Dave McNeill's Page

Hello Soke NcNeill - I'm doing great!  Now living in Texas (Austin area).  I hope all is well for you and your family.

Chris Tschirhart

Thanks ... more coming. 

Hi Master McNeil,

It HAS been a while. I hope things are going well for you and yours.

After several years of injuries and poor health, made worse by depression following my Mom’s passing a year ago, my weight ballooned to 265 lbs. My health deteriorated to the point where I couldn’t walk more than a tenth of a mile without getting extremely nauseous, out of breath, and having chest pains.

However, a couple of months ago my 18 year old son inspired me to regain my health. He started walking with me six mornings a week and each day we set the goal of walking to the next tree along our quarter mile long gravel driveway (we live on 23 acres out in the country). I am happy to report that now we are up to walking 3 miles and following it up with 20 minutes of Yang style Tai Chi Chuan, and then 40 minutes of GSWS training.

My son really enjoys our cane workouts and is almost ready to test for Yellow and Orange Rank. A few weeks ago I also resumed teaching GSWS at my Academy. I plan to contact Steve Puryear and hope to get him back into training and teaching GSWS as well.

I have recently gotten on a healthier eating lifestyle called 80/10/10 which emphasizes whole foods: primarily fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. It has given me a major burst of physical energy and mental clarity, both of which have helped me get back into training. I have lost 13lbs and my goal is to get back down to my fighting weight of 175 lbs. I have been using a great online resource for recording and tracking how much of each nutrient I am getting each day. It is https://cronometer.com

By the way, I was looking for the GSWS DVDs (all I have is the VHS tapes and no VHS player). That's how I came across your ning website. Great way to keep in touch, inspire, and motivate your instructors and students.  Thanks for not giving up on me.

Blessings, Rez

PS: Where can I purchase the GSWS DVDS. I cant find them on the websites.

Added a pic from a seminar.I'm the 3rd from the right back row. Since I left the Salem Mo. area in 2001 I'm on my 3rd style. I still train up here and teach. I'm sure you understand it's not the same as when I got to train with you guys.

Yes I am presently studying American Kenpo. I still get down to train with Mac once in a while, its a pretty long drive from where I live here at Lake of the Ozarks. You probably dont rember me but I had the pleasure of training with you at numerous seminars. Still have my cane and practice with it. You have some really great videos , thanks for sharing.

For now, that's true.  I've got more going on than I have time to give.  It started with a leg injury (calf) and I've just not gotten back to Harry's school - nor have I gotten back into my running, which is where I got the leg injury.  Running has always been my primary workout and I love it.  It's been frustrating to put it on hold.  I plan to have a fresh look at things after the first of the year - when things settle down.

Everything pretty good at moment, had a small problem with heart going other way and not wanting to beat very much - apparently not a good thing they tell me - throw away what docs wanted me to do as it wasnt working - walking between 10-20 km a day now, off half the heart meds and fit as a fiddle :)  We will give you a call b4 Christmas and will have some other things to email you with as well