Tai Chi Master

The term 'Master' in the martial arts usually refers to a practitioner who has dedicated at least 25 years of hard training to their chosen art, amassed tens of thousands of hours practice and is very good at their stuff.
Mastering tai chi requires the following:

• A lifelong commitment to the furtherance of the art
• Spontaneous demonstration of every and any aspect of the art
• The ability to train other people to become Tai Chi Instructors
• An embodiment of the principles outlined in the Tai Chi Classics
• Highly accurate rendition of every exercise/form/drill/application
• Extensive knowledge of every facet of every subject in the syllabus i.e. 'jing'
• An in-depth understanding of every facet of the exercise/form/drill/application
• How the exercise/form/drill/application links to other aspects of the curriculum
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why the different components operate
• Grace, ease, subtlety, sensitivity, nimbleness, appropriateness, simplicity are all a given
• The willingness to train disciples to acquire every aspect of the teaching and perpetuate the art themselves
• Unselfconscious, skilled and utterly effective application of the art in combat employing chin na, jing and shuai jiao
• The ability to develop, improve and deliver a thorough, fully differentiated syllabus suitable for all ability levels and all ages
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why every form posture operates and how it can be applied in at least 7 different ways
• Comprehensive theoretical knowledge and the ability to discuss and explain how taoism, martial theory and actual practice all tie together
• The ability to apply the tai chi principles (yielding, stickiness, peng, jing, composure, connection, 4 ounces etc) in every situation with absolute ease and certainty

There is no real consensus as to what constitutes a 'Tai Chi Master'.
Peter Southwood suggested the following guidelines: 40 years martial arts experience, 20 years teaching experience, 30,000 hours of tai chi practice, stage 5 skill with all forms and be capable of teaching other Instructors.

Honesty

If we can be honest and accepting of our own faults, then humility follows.
We also have the opportunity to adapt, change and stop making the same mistake.
This is part of learning.

No consensus

Some people consider an advanced level of practice to indicate mastery, whilst others do not.

The Tai Chi Union for Great Britain call their basic tai chi chuan instructors 'advanced' and their master grade 'senior'.
The Chinese Wushu Association, National Sport Commission and the Chinese Wushu Research Institute consider 'advanced' to indicate grandmaster.
There is no consensus.

Rachel

Learning from mistakes

The first step in learning from your mistakes is to accept the mistake without being defensive.
The second step is to consider what went wrong and why.
The third step is to try again; this time with a modified approach.

Standards

What constitutes a 'tai chi master'?

People have different standards and values, insights and experience.
Whilst there may be some general consensus concerning what a master is, there is an awful lot of disagreement.
There is no objective standard in the wider tai chi community and no overall body responsible for quality control.

Mrs Waller

Mistakes

There is a tremendous emphasis in modern culture upon getting things right.
People are afraid to make mistakes.
Yet, mistakes are inevitable in all aspects of life.

Adhering to a bewildering number of standards, rules and guidelines imposed by somebody else (parents, work, society) is quite a strain.
Face the truth: we all make mistakes.

Fear in perspective

We respond to certain threats in a healthy manner and this keeps us alive.
Dark streets at night, gangs of youths and hostile animals should create a fight-or-flight response and this is good.
Talking with your boss should not produce fear.

People imbue everyday situations as being more serious than they are and their bodies become filled with chemicals intended for survival.

Tai chi students

There are typically 5 types of student in a tai chi school:

1. New starter/novice/drop-in/casual
2. Beginner
3. Intermediate
4. Experienced
5. Lineage disciple

A student learns the fundamentals of the art. They are not qualified to teach.

The eyes are the window to the soul

When at work, the supermarket or in the street take a moment to look at other people's faces, in particular their eyes.
Notice the eyeball itself and the muscles around the eyes and the forehead.
You may observe the following:

• Anger
• A fixed, blank gaze
• Restless movement

Many people look defensive, aggressive, stressed and anxious.

Mask

In an interview the actor Michael Caine explained that the key to playing a truly sinister character was to freeze the facial muscles.
The aim was to turn the healthy, natural, expressive face into a cold, inhuman mask.

Fear

The human brain responds to danger by making us do one of the following:

• Freeze
• Run away
• Become aggressive

The freezing process involves immobilising the muscles and locking the body.
Tense, anxious, fearful people exhibit unhealthy body language: guarded, hunched, lifted shoulders, furtive.
Instead of expressing emotions in a free, healthy manner, the face is fixed and inexpressive.

