If you remain well within your limits at all times there is less risk of injury.
Most people exceed their natural range of safe movement frequently throughout the day without realising it.
The 70% rule encourages them to be aware of their natural range.
In self defence, over-commitment is a serious flaw because you have little room for failure.
Holding 30% in reserve is a useful safety precaution.
If you were to perform every tai chi action to 100% of your physical limit - in terms of stretch and endurance - you would be working at maximum capacity.
The 100% capacity approach is the 'no pain, no gain' attitude to exercise.
It opens you up for strain and injury because you are fully committed at all times.
We recommend following the 70% rule.
Making very small movements is difficult initially.
In modern society, our bodies are not encouraged to make small, smooth, controlled movement.
Everything is jerky and abrupt.
In the first movement of the form, we must place the palms down (as if on a table) then smoothly lift the arms up to shoulder height.
As the arms lift, the wrists must gradually flex so that the hand changes from a flat shape to a bent shape.
The arms then lower and the hand moves from bent back to flat again.
This movement of the wrist must be very slow, smooth and gradual.
If you simply flick the wrist, the joint is not exercised properly but if you move the wrist extremely slowly, you feel a very notable stretch throughout the entire exercise.
When you slow down, you begin to notice things. The study of neigong is a refinement of awareness, in which certain qualities are allowed and cultivated. By being slow, you can pay attention to what is happening.
Rushing is not healthy. Fast movement is often at the expense of good body alignment and can indicate a loss of composure. The unhurried pace of tai chi allows you time to experience life in a more complete fashion.
Modern life involves a lot of boring activities. People are accustomed to daydreaming or 'spacing out'. The difficulty of tai chi necessitates complete attention. It helps the mind to become calm and centred.
Slow motion practice encourages your mind to remain captivated by the immediacy of the moment, to feel every nuance of every movement. This degree of awareness is very healthy.Tai chi is about changing our internal environment so that life becomes a joy to live and not a burden to drag into old age and death. It is about helping your body to let go of the past and your mind to slow down and cease churning. Tai chi encourages your internal focus to shift toward cherishing and remembering all that is wonderful in your life. It predisposes you to look forward to ways to make life better, rather than remembering how unsatisfying it has been.
Most importantly, tai chi gives us the ability to realise a greater human potential in ourselves and to have genuine compassion for others. Tai chi, with its gentle strength, moves us closer to feeling more truly alive.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Neigong requires a certain kind of body movement that naturally produces fa jing. Nothing is forced.
Some methods involve shouting and aggression, with abrupt jerky actions that may cause tension in the body and problems if you are prone to migraine.
Although the muscles remain soft, there is a definite jarring element to it.
Bruce Frantzis sees this approach as giving-in to your animal nature, instead of sublimating it within the human.
Tai chi hides its secrets in the open. Your inability to comprehend them is a reflection of your own occluded nature. To unlock tai chi, you must change yourself.
If you are not discerning and scientific in your study, years may be spent practicing material that conflicts with The Tai Chi Classics, and does not really follow the way of tai chi.
He taught me to vibrate the breath and body rather fiercely and loudly like a growling lion, stretch the tendons, turn the waist like the motions of a food mixer, hit my own body and then flap my arms in the air. I started accruing some fa jing, although of a more shocking nature, rather than the smooth kind that can come from tai chi.
The drawback is that it made my energy jumpy.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Can you actually master tai chi? To do so suggests a degree of self-consciousness incongruent with tai chi practice. Surely you need to be mastered by tai chi?
Your body and mind must flow with what is happening; undisturbed and without resistance. Yielding, surrendering - until the 'you' is no longer present. When you and tai chi are indivisible, there is no master, no perfection.
Returning is an important theme in tai chi; the movements should not start and stop. Energy must release and return constantly as the body expands and contracts. Similarly, if your mind wanders, you return to what you doing and continue.
If you make a mistake, you identify, accept, correct and then begin again. Every time you practice, you start the form afresh by returning to the beginning. There is no end, no perfection. Just endless returning.
Tai chi needs to be considered according to its own nature... Each movement has particular characteristics; both energetically and martially.
What is the essence of each movement?
The body must adjust to express the appropriate energy, remaining utterly loose, balanced and relaxed at all times. Your muscles must be soft but not flaccid.
Inhale when your arms come in, exhale as your arms move out.
Inhale as the arms lift, exhale as they lower.
Inhale as you lift to kick...
This may seem odd until you consider the difference between a hand or leg strike. With the hands or body, you shift from one leg to another as you strike. Yet, with a kick the weight is in one leg only - the supporting one. As you lift the body and kick, you inhale. If you exhaled as the leg rises, your balance would follow your breath.
