment they want from one of the many stores in Zhungzhou.
       When necessary (for example, when Zhang Shifu needs to explain the theory behind a particular aspect of pressure point training), an English-speaking interpreter will be available during training hours.
       The modest facilities on offer are all that is necessary for learning and practicing Liang Yi pressure point. However, for those students who wish to undertake additional weight-lifting or cardiovascular training, we are also currently in the process of negotiating a deal to allow access to Zhengzhou University’s Department of Physical Education (which has a modern gymnasium, weights room, running track and so forth), which is only a five minute walk from the Liang Yi training facility.  

Costs and Accommodation

　　Potential students of Liang Yi pressure point should note that if they have any doubts as to the effectiveness of pressure point techniques, they are more than welcome to come to the training facility and receive a non-damaging strike (at their own risk) before making any form of payment. Whilst tuition costs can be paid in advance using either a credit card or international money transfer (though transfer fees may apply, and must be paid for by the student), all other costs can only be paid in cash (RMB). Advance accommodation and tuition fees must be paid in full within 24 hours of arrival.

Tuition and Costs:
　　The training costs, excluding accommodation and food, are as below:

　　These prices apply to those who pay for the duration of their entire stay in advance, as a single payment. There are limited discounts available to those who cannot afford the above training fees (though accommodation and catering fees are fixed, as they are not under the remit of the Liang Yi training facility).

　　An alternative training option, available to those currently at other schools who have an interest in studying at the Liang Yi training facility, is to attend for one week every month. This is particularly recommended for those in the earlier stages of training, as it allows one to practice the Jin exercises in one’s own time whilst receiving adequate guidance and tuition. The training costs for such visits are 1,500 RMB / week (additional costs such as accommodation would continue to apply as below).

　　Unfortunately, in the event that a student decides to leave the Liang Yi training facility before their pre-arranged date (that is, they have paid for training which remains outstanding), they will only receive a refund for 50% of their remaining training fees. This is because certain costs, such as those for the translator and any accommodation which has been arranged for the student outside of the training facility, must be paid for in advance and are non-recoverable.

　　At present, because the Liang Yi pressure point is a family training style based in family-run premises, foreign students cannot stay within the building itself. There are, however, a range of excellent accommodation and dining options within a short walking distance.

Accommodation Options:
       There are three main accommodation options available to those studying at the Liang Yi training facility, outlined as below. The first two accommodation options can be arranged for each student before their arrival, the third being arranged independently.

Option 1: Stay In A Guesthouse:
       This is the recommended accommodation option for those who are not on a severely restricted budget. The guesthouse itself is a three minute walk from the Liang Yi training facility, has high standards of cleanliness and service, and each room comes with its own private shower with 24 hour hot water, TV and DVD player. The majority of rooms also have Western-style toilets. We have negotiated excellent rates with the guesthouse for students of the Liang Yi training facility:

       The guesthouse has a small restaurant downstairs (although it is not open for breakfast), as well as pool tables, a small shop and a DVD rental facility (approximately 1 RMB / DVD / night). It also has a clothes washing facility, which costs 2 RMB / item.

Option 2: Stay In A Private Room Above The Training Facility:
       This is the recommended option for those who are on a strict budget, or who are staying at the Liang Yi training facility for an extended period of time (over 3 months). The cost of a single room here is approximately 220 RMB a month, with access to a shared bathroom with Chinese-style toilets and hot shower. Students here will, however, be expected to pay for the electricity and water they use.
       Students staying here can also use the majority of the facilities available at the guesthouse (namely, the pool tables, clothes washing facility and restaurant).

       There is an excellent range of other facilities available to those staying in either of the first two accommodation options (as they are only a few hundred meters apart), namely several internet cafes, a China Post, an international call centre, a China Mobile (for topping-up the credit on your cell phone) and a selection of small shops.

Option 3: Self-Arranged Accommodation.
       If the first two options do not appeal, any student of the Liang Yi training facility is also free to arrange their own accommodation. We will endeavor to help you in this process as much as possible, supplying you with contact details and price listings where available.

Food – Availability and Costs:
       There is an excellent range of restaurants available within a short walking distance of the Liang Yi training facility, to suit a variety of tastes and budgets. There is also a selection of restaurants, approximately ten minute’s walk from the facility, which are popular with local students. For those craving Western comfort foods, Zhengzhou city centre is a twenty-minute (and approximately 25 RMB) taxi ride away, and plays hosts to a Pizza Hut, McDonalds and a KFC (as well as a range of more expensive Chinese restaurants).
       A typical day’s food expenses are as outlined below:
Breakfast – 2 RMB. Vegetable dumpling, wheat porridge and an egg boiled in local tea. This is at a small restaurant between the guesthouse and Liang Yi training facility, and represents excellent value for money.
Lunch – 10 RMB. Meat and mixed vegetables over rice, followed by soup. This is at the restaurant beneath the recommended guesthouse.
Supper – 12 RMB. This is based on 5 people sharing a duck ‘hot pot’ (a local dish, where food is boiled in a heated soup placed in the centre of the table). This type of cuisine is available at a range of local restaurants, in an area approximately fifteen minute’s walk from the Liang Yi training facility.

　　The alternative options available to foreign students of the Liang Yi training facility are either to eat within the school itself (at a cost of approximately 400 RMB per person per month, for three meals a day, seven days a week) or to purchase their own food, which they can then cook in the training facility’s kitchen.