Self defence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFNZLJ2jXNo

Self defence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLlisEipVTg

Thoughts on mastery

Michael Garofalo has shared his tai chi insights and wisdom on-line information for many years via his blog and his other extensive on-line resources.
He is a very generous man who makes many well-considered points:

The word 'Master' varies in meaning as it is used in different cultures and languages.

In the taoist/zen traditions, a 'Master' is one who is enlightened, highly respected, venerated, a great contributor to the tradition, especially wise and insightful, and possibly possessing special and extraordinary powers of mind, body or spirit. If you had a relationship with such a 'Master' it would often be one of a Guru and disciple, a Father and son, an Authority and learner, or a Superior and inferior ranks relationship. At some point, after many years of study and practice, such a 'Master' would make a decision, based upon your abilities and performance and your face to face relationship with the 'Master', to grant you authority to teach, or certify your enlightenment, or otherwise acknowledge your advancement into the ranks of a new 'master'. One aspect of the philosophical taoist tradition also tends to downplay the importance of titles, honours, degrees, and rank; and, instead, tries to bring more of a focus on natural living, simple living, committed ongoing inner practice, and having the heart-mind realize the tao as more important than social status. Some of these taoist/zen practices are part of the tai chi chuan teaching style.

As a general rule, tai chi chuan internal martial arts schools do not award degrees, levels, ranks, or belts as do other martial arts systems. Many excellent and experienced (10 years +) tai chi chuan teachers are also very modest, and prefer not to be called 'Master'. They may ask to call them 'Sifu' or 'Teacher', or simply refer to them as 'Mr. Surname'.

Many tai chi chuan schools are also autocratic and non-democratic in their organization, do not have a formal and written curriculum, and are not coordinated with activities in other tai chi chuan schools. These tai chi chuan schools are a business, operated by individuals, do not provide for leadership changes; and, as such, are not interested in cooperation or sharing with competitors.

As for my personal preference, I favour a standardized tai chi chuan curriculum, written, and coordinated with other schools teaching the same style of internal martial arts. I would prefer a clear, written, and standardized system of testing and grading by ranks, levels, or degrees of proven expertise as is found other external martial arts (e.g. aikido, karate, kenpo, judo, taekwondo, etc.). I'd like to see tai chi chuan practitioners wear belts, specialized clothing, sash markers or other symbols to show their proven rank based on passing standardized tests. I prefer to see the curriculum of tai chi chuan structured and orderly, written and published, levelled, and accredited by an outside administrative authority. Yes, I'm more of a Confucian or Legalist rather than taoist on this subject.

I see the situation starting to change somewhat. For example, in the United States, the Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association now has a clear curriculum and ranking system. In China, the physical education curriculum at universities and colleges provides for a 'wushu' (martial arts) curriculum and awards degrees accordingly, and does include tai chi chuan in the curriculum. A number of tai chi chuan schools around the world are now developing a specific written curriculum and rank testing. Traditional Chinese medicine, medical qigong, and acupuncture now have accredited programs, standardized curriculum, publications and textbooks, and ranking systems in the United States. I applaud these efforts.

If you can earn a 'Master of Arts or Science Degree' in five years by taking classes and tests at an accredited university, and a Doctorate in 9 years, then you should be able to do the same in tai chi chuan and be called, at some point of proven accomplishment, a 'Master'.

 

 http://mpgtaijiquan.blogspot.co.uk

Paula

Rex Kwon Do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzh9koy7b1E

Monkey paws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8WQLGlje4s

Ian

Why become a warrior/sage?

Like it or not, we all have our demons.
Dealing with the rigors of life (and the doubts and fears that assail us) requires a strong heart and a resolute mind.

The skills of the warrior/sage are best employed in everyday life, regardless of your profession or daily responsibilities.
Being calm, having a clear mind and a supple, responsive body is always beneficial.
And, a little wisdom never harmed anybody.

Tai Chi Grandmaster

A Tai Chi Grandmaster must have taught an extensive number of Instructors, be in a position of significant responsibility within a school and have influence in the wider tai chi/martial arts community.

Countering a knife with a newspaper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWZJNV5fV_4

Mike

Expanded consciousness

Even a small amount of reading every day will subtly change your consciousness.
You will begin to have insights, make connections and recognise associations and themes.
The expansion of consciousness will be notable over time.

Besides, without a comprehensive grasp of the principles of taoism, baguazhang and taijiquan, how are you ever going to make the art work?

