Trevor

Force

Some forms of exercise require you to push your body. You are asked to apply willpower and force a change.

Tai chi is different.
Instead of forcing, you allow. Instead of pushing, you relax.

Feedback

I just found your website. I have been looking for explanations of energy (and how it is linked to the martial arts and will) like this my entire life! The descriptions on your site are so straight forward and easy to understand. I’m finding it hard to express the gratitude I am experiencing.

 (Angie Aukee)

Tai chi

In tai chi the body is placed in a position where the six outward rotators are eccentricity contracting with the abdominals and gluteals relaxed. This eccentric contraction of the the six outward rotators counteracts the short resting length of the iliopsoas as well as gravity. Being in the tai chi posture utilizes gravity to one's advantage. The main difference then is in the use of the abdominals and the gluteals, and that in tai chi the force of gravity is utilized to stretch the iliopsoas and flexors, while in ballet gravity is not used.

It is possible to use gravity to stretch the flexors and iliopsoas in ballet but this is not understood in the teaching of this art.

(Liz Koch)

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)

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.

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?

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.

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.

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?

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)

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

The Karate Way

Feedback

Great Site! I have been exploring your site and it is full of great information on tai chi. Even though I live in the U.S. It is great to see how tai chi has touched other lives.

(Bob)

Robin

Keith

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

Conventional fitness

The ability to lift heavy weights, run, swim or workout in the gym may well improve your overall fitness level.
But this kind of fitness is not what we want in tai chi training.

A student must learn how to use their body in a very different way. The body needs to become agile, flexible, adaptive, sensitive and strong.

Conventional training will not necessarily improve your tai chi.
Many exercises actually create muscle tension, and tension impedes the natural movement of the muscle itself.

Weight lifting

Body building and weight lifting are fashionable activities today. The emphasis is upon developing external muscles which creates an armouring effect that can eventually distort the bony structure. It is the over developed musculature that actually torque's the bones and discourages them from bearing additional weight. The body attempts to compensate and problems arise.

 (Liz Koch)

Receive guidance & feedback

Instructor training for each level is an ongoing process over many months.
It involves:

1. theory
2. questionnaires
3. on-line media training
4. how to promote the class
5. class management methodology
6. weekly teaching practice in class
7. lengthy debates/discussions with Sifu Waller
8. designing your own personal teaching notes/scheme of work

These teaching concerns are all in addition to your personal development through the syllabus.
Instructor training is free of charge.