We only exhale for kicks that are inclined downward, and are using gravity and weight.
Your body knows how to breathe already. It is important to remember this before considering any kind of 'breath work'.
First of all, do not be caught by words - you understand?
The word is not the actual thing, the word 'tree' is not the actual tree - that's simple.
The word will not help you to touch the tree; you have to come into contact with it,
to put your hand upon it. We are slaves to words, slaves to ideas, images and symbols.
To come into touch with something directly the word must not interfere.
(Krishnamurti)
Even more tragic than our separation from the world is our separation from ourselves.
How many times have you stood in the kitchen slicing tomatoes for supper?
Where was your mind? What was your soul feeling?
Were you aware of the feel of the knife against against the palm of your hand?
Did you feel the texture of the tomato as the knife sliced through it?
Were you aware of how your hips, shoulder, abdomen,
and wrist aided the hand in the slicing process?
The answer to all these questions is, probably, no.
(John Lash)
This is a reasonable question, and most people could not give a decent answer.
Did anyone teach you:
Timing
Balance
Rhythm
Leverage
Footwork
Biofeedback
Coordination
Biomechanics
Proprioception
Mind/body unity
Optimal body use
Kinaesthetic awareness
How your muscles work
Healthy skeletal alignment
Ambidextrous use of the limbs
How and why to relax your body
Your parents probably did not teach this to you.
School did not teach it either.
PE or physical education in school translates to mean 'sport' and sport is not teaching you how to use the body.
It is not easy to commit to daily training. Your mind will resist. There are many pleasant alternatives.
Yet, over time, the habit of training takes hold and your body begins to experience unexpected strength and mobility. Eventually, you reach a point where you could not imagine ever missing your daily training.High repetitions dull the mind. Aim to train little and often instead. Be thorough, accurate, aware.
Cultivate familiarity and ease. You want your movements to be natural, relaxed, smooth and controlled.Consider this situation:
The Long Yang form is often known as the 'slow form'. The slow, deliberate movements encourage concentration and allow the student time to become familiar with the coordination.
There should be no attempt made to speed up the sequence. Slower movement will also develop muscular strength and body control.
Some of you have talked about learning a short form of tai chi, which has certain transitional motifs eliminated. The reason for these repeating transitions is to help you flow within the form - to ride over it without thinking. When these repetitions are cut out, some of the major movements become awkward and jam together. The sequence loses some of its smoothness.
(Chungliang Al Huang)
The Chinese symbol called 'tai chi' or the 'supreme ultimate' contains yin and yang. Yin is black and yang is white. Tai chi combines yin and yang to produce a process of dynamic balancing.
The art of tai chi employs this Taoist principle at all times.
Taoism is not a religion in the formal sense. It is concerned with the observation of life, of nature and then the literal application of insights gleaned through seeing and contemplating what took place.
There are 3 main books to read:
The Way and Its Power
The Way of Chuang Tzu
The Book of Changes
It is well worth exploring a variety of interpretations and translations in order to discover which one makes the most sense to you.
We aim to address self defence without resorting to undue violence. Violence against violence can lead to further escalation. We simply desire to evade conflict and escape unharmed.
There is no ego involved, no desire to win or claim a trophy. We learn how to incapacitate the attacker smoothly and easily. Then we walk away.
The source of all conflict resides within. We experience reality within our minds. Our minds interpret what our senses encounter, and we filter that information relative to our conditioning. The difference between a peaceful person and an aggressive individual is perception.
If we want to get along with other people we must address our own mind and emotions. This is where the problem lies.
Compassion is not about being soppy or becoming a monk. It is about caring. When you wake up and see that everyone else is pretty much the same as you, you stop being such a jerk. Instead of treading on people, you help them. Instead of causing conflict, you avoid it.
People who see themselves in others start treating strangers quite differently. We all want pretty much the same things: love, food, shelter, piece of mind, security, kindness, financial and emotional comfort. What is so special about you? Aren't you just the same as everyone else?A selfish person is pushy. They like to get their own way. They are quite comfortable pushing others around. Do you like being pushed around? How does it make you feel?
Bullying other people is unpleasant. It is one of the less savoury aspects of human conduct. Are you a bully?
If we can accept that the world does not revolve around you personally, then that is a starting place. Other people have wants, needs and feelings too.
Many people walk this earth as if they personally owned it. Everyone else is a cast member in some monumental production staged for their benefit. Wake up.We must not only listen to what the other person is saying, we must also listen to how we respond to it. Our reactions are very important.
If a friend jokingly insults you, you may just laugh it off. But if a stranger does the same you may be offended. Why? Do you not value your friend's opinion over that of a stranger? Why should you care what a stranger thinks? What difference can it possibly make?