Tai Chi Master

The term 'Master' in the martial arts usually refers to a practitioner who has dedicated at least 25 years of hard training to their chosen art, amassed tens of thousands of hours practice and is very good at their stuff.
There is no real consensus as to what constitutes a 'Tai Chi Master'.
Peter Southwood suggested the following guidelines: 40 years martial arts experience, 20 years teaching experience, 30,000 hours of tai chi practice, stage 5 skill with all forms and be capable of teaching other Instructors.

Mastering tai chi requires the following:

• A lifelong commitment to the furtherance of the art
• Spontaneous demonstration of every and any aspect of the art
• The ability to train other people to become Tai Chi Instructors
• An embodiment of the principles outlined in the Tai Chi Classics
• Highly accurate rendition of every exercise/form/drill/application
• Extensive knowledge of every facet of every subject in the syllabus i.e. 'jing'
• An in-depth understanding of every facet of the exercise/form/drill/application
• How the exercise/form/drill/application links to other aspects of the curriculum
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why the different components operate
• Grace, ease, subtlety, sensitivity, nimbleness, appropriateness, simplicity are all a given
• The willingness to train disciples to acquire every aspect of the teaching and perpetuate the art themselves
• Unselfconscious, skilled and utterly effective application of the art in combat employing chin na, jing and shuai jiao
• The ability to develop, improve and deliver a thorough, fully differentiated syllabus suitable for all ability levels and all ages
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why every form posture operates and how it can be applied in at least 7 different ways
• Comprehensive theoretical knowledge and the ability to discuss and explain how taoism, martial theory and actual practice all tie together
• The ability to apply the tai chi principles (yielding, stickiness, peng, jing, composure, connection, 4 ounces etc) in every situation with absolute ease and certainty

Sitting meditation

Master Waller does not encourage his students to practice sitting meditation.
The human body is mobile and dynamic, not static.
Sitting in a posture - without moving - for long periods of time is incongruent with tai chi.
It is unnatural and promotes physical tension in the body.
Your body is not akin to a chair; it is not solid, it is protean and flexible.

Study

Studying taoist, zen and martial arts literature will open your mind to new ideas, to possibilities you had not considered.
Authors such as Krishnamurti will significantly challenge long-held opinions and beliefs.

Tai Chi Expert

Higher-level Instructors are less common in the UK.
To become a Tai Chi Expert the Instructor needs 20 years tai chi chuan study, 10 years teaching experience and 10,000 hours of tai chi practice.
They must possess extensive, versatile combat skills and more in-depth teaching skills.

Flexible mind

Serious contemplation will lead to a more resilient, flexible mind; a mind capable of spontaneously changing as the circumstances require.
Change is not easy for most people; they cling to what was or to their narrow perception of what could be.

Tai Chi Chuan Instructor

Most martial arts expect a student to reach a 3rd dan standard before training to become an Instructor.
This is a good guideline for tai chi chuan also.

Typically a Tai Chi Chuan Instructor has at least 10 years experience and is ideally a lineage disciple.
They have a serious commitment to home practice and clear evidence of ability in all 8 areas of skill.
An Instructor should be able to apply every posture of the Yang Cheng Fu form (or equivalent) in a wide variety of ways.

Tai Chi Exercise Teacher

A Tai Chi Exercise Teacher should have at least 10 years experience practicing tai chi.
They possess a detailed understanding of form, qigong, meditation, biomechanics, pushing hands, healthy body use, taoist philosophy, the Tai Chi Classics and whole-body strength.

Wisdom

Wisdom is not the same as knowledge.

It reaches beyond the information to see inner qualities and relationships that are not immediately apparent.
It is synonymous with awareness and care, with insight and consideration.

Knowledge alone is dangerous.
It must be tempered with good sense, morality and prudence.

Instructor training

After some years of practice your Master may ask you if you potentially want to become an Instructor.
The training will commence with helping out in class.
Simple chores and assistance.
This is called 'learning-by-helping'.

If you show enthusiasm and competence, your Master may commence teacher training with you.
This formal process of learning will take many months, probably even years.
Once qualified, an Instructor should seek Instructor affiliation and insurance with The Tai Chi Union for Great Britain or equivalent body.

What I like most about Newcastle Tai Chi is learning about 'why' things are done, not just 'what' or 'how'. This gives the practise more legitimacy and makes me feel like I'm learning something important.

(Glenn)

Violence

How do we cope with an assailant without being violent?
That is a very good question.
A taijiquan person seeks to avoid confrontation and would only use their skills reluctantly.

You do only what is necessary to escape the situation.
Although the effect of your taijiquan may indeed cause discomfort and pain, your disposition should remain composed and compassionate.
At no point would you become angry and deliberately hurt the assailant.

