Sam Masich

Sam Masich is one of the most accomplished mid-generation practitioners of Chinese internal martial arts in the world today. Having trained and taught for a quarter century, Masich has studied with several of the great masters of his era from both North America and China including Liang Shouyu, Dr. Yang Jwing Ming, Jou Tsung Hwa, Yang Zhenduo and Chen Xiaowang. He has taught around the world and is the subject of two internationally airing documentaries. Sam has made some 20 films on Tai Chi and Neijia related subjects.

Student

Sam Masich began his martial arts studies at age 18 with Yang Style Taijiquan and Judo. He has also studied to varying extents, Chen, Fu, Wu and Sun styles of Taijiquan, as well as Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, Luihebafa, Shuaijou, Shaolinquan, Modern Wushu, Kendo and Western Fencing. Yang Style Taijiquan has commanded his greatest interest over the years and Masich is one of few Tai Chi practitioners today that trains and teaches the entire traditional syllabus including bare hand and weapons sparring. He is possibly best known for his approach to classical and freestyle Push Hands.

Competitor

Masich has distinguished himself in competition as a quadruple and septuple gold medallist in national competitions and was a member of the Canadian National Chinese Martial Arts Team competing in China at The World Wushu Invitationals in 1985. In 1994, although formally retired from competition, he was awarded seven gold medals for performances in the Shanghai Oberon Cup, an event involving athletes from more than twenty countries. Since 1989 Masich has refereed and judged in national tournaments and has held a steady position as Chief Referee for Push Hands in the U.S. All Taijiquan Championships.

Teacher

A passionate and gifted teacher, Sam never fails to inspire students along their path. His work as a full time instructor has taken him to over 100 cities in Canada, the United States, Mexico and throughout Europe. Sam continually finds new ways to integrate traditional principle with classical and contemporary form, always striving to find further application for the work in areas beyond the immediate art. Masich is the creator of the 5 Section Taijiquan Program, a recreational and preliminary training program which includes simplified Tai Chi bare hand and weapons solo and sparring routines. Students from around the world have travelled to his annual Push Hands Training Camps held in Vancouver, Canada. Many of Sam’s students have become top level instructors.

Martial Arts Consultant

Sam has served as a martial arts action consultant, trainer and choreographer on various TV programs and stage productions, and is himself the subject of two documentaries on Taijiquan and the internal arts. For several years he was the combat instructor for the National Voice Intensive at Simon Fraser University, a program for actors focusing heavily on Shakespearan themes. He instructs actors via two programs; ‘Love and Hate, Sex and Violence’ which explores scenes demanding explosive and passionate chemistry between performers, and ‘Grace on Rage on Stage’, a contemporary stage combat program, which focuses on various elements of performed violence.

Film-maker

Sam began his martial arts career at the beginning of the video era and is one of the most recorded internal martial artists of all time. He has been filmed in countless demonstrations, competitions and classes and was the first instructor to publish a video instructional manual on the subject of Push Hands. Through Little Productions, he has produced over 20 instructional films on subjects such as Taijiquan, Push Hands, Qigong and Xingyiquan and has several major instructional video works in development. Sam is currently working on a feature length documentary entitled 'Tai Chi People'.