Our responses need to be considered. Pay particular attention to emotions. Anger, aggression and resentment are extremely destructive. People often react on impulse. Their response may be ill-conceived and careless.
Don't take yourself quite so seriously.
Conditioning is about strengthening the body so that it can cope with the demands of rigorous exercise without the risk of injury. It is directly related to stamina and endurance.
Negative emotions are biologically harmful and can make you ill.
When you become angry, your body is flooded with hormones and adrenaline; you enter a 'fight or flight' mode which is only intended for extreme situations in which your life is endangered.
'Fight or flight' puts your body under duress.
Tai chi encourages a person to change the way they think in order to reduce the likelihood of becoming angry.
Coordination is all about combining different body parts in action. A simple example is eye-hand coordination.
The motor abilities of a tai chi person are exceedingly refined; they possess the grace, coordination and poise of a dancer.
Flexibility, mobility and suppleness are important concerns when it comes to avoiding injury. We explore many different ways to increase our range of movement.
Agility is the ability to change your position efficiently and effectively. It requires the student to combine balance, speed, strength and coordination.
Community Hall, St Andrew's Church, Station Road, Benton, NE12 8AW.
Please enter via the car park.
Newcastle Tai Chi classes are an opportunity to focus exclusively on YOU. Everybody needs 'me' time. Time to work on your body, relax your mind, calm your emotions and find balance.
We teach people how to achieve the maximum results using the least amount of effort. The training attitude is: moderation, little & often, do what feels comfortable. Don't exert, push or strain.
Some people want to learn tai chi from YouTube because it seems convenient and easy.
The drawback is very simple: nobody is correcting your mistakes. And you will be making a LOT of them. As a beginner, every single tai chi movement and exercise needs correcting.
A lot of people don't see the point of joining a tai chi school and taking regular classes. Yes, they want the health benefits, but they don't want the commitment.
This is akin to wanting to get paid without actually doing any work.
When people say 'tai chi', they usually think of form. Form involves walking around the hall whilst performing a series of smooth, flowing, dynamic movements.
It involves quite a lot of stepping, mobility, balancing, motor skills and coordination (we teach this).
One of the main areas of concern in tai chi is balance - and in order to work on this, you need to be standing up, walking and mobile.
We receive a lot of e-mails from people who ask if tai chi is suitable for them. This is a rather tricky question...
We have never met the inquirer. We know nothing about them. We don't know what their tastes, expectations, requirements, personality is like...
We don't really know what they are looking for or what kind of exercise they are even capable of doing.
Week in, week out, people attend tai chi classes. The instructor is always friendly. The lessons are always stimulating. Your fellow students are always courteous, well mannered and nice.
Your personal life may be in turmoil, your work life may be tedious or disappointing, yet tai chi class remains a constant: comfortable, familiar, friendly and fun.
Instead of being met by rivalry, one-upmanship and stress, you encounter friendship and warmth.
It’s crazy. I never thought I’d be getting more powerful as I got older!
I used to be able to hit pretty hard in karate but it was 100% effort. More than a handful of full power hits and I was getting fatigued. With Tai chi I’m hitting as hard, probably harder but no effort…I could carry on striking all day! It’s nuts! Also, with karate there was wind up or at least fist at waist or head so had space to travel before contact. Now I can almost hit as hard from touching the target!
The fact Sifu Waller has been able to transform my power generation as I age into my 40’s is all the proof I will ever need of both the art and Sifu as the real thing. I almost feel sorry for those that continue with slow old people tai chi or wushu style. They are missing the essence!
(Chris Young)
Rachel specialises in teaching qigong. Qigong involves simple movements, mild stretches and cooperative partner work. The onus is upon relaxation, balance, good poise and coordination.
Students learn how to move their body in a healthy, comfortable way without the risk of injury.
Sifu Waller teaches taijiquan (martial art), tai chi for health and tai chi for fitness.
His martial classes that explore: taijiquan, biomechanics, neigong, jing, chin na, shuai jiao and self defence. He specialises in teaching the old/classical Yang style taijiquan. This is a very old style of kung fu (Chinese boxing). Authenticity is our primary goal; we teach a pragmatic, functional martial art.
Please bear in mind that you will be on your feet and moving around for approximately 90 minutes. Tai chi is a workout.
The training is gentle, but if you're unfit, you may find it tiring at first.
• We don't teach other martial arts e.g. karate, MMA, wing chun or judo
• Tailored sessions, such as: tai chi for the elderly, tai chi in a chair, tai chi for children, tai chi for people with mental health issues or tai chi as performance art
• We cannot teach kung fu to children or the elderly
These are not areas that we specialise in. We are not trained or qualified to teach these approaches, nor is our syllabus or insurance geared with these in mind.