Forms of violence

Not all violence is physical or overt. People are often extremely violent without realising it.
Violence can take many forms.
Harsh, unkind words. Derisive laughter. Sarcasm. Mockery. Insults. Emotional hostility. Aggression.
Pushing, forcing, controlling, manipulating.

Many people use violence in a sneaky, underhand way. Through gossip, malignant words, innuendo.
Our culture is far from being non-violent.

Tai Chi Instructors

There are 5 types of Instructor in tai chi:

1. Tai Chi Exercise Teacher
2. Tai Chi Chuan Instructor
3. Tai Chi Expert
4. Tai Chi Master
5. Tai Chi Grandmaster

Most Tai Chi Instructors are Tai Chi Exercise Teachers.
Very few can teach tai chi chuan: the martial art.
Instructors with higher-level skill are less common in the UK.

Workshop feedback

Good friendly environment, get to work with students you don't get chance to in the school, learn new skills that you wouldn't have time in class to learn.
Master Waller is always friendly and explains in detail what you are learning; more so than in class.

(Stephen)

Conflict

Conflict arises through resistance.

When one position meets with another and yielding does not take place then conflict occurs.
Opinions and beliefs are the usual source of conflict.
From argument to brawling to wars, our world is filled with disagreement.
The student of taijiquan seeks to resolve their inner conflict and avoid outer dispute.

Whatever the workshop Master Waller is teaching, you get personal-tailored instruction. This can only lead to leaps and bounds in awareness and development. Sometimes immediate, sometimes taking time to bloom.

 Newcastle Tai Chi's workshops offer:
 Value for money,
 Small groups = more time with the Instructor; more one-to-one,
 Fast progress through belts,
 Access to black belt material.

 They have a different atmosphere, usually hands-on and fun.

 (John)

Soft martial art

The balance between violence and wisdom are explored in the internal arts.
Through a refined understanding of physics, biomechanics and optimal body use, the student employs the taijiquan in a unique way.

Instead of aggression, machismo, cruelty and anger, the student is calm, composed and restrained.
Only the most subtle degree of effort is used.

Yin/yang

This peculiar balancing of violence and wisdom lies at the heart of neijiaquan.

Finding balance between apparent opposites and recognising harmony is a key feature of yin/yang.
Violence/wisdom, good/bad, body/mind, strong/weak...
A student of the internal arts must find a way to reconcile the discordance of combat and the compassion that arises from insight.

Origin

Supreme ultimate fist is Wudang in origin. 8 trigrams palm is Emei.

In Chinese folklore, the internal masters of the Wudang and Emei mountain ranges were considered to be warrior/sages.
They were skilled in the arts of combat, yet well-versed in ancient knowledge.

Sport and anger

Many people think that sports and spectating are a healthy way to channel adverse emotions such as anger, hostility and the associated violence.

In his book Rip It Up Professor Richard Wiseman quotes several psychology studies that prove the opposite.
Expressing anger and hostility through sport increases negative emotions, rather than reducing them.

Glenn

Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that defending yourself  against a knife with a rolled up newspaper is nothing short of insane, however last night Master Waller taught us simple practical and most importantly effective methods that would stand up in the real world.

There was a real buzz about the workshop as everyone was clearly enjoying themselves as well learning. What adds to the experience no end is that Master Waller clearly enjoys teaching the material as much as we do learning it.

I try to attend as many workshops as I can because they are not only always enjoyable but they offer a chance to learn from Master Waller in a way not possible on a Monday or Tuesday night. I have come to see them as essential to compound the more general skills learned on class nights.

When you leave you may have the odd bruise that will fade, but you can also be sure you will take away at least one more skill or piece of knowledge to add to your practice.

(Paul B)

Chinese myths & legends

There is a lot of folklore and superstition concerning the internal arts; with stories about people seeking immortality and mystical powers.
The reality is far more earthy and real.

Chinese legends, books and movies are filled with exponents who possess incredible skill.
See Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as one example.
Some of the stories may well be true.
Others seem unlikely.

Ultimately, the internal systems do promise skills and abilities not commonly found in other martial arts.
The mystery and secrecy surrounding these arts continues to fascinate the seeker.

A new path

Students with Master Waller are trained to keep their nervous systems grounded and their emotions under control.

With a calm mind, settled emotions and a relaxed, balanced body - you have the opportunity to choose.
Rather than curl in a protective ball, you can deal with adverse situations differently.

Baggage

Everyone who starts tai chi approaches the art with some sort of baggage: whether physical or psychological.
The habitual actions and thoughts, the misconceptions, preconceptions and expectations are all present from the very first lesson.
People see what they want to see and frantically attempt to understand tai chi in terms of their existing life experience and memories.

