Kane Vast delivers a lecture on relationships. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

  

About three years ago Australian Kane Vast was teaching English in Shanghai. When he was discussing teaching with friends one day, it suddenly occurred to him that he should be teaching something different.

Two months later, he left his English teaching job and started teaching something else full time - how to pick up girls. "I helped some English guys first, and then I thought I could teach Chinese guys too, even though it's a different culture," Vast said.

Many of the students are stay-at-home men. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

His pickup courses have two parts. "The first part is teaching them theory, preparing their minds and introducing them to the practical aspect," Vast said. The theoretical lessons include learning how to compliment girls, how to use humor, how to make them more relaxed on a date, and learning how to dress like a chaonan (a fashionable guy).

In a mall a pickup student tries the real thing. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

In the practical section, the biggest part of his course, Vast visits department stores, bars and strolls the streets with his "students," picking up girls together. Vast goes to talk to a girl, with his students watching from close by. And then the students try to pick up girls themselves. Afterwards Vast discusses with his students whether they were doing it correctly or not.

"The problem with most guys is they can't give a girl a good feeling. Instead of trying to talk to the girl and have a good time, they just try to get the girl's number and run away. What I teach them is that they should have fun with girls and make them laugh, and get to know them. They have to know if they are suitable for the girl as well as knowing if the girl is suitable for them."

A class of would-be pickup artists listens carefully. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

Vast said the majority of the guys he helps are zhainan, men who stay at home most of the time. "Sometimes I meet guys who are virgins who have no idea how to meet girls or have a relationship," he said. Some of them are looking for a serious relationship while some have a more blatant purpose: sex.

An experienced pickup artist, Vast said the pickup techniques for Asian girls and girls from countries like the US, UK and Australia are very different because of the different cultures.

Alongside a student Vast tries to charm two young women. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

 "For girls from Asia, the techniques are very similar. The main thing is to use simple, childish humor and compliments." Vast said if he met a girl wearing fur he would ask her "how did you kill the animal?" "I will then use my hands to imitate using a bow and arrow or a gun. The reason why I use such over-the-top humor is that pickups are not very common in Asia, and we need humor to make girls feel comfortable.

"In Asia, we can show girls we like them quite quickly. This is mainly because they aren't valued for personality but for face. With Australian, US, Canadian and British girls it's quite different. I want to show them I don't like them and let them chase me," he said.

Vast and his girlfriend show students the right way to kiss a girl. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

Vast's current girlfriend is Chinese and has been with him for over a year. She was the target of one of his pickups - Vast met her in the supermarket of the Jiuguang Department Store and talked to her for an hour and a half before he got her to give him her number.

So far about 80 men have taken Vast's full course, each paying about 600 yuan ($97) for a session. More than 200 have taken his short courses.