Learning kung fu is another matter entirely. This is subject to eligibility criteria.
Fitness is different to health. Being fit entails a wider range of concerns e.g. increased flexibility, suppleness, strength, cardiovascular health/fitness, agility...
These considerations are addressed at length in the fitness syllabus. The fitness exercises are more challenging than qigong & tai chi.
Qigong and tai chi are suitable for most adults who can stand and walk without the aid of a stick.
When you watch somebody perform Sifu Waller's tai chi it looks like nothing special is happening, but the power being produced is incredible. Surprising and very exciting! The biomechanics are remarkable; you learn so much about how to use your body in a healthier, more dynamic way.
(Dr Adriana Chilińska)
How fit and healthy are you? But what condition are you in? Are you fit or fat? Do you have back problems? Knee problems? Do you take any form of medication on a regular basis?
Aging badly is nothing to be proud of. You may want to get out of your big car, switch off your fancy phone, your laptop (and all the other devices) and get off your backside. Before it is too late.
Someone may struggle to begin with and then blossom later. Others may always struggle. This is simply the way things are. We treat all students equally.
Flattering the skilled and patronising the awkward is not the tai chi approach.
Each student must be treated with respect and courtesy. Everyone comes from a different mental and physical background, and brings with them a unique set of quirks and habits. Shedding these takes time.
I would strongly recommend Newcastle Tai Chi to anyone who is keen on trying out, learning & further developing tai chi skills for various health benefits or martial arts purposes. Even if you are a complete novice and don't know much about what tai chi is or how that might be of any benefit - just give it a go, you will find it worthwhile!
I have been working in healthcare for many years and I can assure, I found these skills to be of particular benefit for relaxation, stress-relief, improved movement control, balance and direct self-defence strategies. If you wish to pursue the martial arts route, the school has got a robust training syllabus/grading system which would also interest those who seek a more challenging form of tai chi.
(Dr Laxmikant Ekade)
Even if we wanted to be charitable with students, what could you expect from us?
We cannot carry you through the form movements. We cannot download skills into your brain. We cannot cure laziness or apathy. We cannot make you brave.
We cannot make you tall, small, rich or happy.
In martial arts, if you attend the lesson, the assumption is that you are fit enough to train. If there's anything preventing you from training properly that night, a kung fu lesson is not suitable for you.
Traditional kung fu does not offer concessions or tailored lessons. Nor does it offer age, gender or weight-specific concessions/classes. Everyone trains together. The only differentiation is ability.
You don't need to be fit to start tai chi classes. But you do need to be able to stand up, walk and step without the aid of a stick. The qigong & tai chi classes are designed to cultivate a greater degree of fitness: stamina, balance, endurance, flexibility, mobility and coordination.
In some respects the exercises will be just as challenging as yoga, but not exertive. Please bear in mind that you will be on your feet and moving around for approximately 90 minutes.
Sifu Waller's approach to taijiquan has no interest whatsoever in fighting - there will never be competitions or full-contact bouts.
Fa jing, shuai jiao, striking and chin na are not toys to be treated carelessly. No sensible person would allow you to snap their joint just to prove that it can be done.
You must be far smarter than that if you want to learn taijiquan.
Most of us experience a sense of being 'on edge' or jumpy. This is really a habitual over-reaction to our environment. One way of deepening your understanding of this is to experiment with habitual patterns of reacting to a familiar stimulus, such as a door-bell or a telephone ringing.
(Michael Gelb)
Adults forget the advantage of play. Once you remove the barriers of right and wrong, approval and disapproval - you can totally relax. If you make a mistake, so what? It is only play.
When you can relax and just be yourself, your mind will open to new possibilities. You can see the wonder of things and laugh. You may start to play in other areas of your life...
Our taijiquan cannot be learned by copying somebody else. You need a profound understanding of what you are doing and how it works. The imagination must be engaged.
Without play and exploration, you will have taijiquan classes filled with students who possess absolutely no grasp of what they are practicing.
When a child plays, they seldom behave in the manner described. A child at play is usually engrossed in whatever they are doing; their minds are in the here and now.
It can be quite difficult to distract a child who is playing.
The beauty of play is that you do not have to believe anything. You can find out for yourself. If something works, examine the physics behind the success. Why did it work? Can it be improved upon?
If something fails, figure out why it failed...
When a child discovers their universe, they do so through play. A playful mind is not tense or uptight. In taijiquan we learn in the same way.
Students are encouraged to explore every neigong, application and jing in partnership with other people. This approach is cooperative and experiential.