As a consequence, the syllabus involves shedding the baggage before the real training can begin.

Training in the park

Karen

Perfection?

Most tai chi students attend Newcastle Tai Chi classes in order to relax and have a good time.
They enjoy the friendly atmosphere and lack of pressure.
It doesn't matter whether or not you are good at tai chi; just have fun.

Not everything in life needs to be a competition.
You don't need to be the best.
You can simply be yourself.

Letting go

It is very hard to let-go of anxiety.
The process cannot be hurried or forced.
Old habits do not fade quickly.

You need to feel safe, comfortable, supported, familiar.
Then you can begin to let your defences soften; this is the first step on the road to relaxation.

Accepting the unknown

Once you are willing to drop your front and admit your fears and your vulnerability, you can make progress.
Taoism helps us to face the unknown and realise that almost everything in existence is unknown.

When you can see the magnitude of reality, you feel humbled and small, insignificant.
You feel comfortable dropping your defences and just being yourself.

Yin/yang

Consider events in a yin/yang way...
For example: your car breaks down and you must evaluate the cost of fixing it, the frequency of repairs - balanced against the cost of replacing it.
Do you put money into an old car and risk that it breaks down again?
Or buy a new car and get a breakdown/repair warranty?

If you repair the old car, it may cost less in the short-term but maybe more in the long-term.
A new car means peace of mind but also monthly HP to pay.
A new car means no immediate repair cost on the old car but long-term financing of new.
The old car is bought and paid for but essentially worthless (beyond its function) whereas a new car is financed but may have a greater future trade-in value.

Can you see the thinking process behind yin/yang?
This constant dual perception of every event?
No event is just one thing and the yin/yang principle can be applied repeatedly, relative to different nuances, factors and variables.

Perception

Our sense of anxiety arises from how we perceive things.
Some people will find a situation most agreeable, whilst somebody else will find it unpleasant.
It is all about how you appraise the situation.

Every event in life can be considered from different perspectives, points of view.
Learn how to see things differently.

Instructors levels

There are 5 levels of Tai Chi Instructor in the UK these days:

1. Tai Chi Exercise Teacher
   - 10 years experience
   - these are the majority
2. Tai Chi Chuan Instructor
   - equivalent of 3rd dan black belt in any martial art
   - 10 years experience
   - these people are less common
3. Tai Chi Expert
   - 20 years experience
   - 10,000 hours tai chi chuan practice
   - 10 years teaching experience
   - fewer to be found
4. Tai Chi Master
   - 30,000 hours tai chi chuan practice
   - 20 years teaching experience
   - pretty rare
5. Tai Chi Grandmaster
   - extremely rare

Admitting your vulnerability

A well-adjusted person is honest with themselves and other people - they are not afraid to say that they don't know or that they have doubts.
Nobody is perfect.
We all make mistakes. We are all vulnerable. We all fall ill. We all feel pain. We all experience fear. And we will all die.

This is what it means to be human.
The glory of the human spirit lies in our capacity to admit our fears and proceed regardless.
We call this 'courage'.

In acquiring any kind of skill, there exists a natural learning process that coincides with the functioning of our brains. This learning process leads to what we shall call tacit knowledge - a feeling for what you are doing that is hard to put into words but easy to demonstrate in action. And to understand how this learning process operates, it is useful to look at the greatest system ever invented for the training of skills and the achievement of tacit knowledge - the apprenticeship system of the Middle Ages.

This system arose as a solution to a problem: As business expanded in the Middle Ages, Masters of various crafts could no longer depend on family members to work in the shop. They needed more hands. But it was not worth it for them to bring in people who would come and go - they needed stability and time to build up skills in their workers. And so they developed the apprenticeship system, in which young people from approximately the ages of twelve to seventeen would enter work in a shop, signing a contract that would commit them for the term of seven years. At the end of this term, apprentices would have to pass a master test, or produce a master work, to prove their level of skill. Once passed, they were now elevated to the rank of journeymen and could travel wherever there was work, practicing the craft.

(Robert Greene)

What do you want to study?

We offer two options in class:

1. Tai Chi Exercise
   - qigong, neigong, strength-building, tai chi and partner work
2. Tai chi as a martial art
   - qigong, neigong, strength-building, tai chi chuan (martial art), baguazhang, chin na, self defence, shuai jiao, weaponry and partner work

Let us know which path you wish to take.

