An avid fan of all Chinese martial styles, Si-hing Marc Velez began his martial training at the age of nine years with Shou Shu, a martial style based on the movements of seven animals. During his teenage years, he studied Bak Fu (White Tiger), a style comprised of many techniques based upon several martial styles including Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kenpo and traditional Chinese Kung Fu. Driven by a curiosity toward the Chinese martial arts, Marc began his formal Northern Shaolin (Bak Sil Lum) and Qigong (Chi Kung) training under the watchful eye of Sifu Kwong Wing Lam in Sunnyvale, California. Through Sifu Lam, Si-hing Marc traces his martial lineage back to the legendary Gu Ruzhang (Ku Yu Cheung), the Great-Great Grand Master of the Northern Shaolin style, and the Shaolin Temple itself, the place where the techinques originated.

During his term of study under Sifu Lam, Si-hing Marc was officially promoted to the rank of Instructor in 1997 - the most recent Nothern Shaolin student to be promoted to such a rank since four years earlier. Under Master Lam, Marc would also study the Sun style of Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan), pushing hands, Chin Na technique and was an active member of the Lam Kwoon Demonstration and Lion Dance Teams.

Si-hing Marc continues to study Northern Shaolin and Sun Taijiquan to the present day, as he strives to refine his technique and gain deeper understanding of the art.