By practicing with others we can find out what works and what does not. Other students can offer assistance and obstruction - both of which require you to adapt, change and progress.
Can you see the danger here? If you think that play refers to an opportunity to behave an irresponsible, carefree, childish manner... then you have got the wrong idea about taijiquan.
Play is about immersion in the event itself. Beginners who want to talk rather than train (or dance around and act foolishly) are not in earnest. They are not focused at all.
An inexperienced student cannot talk and train competently at the same time. If they are talking, then they are talking. They are not training taijiquan.
A student needs to concentrate in some respects, and be unselfconscious in other regards. Both facets of this requirement are addressed through the act of playfulness.
It is common for students to say that they are "playing" taijiquan... This notion of 'play' must be considered carefully. Most adults perceive play as tooling around - insincere, light-hearted and carefree.
But is this play at all?Our syllabus was developed as the result of our own tai chi practice and teaching experience. The post-graduate professional teaching skills/qualification have proven invaluable in creating a syllabus.
Tai chi is easy in principle, yet difficult in execution. The problem lies with your own body and mind. After all, it is you that make the tai chi exist. Without your body, the system cannot become manifest - the tai chi can only be as good as you personally make it.
Do not look outside yourself for answers. The solution lies in this very moment, in the very process of doing. Your tai chi will improve relative to your ability to produce it.
When stood in tai chi, the feet are beneath the body so the legs are not fatigued. Your everyday stance should emulate this as closely as possible as often as possible.
The trick with tai chi is to keep your training mild. It is not a gym workout. You are not meant to be sweating and straining. Go easy on yourself. Little and often is the key.
If the training is gentle but works your muscles nicely, then it is easy to sustain and your energy levels will stay high.
Conversely, people who do not exercise are also likely to become fatigued. How come? Their muscles are weak and we need muscular strength to move our bodies around.
By avoiding exercise, the problem of fatigue will not go away. It will not get easier. If you are lazy now, expect difficulties ahead of you. Your fitness level will not improve by ignoring it.Many forms of exercise can actively develop bad posture. They often cause serious fatigue and adverse wear and tear on the body. The tension in the body uses energy and tires you out.
Many health problems are caused by the way in which we stand, walk, sit and use our bodies during everyday activities.
Headache, fatigue, stiff neck, bad knees, back problems are usually caused by our own bad habits.
Incorrect muscle use, imbalance, poor physical awareness, work and many forms of exercise only serve to perpetuate poor fitness and muscle tension.
Fatiguing the body can be addressed through careful, safe practice. By contrast, fatiguing the mind is far more insidious and difficult to detect.
Politics, news, gossip, media, TV, opinions, fashions, negative emotions, competitiveness - all put the mind under duress. They create frustration, anxiety and a feeling of helplessness.Instead of hammering and punishing your body, you treat it with respect and care.
Your body must last you a lifetime.
'Stretching' covers a wide range of approaches. A good tai chi class should offer a varied and versatile selection of stretching methods.
Most people are not used to training at home. The key to home training is to work into it gently. Try doing a small amount every day. Nothing ambitious.
A tonic is a medicine taken daily in order to maintain and invigorate the body. It may significantly improve your fitness.
However, you should take note of the small print, the conditions of use:
It must be administered every day
When you stop taking it, the benefits go away
This is something to really think about. Re-read the paragraph if you need to.
Tai chi is not going to fix you up. It was never intended (or designed) to be something employed for repair. At best, it may be seen as a tonic.
It helps to keep you fit, healthy and vital. It is a preventative measure, not a fix.
Metabolism slows down 90 percent after 30 minutes of sitting. The enzymes that move the bad fat from your arteries to your muscles, where it can get burned off, slow down. The muscles in your lower body are turned off. And after two hours, good cholesterol drops 20 percent. Just getting up for five minutes is going to get things going again. These things are so simple they’re almost stupid.
(Gavin Bradley)
Fitness is different to health. Being fit entails a wider range of concerns e.g. increased flexibility, suppleness, strength, cardiovascular health/fitness, agility...
These considerations are addressed at length in the tai chi syllabus.
A trend for Western retirees is global travelling. In contrast with this, Taoism advocates seeing what is right in front of you. Rather than do more and more, begin to see.
It will serve to keep the brain healthy. Having genuine wisdom is better than boasting/bragging/self-promotion. Insight is worth more than commodities/experiences.
A Taoist approach adopted by The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking is to look deeper into things. This runs contrary to the attitude of acquisition.
Understanding ensures interest. It encourages curiosity and can be the wellspring for new ideas and unknown directions.
The nervous system is responsible for gauging how much strength needs to be applied.