Baggage

Everyone who starts tai chi approaches the art with some sort of baggage: whether physical or psychological.
The habitual actions and thoughts, the misconceptions, preconceptions and expectations are all present from the very first lesson.
People see what they want to see and frantically attempt to understand tai chi in terms of their existing life experience and memories.

As a consequence, the syllabus involves shedding the baggage before the real training can begin.

Sedentary lifestyle

Many young people begin to lose their flexibility in their 20's and 30's and seldom regain it.
The main problem is laziness.

Sitting for lengthy periods of time is bad for the body.
It causes muscles to tighten, circulation to suffer, the eyes to become fixed and the mind to dull.
The legs, lower back and shoulders typically become weak, tight and often quite painful.
Tao yin stretching slowly reverses the problem. 

School closed for 2 weeks

Lessons resume Monday 13th May.

Warrior/sage

To be martial requires discipline, courage, and perseverance. It has nothing to do with killing. People fail to look beyond this one narrow aspect of being a warrior and so overlook all the other excellent qualities that can be gained from training. A warrior is not a cruel murderer. A warrior is a protector of ideals, principle and honour. A warrior is noble and heroic.

A warrior will have many opponents in a lifetime, but the ultimate opponent is the warrior's own self. Within a fighter's personality are a wide array of demons to be conquered: fear, laziness, ignorance, selfishness, egotism, and so many more. To talk of overpowering other people is inconsequential. To actually overcome one's own defects is the true nature of victory. That is why so many religions depict warriors in their iconography. These images are not symbols for dominating others. Rather, they are symbols of the ferocity and determination that we need to overcome the demons within ourselves.

(Deng Meng-Dao)

Play

Self-consciousness ruins your taijiquan.
Ridding yourself of this crippling habit rests at the heart of all spiritual training.
The solution is to play.

Freedom of expression is vital.
Your body and mind must be agile, nimble and mobile.
To be skilled with neigong, you must have a lightness of spirit.

The way of the monkey is a good way to understand what this means in terms of neijiaquan practice.

Natural movement

A common error is to exaggerate body use.
To seek to make neigong happen.
This forcing, this willing... it is a mistake.

If you have trained enough, then you have some measure of whole-body strength.
It is not necessary to do anything.
Just use your body in a relaxed, appropriate way relative to the incoming attack.

70/30 stance

When a student has reached a degree of suppleness, flexibility and awareness that facilitates good body use, they must consider a more martial framework.
The 70/30 stance is used throughout our curriculum.
It enables the student to use a deeper, longer, more powerful framework that a new starter could not physically manage.

The advantage of this stance is that it protects the centre with ease, maintains structural alignment at all times and enables rapid movement.
It is impossible to over-commit or over-extend.

Business address

Newcastle Tai Chi
St Andrew's Church
Station Road
Benton
NE12 8AW
0750 3604568
http://www.newcastletaichi.co.uk
newcastletaichi@hotmail.com

Understanding

At the heart of your difficulties in class lies this immense question of whole-body strength.
What is it?
How is it used?
A sense of wonder, curiosity and the burning need to know should fuel your endeavour.

If you ask questions based upon your own ego, life experience and perception, then you will obtain only answers to the questions you have asked.
Did you ask the right questions?
Are you any wiser now?
Were you expecting a verbal solution?

Questions frame answers. They shape and limit them.
You must learn how to seek without preconception. Without asking.

Yin/yang

Supreme ultimate fist is a martial art based entirely on the yin/yang diagram.
If you do not understand the requirements of mutual arising, hard/soft, etc... you will be doomed to train externally and continue to use force.

Neijiaquan must be understood.
You cannot simply practice the internal arts and hope for a positive outcome.
Treat these arts appropriately: they offer arcane knowledge and mystery. Seek out their secrets for yourself.

Opening & closing

In order to employ whole-body movement correctly, it must be used effectively in relationship to other people.
Appropriate use of strength is vital.

Power comes from your own body, through into somebody else and affects them.
This journey is mirrored by the movements of your own body.

Magic?

Fantasy movies have long depicted warrior/sages of the Wudang Mountains and wizards wielding uncanny powers.
Masters perform unlikely feats of physical prowess and people fly through the air.
But is there any truth to be found behind the legends, folklore and myth?

The exaggerated feats shown in the movies stem from both awe and ignorance.
Internal martial arts do offer amazing, uncommon skills, but they are not magical.
Consider the Wang treatise:
 

The spectacle of an old person defeating a group of young people, how can it be due to swiftness?

(Wang Tsung-yueh)

Neigong leads to jing (internal power).
Internal power has been sought after in China for millennia.