Additional Services and Costs:
       There are several other costs which students considering a stay at the Liang Yi training facility should keep in mind when planning their budget, namely:

1. Your journey from Xinzheng airport (or Zhengzhou bus / train station) to the training facility. For example, we can meet you at the airport and take you to the training facility itself, at a (non-profit) cost of 300 RMB. Students can, of course, also take a taxi from the airport, train station or bus station to the Liang Yi training facility, which often works out cheaper. Those wishing to do as such should contact us before they arrive in Zhengzhou, so that we can provide them with more detailed directions.
2. Visa renewals. We can help you throughout this process, the typical F style (student) visa costing around 200 RMB to renew. To aid you in obtaining an F-style visa, we can supply you with an official invitation letter to the training facility (issued by Henan province’s Chamber of Commerce) before you arrive. Those requiring an invitation letter should be aware that it can take up to one week (using an express postal service) for such packages to be delivered to an international address. Alternatively, many embassies also accept an electronic invitation letter (though we urge you to check with your own embassy in advance), which we can also provide you with, and of course can be with you more quickly than a paper document. Both the paper and electronic invitation letters cost 200 RMB per student, payable when the student first arrives at the training facility.
3. The purchase of a cell-phone. Again, we can help you purchase your own phone, at a cost of approximately 250 RMB (including 50 RMB of credit) for a relatively simple model. Please be aware, however, that though this phone can receive international calls, you need to pay a large deposit (around 500 -1,000 RMB) if you wish to make them. We therefore recommend that anybody making long-distance calls use the international call centre, which is only a few hundred meters from the Liang Yi training facility (international calls costing from around 1.5 RMB / minute to 3.5 RMB / minute).
4. Additional day-to-day costs, such as purchasing bottled water for training or a water cooler for your room (the latter being recommended for those on long-term stays, with each 19 L  refill bottle costing 10 RMB), snacks, internet access, batteries, toiletries, etc.
5. Any expensive shopping you may wish to undertake, or night life you may wish to enjoy. Both are readily available to suit a range of budgets and tastes.
6. Any additional traveling you may wish to undertake. We can help you to arrange your own trips to any sights which may be of interest to you (such as the Shaolin temple area), or we can alternatively provide a translator for approximately 200 RMB / day (though you will also have to pay all the translator’s costs, such as food and travel).

Syllabus for students of Liang Yi pressure point

       The following syllabus is an approximate guide to the amount of progress a new student with no previous wushu (martial arts) experience can expect by training full-time over the given time periods. Actual rates of progress will depend largely on an individual student’s dedication and ability.
       There are two types of full-time training available to those wishing to study Liang Yi pressure point:

Full-time training option 1:
　　This option places an emphasis on learning pressure points, as well as developing the Jin (force) necessary to strike them effectively. This form of training is suitable for use against stationary opponents and those with no martial arts experience. We would recommend this option to those who wish to develop their knowledge of pressure points as quickly as possible.

Full-time training option 2:
       This option combines pressure point and Jin training with Lianq Yi Quan forms (a form being a pre-set series of movements which combines several different techniques) and Liang Yi Quan sanda (kickboxing / sparring). This form of training places an emphasis on the use of pressure point techniques in real-life combat scenarios, and hence is suitable for use against moving opponents and those with martial arts experience.
       Those who chose to study this form of training should keep in mind that their Jin (force) and ability to accurately and effectively strike pressure points will not develop as quickly as those who study option 1 (for any given period of time). This is because a certain amount of the student’s time will be spent studying forms and sanda techniques (whereas those who chose option 1 will dedicate all their training time to learning pressure points and developing Jin). Option 2 students can therefore expect to learn around half the pressure points which an option 1 student will learn over a similar training period (that is, around half the amount quoted for option 1 in the table below). Please also be aware that whether a student chooses option 1 or 2 the first month of training remains the same, and will be largely spent practicing the Jin exercises (types of strike) necessary to effectively hit a pressure point.   
      
      

       Potential students of Liang Yi pressure point should also note that this is an idealised syllabus, and that the amount of knowledge Zhang Shifu chooses to pass on to any one student will depend highly on his judgment of that student’s character and morals. This is due to the potentially dangerous nature of pressure point knowledge.
    
Typical weekly schedule for student of Liang Yi pressure point:
      
　　An individual student’s weekly training schedule will largely depend on whether they choose training option 1 or 2, the two potential timetables being outlined in the tables below. These tables, however, represent the weekly training schedules beyond the first month of either training option. The first month of practice for both training options 1 and 2 will consist purely of practicing Jin movements (basic types of strike) for seven and a half hours a day, six days a week.

Training option 1 weekly schedule:

Training option 2 weekly schedule:

Training in Liang Yi pressure point on a part-time basis:

       Those who wish to study Liang Yi pressure point but are currently studying at other schools are welcome to practice at the training facility part-time. The recommended option for such students is that they study for one week out of every month. Whether students chose to study training option 1 or 2, the weekly schedules will remain as outlined for those studying full-time. The tuition fee for such weekly visits is 1,400 RMB per 7 day period, and all other costs (such as accommodation and food) will remain as previously outlined.
       This is also a suitable option for those in the early stages of practice, as the first month of training in Liang Yi pressure point is purely Jin (force) training, which some students may prefer to study as weekly visits over four months (allowing them to undertake a large amount of additional practice in their own time and thus perfect these strikes).