As you exert pressure upon an object, your body experiences resistance and there is biofeedback which tells you how much strength is necessary.
People fail to release a contracted muscle after it has moved the bone, or they over-use one muscle group at the expense of another.
'Tensing-up' is the habitual over-contraction of a muscle, such that it impedes joint movement and distorts the skeleton. This causes imbalance, weakness and postural tension.
Tai chi is concerned with re-training the body for optimal functioning. To use the body skilfully, you must dynamically balance muscles within the body and use the bone structure in a healthy way.
We teach people to become incredibly aware of their own bodies.
A healthy nervous system is not simply a physical matter. The smoothness and grace of the tai chi movements must be complimented and enhanced by your composure.
A psychologically tense person will be incapable of skilled body movement. Neurologists maintain that the mind affects the physical nervous system, and the nervous system affects the mind.
Calm mind and body are connected.
If you want to move smoothly and easily, and respond well in combat, train your nervous system. Weight-lifting and gym work can often result in large muscles but perhaps poor sensitivity.
These are not recommended supplements for tai chi. If you want larger muscles, do more qigong.
Tai chi requires you to re-tune the nervous system. This is a lengthy process involving a lot of partner work and a serious amount of patience. It will not happen overnight.
Sensitivity work encourages you to feel how much pressure you are applying and how much is pressing against your body.
You learn to re-assess the information and accept when an excess of strength is being used. Typically, muscular exertion is constant and ongoing. It is normal, habitual and you never notice it.
If you were to pick up an egg or a glass and exert too much strength, then the object will break in your hand. The nervous system is responsible for gauging how much strength needs to be applied.
Some students want a few self defence techniques and that is all. They want a smattering of form applications and a cursory taste of combat skill. This is pointless.
Having a few crumbs of knowledge is dangerous. It can lead to a false feeling of competence.
If a student is unwilling to invest in the process of learning bona fide technical skills, they should do qigong & tai chi for health.
Do you talk quickly? Is your body tense; particularly the neck, shoulders or lower back? Are you constantly using your phone, the web or watching TV? Do you feel worried, anxious or rushed?
Do you have difficulty getting out of bed in a morning? Are you argumentative? Do you feel frustrated, angry or irritable? Are you struggling to relax? Do you walk quickly? Do you drink too much?
Do you have difficulty slowing down? Do you comfort eat? Do you feel to have too few hours in the day? Do you know how to stop?
You may be suffering from stress.
A common excuse that taijiquan students make is that they don't have time to train at home between classes. This notion is based on a false understanding of yin/yang.
In order to get something, you have to give something. Our entire society is based on this, isn't it?
If you want a loaf of bread, you give up money. You want to watch a movie, you set aside the time. If you want to get good at taijiquan, you will need time to practice at home.
Therefore, if you want to practice taijiquan at home, you will need to give something up. Make space. This may mean less TV. Less internet. It's your choice...
Dr Michael Greger (author of How Not To Die) recommends 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day.
Dr Bradley Willcox, Dr Craig Willcox and Dr Makoto Suzuki who wrote The Okinawa Program maintain that taijiquan - with its ancient origins and incredible health benefits - is the ideal form of exercise for modern people.
If this sounds like a lot of exercise, why not chop it up into smaller increments spaced throughout the day?
I have recently being working through form applications. Surprisingly, they all felt quite easy and straightforward. They also worked very well. No difficulty at all. How come? Daily form practice. Sifu Waller did not have to waste time correcting my form during application practice. We could simply focus on the applications themselves. Correct form meant smooth, powerful, controlled, effective applications.
(Rachel)
How fit and healthy are you? But what condition are you in? Are you fit or fat? Do you have back problems? Knee problems? Do you take any form of medication on a regular basis?
Aging badly is nothing to be proud of. You may want to get out of your big car, switch off your fancy phone, your laptop (and all the other devices) and get off your backside. Before it is too late.
We teach two sets of leg stretches that are great for releasing tension. The second set contains several exercises that are great for long journeys.
They are similar to the circulation exercises recommended when flying.
Massaging the body can really help to release stored tension and improve circulation.
Our routine starts with the head and works down throughout the entire body, paying special attention to problem areas such as the spine.
In time, the massages will feel easy and natural - it is not about remembering a routine - it is about moving down the body looking for tension.
Many of the exercises are passive - the area being worked does not perform the work itself. By manually-releasing the tension you avoid adding extra stiffness.
Most of the movements in tai chi require the body to be open, lengthened and expansive. This reduces the risk of compression and enhances circulation.
Free, mobile and comfortable, the body moves spontaneously and without impediment.