Faults

Lacking confidence in themselves and in whole-body movement, a student who has neglected their training makes major faults:

1. They force
2. They use tension
3. They lead with their elbows

Laziness and/or a failure to comprehend the nature of neigong lie at the heart of any problems you encounter.
To remedy laziness, practice.
To use neigong, read this website, practice. Gain understanding through experience.

Habit

At some stage the penny must drop...

If you have trained whole-body movement with your qigong exercises every day over a sustained period of time, then your body will have incorporated this habit.
It is part of how you use your body.
Therefore, in partner work and combat practice, that habit exists already.
You do not need to be thinking about it or exaggerating its use.

If it is not there, look to the basics once more.

Pagoda

The next step is always contingent upon the previous one.
For example: If you are good at qigong, then form is strong.
When training form, you can focus on form alone.
You should not be even thinking about basic movement and structure principles (qigong skills).

If your form is good, then you can spend your partner work practice addressing how your skills affect the opponent.
You should not be thinking about coordination and physical harmony when doing partner work.

Each stage of practice has its own unique set of considerations. Understanding this enables you to build strong martial skills.

Combat drills

More rigorous than mere partner work, martial sets challenge the student to incorporate the previous skills.
Once more, if you lack skill with qigong, form and partner work, then combat drills will cause you to stumble and fall.
The answer is always the same.

Poor basics

Lacking the whole-body skills acquired from qigong and form practice, the student flounders during the early stages of practice.
They resort to tension and force.
Their minds are awash with extraneous thoughts.

Study, stand and train the basics. Daily, thoroughly and exhaustively.

Problems with partnered drills?

If you are thinking about qigong, form or basic structural parameters during partner work, you will make many mistakes.
These factors should be part of how you move, how you use your body.
If they are not, then you have sorely neglected the most basic areas of training and should remedy the fault.

Faith

Faith lies at the heart of mastery.
You must have absolute faith in your master and in their ability to pass on the art to you.

If you don't believe in tai chi completely and entrust yourself to its ways, then little progress can be made.
You are essentially standing in your own way.

Professor told us that he once had a student who "got it" it less than a year. What was the secret of this special person who attained mastery in a fraction of the time it takes the rest of us?

"It was because he had faith," said Professor.

(Wolf Lowenthal)

Partnered drills

By partnering, the student receives biofeedback and some measure of their own competence.
The themes are always the same:

1. Peng
2. Softness
3. 4 ounces
4. Stickiness
5. Sensitivity
6. Being in the body, not in the mind
7. Never resisting the incoming force
8. Listening & feeling, rather than anticipating

The diligent student immediately recognises their own clumsiness, and addresses the key concerns featured on the list.
With sustained, mindful practice the body can be trained and the mind becomes settled and calm.

Mastery in the martial arts

The term 'master' in the martial arts usually refers to a practitioner who has dedicated at least 25 years of hard training to their chosen art, amassed tens of thousands of hours practice and is very good at their stuff.
Mastering tai chi requires the following:

• A lifelong commitment to the furtherance of the art
• Spontaneous demonstration of every and any aspect of the art
• The ability to train other people to become tai chi instructors
• An embodiment of the principles outlined in the Tai Chi Classics
• Highly accurate rendition of every exercise/form/drill/application
• Extensive knowledge of every facet of every subject in the syllabus i.e. 'jing'
• An in-depth understanding of every facet of the exercise/form/drill/application
• How the exercise/form/drill/application links to other aspects of the curriculum
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why the different components operate
• Grace, ease, subtlety, sensitivity, nimbleness, appropriateness, simplicity are all a given 
• The willingness to train disciples to acquire every aspect of the teaching and perpetuate the art themselves
• Unselfconscious, skilled and utterly effective application of the art in combat employing chin na, jing and shuai jiao
• The ability to develop, improve and deliver a thorough, fully differentiated syllabus suitable for all ability levels and all ages
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why every form posture operates and how it can be applied in at least 7 different ways 
• Comprehensive theoretical knowledge and the ability to discuss and explain how taoism, martial theory and actual practice all tie together
• The ability to apply the tai chi principles (yielding, stickiness, peng, jing, composure, connection, 4 ounces etc) in every situation with absolute ease and certainty 

Form

The form refines the basic movements and extends their scope and complexity.
Considered in a martial context, whole-body movement is no longer abstract and generalised, but focussed.
The student learns how to shape their body towards a combat outcome.

Stepping, angles, strategy and coordination lead to an expansion of consciousness and a fluidity of action.
The coarse simplicity of the qigong exercises ultimately gives way to the nimble grace of form.

