Tim I heard you studied an esoteric style called Hsu Hsi Tao, can you tell us more about it and how effective is it.

Hsu Hsi Tao is a little known 'Internal' style of martial arts that is a combination of the Southern Crane (Zhong He Quan) and Tai Ji Quan. The founder was a man named Huang Lao Yang. Huang practiced the Crane style as a youth and later became a Buddhist monk. While residing in a temple, Huang met a monk from Mainland China that taught him Yang style Tai Ji Quan. Huang later modified his art by applying the principles of Tai Ji Quan to the Crane techniques he had practiced formerly. By the accounts of those who knew him, Huang was an extremely talented martial artist, and the veteran of many street fights and challenge matches. Huang spent his later years in Hu Wei, in Southern Taiwan where he taught the combined art he named "Hsu Hsi Tao."
Hsu Hsi Tao is relatively simple in form and technique. The foundation of the practice is repetitive single movements which are first practiced stationary, then with changing steps in place, then moving forward and backward. Every movement in the style can be practiced with a partner. There are also combined forms at a more advanced level. In addition, there are some two person sets and quite a few 'push hands' type training drills. The focus of the style is on cultivating power. The techniques are straight forward and effective, there are no fancy movements or complicated techniques.
I practiced Hsu Hsi Tao for several years with one of Huang Lao Yang's top students, Chen Zuo Zhen, in Taipei.