Closed joints and tense muscles inhibit circulation by trapping fluids; so this is assiduously avoided in tai chi practice.
A common misconception is that any martial art offers the opportunity to reach an 'internal' level of practice i.e. a karate man can become internal. This is not true.
Internal forms are quite different to external ones. They were designed to be a vehicle for the exploration of a very unique way of moving and using the body.Some tai chi people claim to be fighting in a 'tai chi way' but it looks suspiciously like kickboxing or MMA... If you watch wing chun applied in combat, it looks distinctly like wing chun.
The same could be said of judo, aikido, ju jitsu, pencat silat etc. By the same reasoning, the martial art of tai chi must look like tai chi.(i) Resistance
Qi alone is not going to defeat anyone. If it could, why bother to learn the system? Why not just hit people with your qi?
To apply tai chi effectively in combat you have to learn pretty much all the same skills you would learn in any martial art, but with a twist.Some people think that 'a bit of tai chi' will lead to some drastic improvement in fitness. Sorry, it won't. You may feel good after one lesson but nothing significant or fundamental has changed.
If you want meaningful results you will need to make an investment in tuition, time and effort.Weight loss usually involves balancing your food intake and activity. Undertaking a daily qigong and tai chi regime will most certainly help your body exercise.
This must be paired with a diet that best suits the individual.Tai chi was developed as a martial art. Healing was first promoted by Yang Cheng Fu in the early part of the 20th Century.
The health benefits of tai chi are an off-shoot of good body use, relaxation and healthy attitudes.Tai chi is not going to fix you up. It was never intended (or designed) to be something employed for repair. At best, it may be seen as a tonic.
A tonic is a medicine taken daily in order to maintain and invigorate the body. It may significantly improve your fitness.
However, you should take note of the small print, the conditions of use:
1. It must be administered every day
2. When you stop taking it, the fitness benefits go away
This is something to really think about. Re-read the paragraph if you need to.
Books and DVDs may serve to supplement lessons but they are no substitute for actual tuition. The number of mistakes and misconceptions that will arise are astronomical in number.
Imagine trying to learn how to drive a car by watching a DVD or reading a book... No driving instructor. Just you.
Trying to study a physical art with no guidance is an equivalent folly.
The danger with seeking to learn qigong from a DVD is that you are guaranteed to make many, many mistakes but lack the wherewithal to recognise what those mistakes are and how to remedy them.
I strongly believe that students should limit themselves to learning and fully developing in just one style only. By learning many styles and collecting many forms we simply cannot have sufficient time to practice.
Few have the resources or talent to be the master of more than one style. The really good teachers focus on one style.
(Adam Hsu)
Mild stretching occurs throughout the training but strong stretching is not advisable.
A stretched muscle can reduce the mobility of the joints, affect range, upset balance and inhibit correct skeletal alignment.
Form requires the student to move freely and easily. The limbs should have already been stretched when you warmed-up. There is no need to stretch further than 70% of your reach.
Over-stretching means needlessly burning energy like crazy; since stretching costs effort. This is not the tai chi way.
When tai chi is shown in books or photographs, the conclusion of the movement is shown. This is regarded as being a static 'posture' akin to a yoga posture e.g. warrior.
To see tai chi in this way is erroneous and will lead to a great misunderstanding of the art. The only static posture encountered in a tai chi class is standing qigong (and this is not tai chi).
Postures are static. Tai chi is about movement. Chang San-feng said: Tai chi is like a great river rolling on unceasingly.
Modern people are highly stimulated. They want to be entertained, occupied and pandered to. Like spoiled children.
The highly agitated mind of the modern person - caffeinated, restless and emotive - is not at ease. There is no tranquillity, no calm, no peace. Of course tai chi will seem slow and boring. A settled, quiet, strong mind is still. It is at rest. It finds the world to be filled with wonder and curiosity.Tai chi first came to the widespread attention of Western students in the 1960's. A popular Eastern discipline at that time was yoga.
People saw tai chi as being 'moving yoga' - an erroneous and woefully simplistic comparison. This was an error.
Taijiquan is a martial art. Tai chi for health is a non-martial health exercise adapted from taijiquan.
Qigong is a series of standing and moving exercises designed to encourage healthy body use.
There are no static postures in tai chi.
With the advent of performance art tai chi people have begun to think of tai chi purely in terms of 'form'. This is simplistic. Form is just one facet of the art.
Being in condition means that your can train for hours and not feel worn out. Your body is filled with energy and you can perform your art with strength and ease.
If you ignore the importance of condition, you will remain mediocre. Your body must be familiar with the Way of moving we associate with tai chi.
