Introduction
In our Tai Chi & Qi Gong Class we concentrate on the health benefits that these can bring. Much of the skills taught come from the knowledge gained by Tony Willis Sifu during his visits to
Tai Chi is probably more recognisable to most westerners but often Qi Gong is actually what is being practiced and not actually Tai Chi Chuan. During the classes which suit all ages and physical abilities you will learn how to cultivate and nurture the Chi (Qi) in the body to help maintain good health. We will practice the Qi Gong Routines of Baat Duan Jin (8 Section Brocade) as well as Cloud Hands, Qi Gong routines Tony learnt in China and the Qi Gong from the Chow Hakka Mantis Tradition as well.
Tai chi chuan is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for health reasons. Tai chi Chuan is typically practiced for a variety of reasons: its hard and soft martial techniques, demonstration competitions, health and longevity. Consequently, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of tai chi chuan's training forms are well known to Westerners as the slow motion routines that groups of people practice together every morning in parks around the world, particularly in
Today, tai chi has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun. The origins and creation of tai chi are a subject of much argument and speculation. However, the oldest documented tradition is that of the Chen family from the 1820s.
The 24 posture Simplified Form of tai chi chuan, sometimes called the Beijing form for its place of origin, is a short version of Yang style tai chi composed of twenty-four unique movements.
The form was the result of an effort by the Chinese Sports Committee which, in 1956, brought together four tai chi teachers to create a simplified form of tai chi as exercise for the masses. The creators truncated the traditional Yang family hand form to 24 postures; taking between four and eight minutes to perform and to give the beginner an introduction to the essential elements of tai chi chuan, yet retain the traditional flavour of Yang style's longer hand forms (generally 88-108 postures).
Henceforth this form was avidly promoted by the People's Republic of China for general exercise. Due to this official promotion, the twenty-four form is most likely the tai chi form with the most practitioners in
In our beginners classes the short Beijing Form is taught along with Qi Gong routines for health. In the intermediate and advanced classes the Yang Long Form is taught.
Picture of Yang Chengfu
