Saturday

Feedback

There are so many different dimensions to what Sifu Waller's class offers, it is hard to know where to start. The main thing for me is that it is great fun - I never expected that learning to hit and be hit, escape holds and put each other on the floor would make me laugh so much.

This comes from Sifu Waller's unique approach, sharing his vast knowledge in a down-to-earth and non-macho way, which I think leads to the whole class being a warm and supportive place to be.

The key thing is that it works, such simple things that have a really dramatic effect on your body, not a spiritual, abstract set of moves but real 'I do this, he falls down' stuff. I can feel my own body responding now too - getting firmer, more balanced, more in control - and I think the qigong exercises are making my mind much calmer as well.


(Robin)

Wednesday

Not all exercise is healthy

The slogan 'no pain, no gain' is often used in conjunction with exercise. Being healthy sounds like an ordeal.
But not everybody wants to sweat and strain their way to fitness.

Conventional exercise has its drawbacks.
If you damage your body through goal-oriented exercise, you may have to live with it for the rest of your life.

Saturday

Meaning & purpose

Many aspects of modern life are warped. The original meaning and purpose has been lost and only a parody remains.
Consider 'marriage': people commonly spend a colossal amount of money on an immense event that lasts only a few hours.
For what? What does it all mean?

The wedding has become a pantomime of greed.

A couple becomes engaged and expect presents.
Then they spend a year planning a wedding and booking countless elements before indulging in a lengthy hen night or stag night, before the actual day itself.
They pretend to be Christian in order to be married in a church because it looks nice on the photographs.
Finally, there is the honeymoon.

How much of this actually has anything to do with getting married?

Thursday

Patience

It is common for students to train a martial art for a number of months or even a year or two and then quit.
Some may even last until black belt, only to leave then as though black belt was the end of their training.
A few years of practice really amounts to nothing.

An internal martial artist is thinking in terms of decades.
.
They train patiently every day.
Their expectations are realistic.
Neither lazy nor complacent, the student works through the many challenges and obstacles, becoming stronger, calmer and more adept.

Wednesday

Held

Your muscles serve to move the bones in a required direction.
Contracting involves drawing the muscles inward, whilst extension requires the muscles to lengthen outward.
Neither contraction nor extension needs to be held or tense.

If you tense/overly-contract your muscles, the ability to move the bones is impeded.
Chronically contracted/extended muscles prevent the natural movement of the skeleton.

Sunday

Sport

Sport seems to be a healthy social outlet until you consider it a little deeper.
Rivalry, competition, taking sides and animosity are frequent factors in sport.
People exert themselves in order to accomplish a goal and frequently injure their bodies in the process.

Money, medals and fame motivate sports people to push harder and harder, in order to prove something.
But prove what?
And why?

Sport is concerned with the end result at the expense of the means.
When a person swims, how often do they pay attention to the quality of their movement?
Are they interested in swimming with awareness, of accomplishing a whole-body action?
Or are they counting lengths?

Saturday

Feedback

Having looked around for Tai Chi lessons for mainly health but also martial applications, what I found immediately obvious with Sifu Waller was the practical "Real" teaching; None of the flowery waving arms about, but real scientifically provable methods to aid health and engage martial capability.

Having joined the class I find it great to train in an environment where everything I do can be explain in an absolute and scientific way; be demonstrated to be workable and when actually done see the results for myself.

Don't get me wrong there is a place for Tao and Zen for some people (both of which I study) but it supplements the training in our school,rather than confuses as in so many other schools.

In my life free time is in short supply; I want a class where I get value for money and concentrated pure teaching, Newcastle Tai Chi meets both these objectives.

(Damian)

Thursday

Why tai chi?


Newcastle Tai Chi offers the most in-depth tai chi tuition in the North East.
Our sessions are suitable for:
  1. Staff training days
  2. Health/wellbeing days
  3. Alternative activity days
  4. Team-building workshops