Eli Montaigue is the head of the World Taiji Boxing Association (WTBA) and the designated successor to the Erle Montaigue system of Fa-jing Chuan.

Named by Erle himself in 2009, Eli has spent his entire life immersed in the internal arts, beginning his journey long before he could even walk. His mother, Sandy, practiced Taiji throughout her pregnancy with him.

Growing up on expansive properties in Australia, Taiji and Bagua were natural elements of Eli’s daily life. While he dabbled in the arts as a young child, his formal training began in earnest at age 14. For the next decade, he trained daily with his father. Their morning sessions often focused on a single movement at a time, ensuring every detail of the Old Yang Style was perfected. This disciplined approach meant it took four years to complete the Taiji form, alongside intensive study in Pauchui, San-Sau, Qigong, Push Hands, Sticky Hands, Bagua, and combat-focused applications.

By age 17, Eli had become Erle’s primary training partner and assistant, traveling the world to facilitate workshops and refine his teaching methodology. He launched his own classes at 18 and soon represented the system internationally. Their bond remained inseparable until the very end; their final training session took place just an hour before Erle’s passing in 2011.

Today, with over 21 years of teaching experience, Eli leads the WTBA alongside his wife, Fran.

He hosts intensive week-long retreats in Malta, Australia, and the USA, attracting students from across the globe. His expertise is widely recognized, having even extended to training an undercover special forces division of the French Navy.

In the tradition of the internal arts, Eli’s rank was earned through direct transmission rather than modern certification. Erle famously noted in 2009 that Eli had received nearly everything he knew, trusting him implicitly to teach the authentic Montaigue system.

In 2010, Erle reaffirmed this, telling Eli: "Be confident, my son, you know as much as me now in what we teach."

Today, Eli remains dedicated to his own mastery and to the evolution of his teaching, constantly refining how he breaks down the principles of movement to ensure they are accessible and accurate for every student.