Commitment

A student of any martial art should expect to be attending 2-3 classes a week.
This is normal.
An internal martial artist needs to supplement lessons with daily home training.

It is possible to progress with lesser commitment, but the journey will be long and the progress slow. 

Master

Master Waller has practiced martial arts for most of his life and is a professionally qualified teacher.

• 40 years martial arts experience
• 20 years Master/disciple relationship with Tai Chi Master Peter Southwood
• 50,000 hours of tai chi training behind him (10 years being full-time study)• Teaching tai chi since 1995
• 2 lineage disciples

Qigong

The fundamental exercises teach simple whole-body habits.
Students should train the basic qigong - both standing and moving - thoroughly enough for the habit to take hold.

Train more; and the habit will come sooner.
Train less; and more patience is necessary.
This is why home training is important for supreme ultimate fist and 8 trigrams palm.

Tai chi chuan instructors

A tai chi chuan instructor needs at least 10 years of experience and a serious commitment to home practice.
Martial instructors must show clear evidence of ability in all 8 areas of skill.

An expert has 20 years study and 10,000 hours of practice.

A master should have 30-40 years martial arts experience, with at least 30,000 hours of tai chi practice.
They are capable of teaching other instructors.

A grandmaster must have taught an extensive number of high-level instructors.
They would be in a position of significant responsibility within a school and have influence within the wider tai chi/martial arts community.

Peter Southwood's tips #21Thoughtful

Make any gift relativistic; the size is determined by intention/purpose.
A gift demonstrates sincerity more significantly than words do.
Be thoughtful.

Internal martial arts

The inner school of martial arts practice is called 'neijiaquan'.

To learn the internal arts, a student must stop using force, stop blocking, struggling and tensing-up.
They must cultivate balance, rhythm, timing, sensitivity and stickiness.
And remain calm.

Instead of force, the internal arts employ whole-body strength and a different kind of striking power (jing).
These systems are more difficult to learn than the external arts, but are far kinder to the body.
Physical, emotional and mental health are as important as combat skill.
There is no competition, aggression or macho behaviour.

Indications of internal skill

Internal skills:

1. Ease
2. Grace
3. Acuity
4. Playful
5. Circular
6. Subtlety
7. Softness
8. Sensitivity
9. Nimbleness
10. Appropriateness
11. Whole-body movement
12. Less effort to greater effect
13. Significant degree of composure in combat
14. Spontaneous combat skills against unrehearsed attacks
15. Clear competence with chin na (7 skills), jing and shuai jiao
16. The ability to apply all aspects of the art (forms, drills & skills) in a thorough & convincing manner

These qualities indicate an internal approach.

Historically speaking

In the movie El Dorado, James Caan cannot shoot a gun with any skill.
John Wayne solves the problem by giving him was is essentially a sawn-off shotgun.
He matched the weapon to the user.

In Chinese martial arts, students have always used weapons that suited their art, their temperament, their strength and their abilities.
I once read Yang Jwing-Ming's book on ancient Chinese weapons, and there are literally dozens of variations of every conceivable weapon.

Something for everyone?

Amusing

http://thepalaceguard.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/become-tai-chi-master.html

External martial arts

Most martial arts are 'external':

• Rely upon the use of strength, speed and muscular tension
• Using the arms independently of the body
• Favours the younger student
• Competition or self defence
• Physically demanding
• Force against force
• Uses aggression

External arts are considered to be the outer school of martial arts study.

Arrogant

Our modern Western society applauds arrogance.
Humility and patience are no longer seen as being necessary or virtuous.  
Everybody wants to have their say.
This is naive.

In Asia it is considered highly inappropriate to question the teacher at all.
The student patiently listens and then they practice diligently.
After a number of years (with a few black belts to their name) they may be invited to discuss certain approaches and skills with the instructor.
But there is still humility.
There is always respect.

Website promo video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx-7tpJs9B8

Egotism

Why do certain beginners come to class with an ego?It is inexplicable.
They know nothing. They can do nothing. They are stupid enough to think that their opinion matters.
These naive beginners want recognition. 
Acknowledgement.
For what?If the individual were skilled enough to comment on the approach being taught, they would have their own class and not be seeking tuition.

Adaptive

Partner work, combat drills, form application and self defence work all offer opportunities to become adept at finding the most advantageous relationship.
A student must be capable of demonstrating their competence in a thorough and convincing way against any attack.

The capacity to adapt, change and improvise requires a degree of awareness, presence and spontaneity that will only arise through many years of tuition, experience and practice.