By regularly training the fundamentals every day, the student lays the necessary foundation quickly and can constantly ensure that they remain stable and strong.
Neglecting the basic material leads to weakness throughout the practice.
Monday
What about tradition?
If you are a Christian, give to the poor.
If you are not, why let marketing and commerce bully you into feeling guilty for not buying presents? People are just trying to make money out of you. They want you in debt.
They want you spending more than you can afford. Your greed finances their greed.
If you recall the Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol you may remember that celebrating Christmas traditionally entailed giving gifts to the poor.
This is seldom the case these days...
There is nothing miserly about rejecting consumerism.
If you are not, why let marketing and commerce bully you into feeling guilty for not buying presents? People are just trying to make money out of you. They want you in debt.
They want you spending more than you can afford. Your greed finances their greed.
If you recall the Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol you may remember that celebrating Christmas traditionally entailed giving gifts to the poor.
This is seldom the case these days...
There is nothing miserly about rejecting consumerism.
Tuesday
5 stages
There are 5 stages to learning any form:
-
The pattern
-
Internal strength
-
Application
-
Shen
-
Natural
Indeed, few people even realise that there is more to form than the outward show.
The sad part about this is that the pattern is essentially incorrect unless augmented by the other 4 stages.
Feedback
Sifu Waller presents a non-macho, common sense approach to tai chi and self defence that is quite surprising in its clarity. His site is well written, sincere and open. Somehow he manages to share his thoughts without getting on a soapbox or selling himself or his own (unique) school. Also, he's offering this invaluable on-line resource for free! He seems to be entirely free of the tai chi politics commonly encountered these days and that is a refreshing change...
(Andrew)
(Andrew)
Sunday
Saturday
Fast-track teachers
Beware fast-track taijiquan teachers.
A friend of mine got a Lee Family pamphlet through the post inviting her to qualify as an instructor. According to the leaflet she could become an instructor in less than two years with only one lesson per month commitment.
I was convinced that she was joking. What are these people teaching? How than they call it taijiquan?
In our syllabus it takes most people two years to complete the beginners syllabus, let alone teach the class!
Two years. It has to be a wind-up. Doesn't it? Doesn't it?
A friend of mine got a Lee Family pamphlet through the post inviting her to qualify as an instructor. According to the leaflet she could become an instructor in less than two years with only one lesson per month commitment.
I was convinced that she was joking. What are these people teaching? How than they call it taijiquan?
In our syllabus it takes most people two years to complete the beginners syllabus, let alone teach the class!
Two years. It has to be a wind-up. Doesn't it? Doesn't it?
Friday
Sabre
The second form is actually a sword form using movements derived from the Yang Cheng Fu form.
This heavy weapon offers a notable workout.
It develops upper body strength, whole body movement and wrist flexibility. Students learn how to extend their energy through the blade.
The sabre was designed for use against multiple opponents.
We do not teach the sabre as a self defence tool.
This heavy weapon offers a notable workout.
It develops upper body strength, whole body movement and wrist flexibility. Students learn how to extend their energy through the blade.
The sabre was designed for use against multiple opponents.
We do not teach the sabre as a self defence tool.
Thursday
Motto
Our school motto is simple: Adapt, change & improvise.
It captures the essence of (applied) tai chi and baguazhang, and encourages an open, flexible attitude to life.
It captures the essence of (applied) tai chi and baguazhang, and encourages an open, flexible attitude to life.
Wednesday
Non-Christian Christmas?
If you are not a Christian, what exactly are you celebrating over Christmas?
Why are you wrapping up all those presents, sitting through family meals and over-indulging?
For what? In aid of what? Tradition? For the sake of it? Why? It is far less expensive not to bother.
If you are having Christmas in order to over-eat, get drunk and indulge yourself, what does that say about your character?
Why are you wrapping up all those presents, sitting through family meals and over-indulging?
For what? In aid of what? Tradition? For the sake of it? Why? It is far less expensive not to bother.
If you are having Christmas in order to over-eat, get drunk and indulge yourself, what does that say about your character?
Monday
Progression
Your self defence skills are explored through a series of stages:
- Chin na leverage principles
- Escapes
- Basic grappling drills
- monkey paws
- pushing hands
- pushing legs
- yielding exercise
- yielding basic skills
- central equilibrium
- floor work - Shuai jiao (take down)
- Small san sau
- Dying ground
- Silk arms
- Yielding/chin na
- Countering punches, kicks and grapples
- Penetrating defences
- Being hit
- Gravity striking
- Yielding/chin na & countering
- Countering a knife
- Escapes/knife
- Freeform
- Misplacing the bones
- Projections
- Disarming
- Form application
- Pao chui
- Cavity press
- Dividing the muscle
- Sealing the breath
- Gangs/multiple opponents
Friday
Individual meaning
'Meaning' is something attributed to phenomena; it is our way of making sense of life.
When considering any aspect of life, we examine the components and extrapolate a meaning.
The danger with this is that we can imbue anything with meaning, even when it no longer has any bearing on the original purpose.
Now consider 'Christmas'...
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org
When considering any aspect of life, we examine the components and extrapolate a meaning.
The danger with this is that we can imbue anything with meaning, even when it no longer has any bearing on the original purpose.
Now consider 'Christmas'...
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org
Friday
Dance
Tai chi works in a way that is completely opposite from many forms of
dance, specifically ballet. It seems that more and more people interested in
dance and movement are turning to Eastern forms of movement as they search for a
richer and more supple expression.
(Liz Koch)
(Liz Koch)
Baguazhang
Baguazhang addresses the experience of combat in a different way to tai chi.
The student avoids direct confrontation by circling around the opponent or by encouraging the attacker to circle around them.
Momentum and flow are used to overcome strength. The aim is to draw the attacker out of their centre and off-balance.
The student avoids direct confrontation by circling around the opponent or by encouraging the attacker to circle around them.
Momentum and flow are used to overcome strength. The aim is to draw the attacker out of their centre and off-balance.
Thursday
Self defence?
When most people think of taijiquan they don't think of self defence at all.
Some people have sentimental visions of large groups of people engaged in harmonious dance and expect to learn those same skills in the first lesson. Others want you to take their problems away; perfect health and a trouble-free life.
It would be so much easier if the public perception of taijiquan reflected the true nature of the art. Studying taijiquan without neigong and self defence is like buying a car that has no engine.
Some people have sentimental visions of large groups of people engaged in harmonious dance and expect to learn those same skills in the first lesson. Others want you to take their problems away; perfect health and a trouble-free life.
It would be so much easier if the public perception of taijiquan reflected the true nature of the art. Studying taijiquan without neigong and self defence is like buying a car that has no engine.
Sunday
Feedback
What I really like about the class is it’s friendly atmosphere with excellent teaching and a clear syllabus that means everyone makes progress. It’s challenging but accessible. Everything is explained to the level you want and obviously Sifu Waller really demonstrates what is possible in the art.
(Tim)
(Tim)
Saturday
San da: what can you do?
Students are welcome to use tai chi, baguazhang, chin na, shuai jiao or any applications from our syllabus.
Skipping around, fearfulness, an unwillingness to commit or external tactics will all be considered redundant and pointless.
This is an exercise in initiative, in feinting, luring, provoking commitment, evasion and countering.
Skipping around, fearfulness, an unwillingness to commit or external tactics will all be considered redundant and pointless.
This is an exercise in initiative, in feinting, luring, provoking commitment, evasion and countering.
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