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.