In time, the movements feel to almost happen by themselves. It is hard enough learning the sophisticated skills of the art. Do not make it harder by being lazy.
Becoming fit is a journey that brings considerable joy. Tai chi training will not stress your joints or damage your body. You will become notably stronger.
In your everyday life you will feel the benefits.
In order to use a martial art, you need to be fit. The required degree of fitness will not occur if you simply attend classes once a week. It is not necessary to do the splits, break boards or fight people.
But you do need to train frequently.
It is not easy to commit to daily training. Your mind will resist. There are many pleasant alternatives.
Yet, over time, the habit of training takes hold and your body begins to experience unexpected strength and mobility.
Eventually, you reach a point where you could not imagine ever missing your daily training.
Being in condition entails:
• Increasing your strength
• Improving your ability to last (endurance)
• Overcoming fatigue
• Being fitter
• Being more efficient in your body use
• Being more capable
• Overcoming stress
• Improving circulation
You can undertake the hardship of the walk without undue difficulty. You need to use just as much energy to complete it.
Yet, your body has grown stronger. More efficient. Compared to somebody who does not undertake daily training you will be far more capable of sustained exercise.
Consider this example:
You decide that you are unfit and you commit to a 3 mile daily walk every morning. On the first day when you complete the walk, you are out of breath and your limbs are shaky.
After two weeks you can finish the walk without losing your breath and you feel pleasantly energised.
Eventually the walk feels too easy and you look to try a more challenging route. What has changed?
Our energy is more precious than all the gold in the world. It is a more powerful anti-aging tool than anything else.
Energy regenerates our liver and other tissue cells, flushes toxic waste from the body, helps maintain our ideal weight, keeps our skin smooth and our hair healthy.
The more energy we have, the better we feel and the more beautiful we become.
(Kimberly Snyder)
School children are required to study 5 days a week in school and then go home and do the homework. Their performance, progress and competence is directly contingent upon these factors.
At college a student is more self-sufficient. There is less classroom time and more self-directed study.
At university the student must attend the required number of lectures and then flesh out the study all by themselves.
According to the book The Blue Zones it is important to think of exercise in terms of what you can reasonably do long-term. The ideal form of exercise is moderate enough that you can do it for the rest of your life. It needs to be joint-friendly, provide a gentle workout and be sustainable.
This sounds rather like tai chi, doesn't it?
There is more to life than working, buying goods, eating, sleeping, drinking alcohol and watching TV. You are more than this. Tai chi requires the student to expand their horizons.
And to chill out... Contemplation, meditation, settled emotions and calmness of mind are all wonderful additions to your life.
Instead of becoming the violent brute people often associate with the martial arts, you become relaxed and comfortable with yourself, and with those around you.
Qigong and tai chi training is different. It is not strenuous or stressful. You undertake regular training and let the mild exercise build up layers of strength.
Instead of feeling tired, you feel energised and full of vitality.
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.
If you want to get good at form, practice form. If you want to become proficient with weapons, then practice with weapons. The more often your body undertakes the practice, the more familiar it will be.
Our syllabus was designed in such a way that it creates habit patterns within the body. Many martial arts do this via forms and drills, so it is not without precedent, but our approach is slightly different.
We consider the essence, rather than the outcome, the product. This is a process-oriented approach.
Throughout the Tao Te Ching Lao Tzu is at a loss for words as he tries to describe that which cannot be described. This is also the problem for the taijiquan teacher. The teacher could talk for hours about taijiquan and never really be able to tell the student what it is. All that Lao Tzu and the taijiquan teacher can do is to try to give you glimpses of what the Tao and taijiquan are.
(John Lash)
Unless we stop our activity, we cannot find peace.
Tai chi is about doing less and less - we only do what needs to be done.
Why not try starting the day with a little time to yourself?
Make yourself a drink, sit outside and listen to the day begin...
It is a beautiful way of reclaiming your inner harmony and balance.
It is good to talk, yet talking is also a problem.
If your mind is never still and quiet, you cannot possibly feel relaxed and at peace.
For many people talking is a compulsive habit, serving to mask the silence within.
Without the chatter, people feel alone and isolated.
Try this: become aware of your own need to talk.
When you feel the urge to speak arise, let it pass again.
Gradually, you become quieter inside and begin to notice more.
You speak when necessary but your sentences shorten, you are more succinct and direct.
You feel calmer.
In tai chi we look to allow the mind to settle of its own accord.
Thoughts naturally dissipate and fade when you relax and become quiet.
Your emotions subside, you become still within.
Once empty inside, we can begin...
When a person is in a condition of emptiness, they are alert yet completely at ease.
They are capable of doing what needs to be done, of acting without anticipation or hesitation.
