Category: Wudang Taijiquan

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Advanced Workshop & Nei-gong Refresher in Horsham

I’m looking forward to the usual monthly Advanced Workshop in Horsham this Saturday, 4th November.

Usual format:

        • 2-3pm, Hand Forms
        • 3-4pm, Pushing Hands and applications
        • 4-5pm, Weapons forms and applications

Cost:

        • £7 per hour but just £20 for the whole afternoon

Location:

In case you don’t know, there is a Nei-gong session beforehand for Menren, ‘inside the door students’ of PTCC.

The Nei-gong exercises require a degree of  effort not everyone can commit to and are not taught in open class. There are 12 Yin and 12 Yang exercises some quite demanding, and some more meditative. Each set can be done in under an hour, at the basic level, but should be done daily initially. If you would like to find out more speak to me or Peter.

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Qigong & T’ai Chi in the Park 2023

I was looking forward to continuing the outdoor sessions in the park this evening but have decided it is just too grim out there, even with a hat!

Looking forward to next week!

By the way I am also trying to change the date of the next Advanced Workshop in Hove. The first Saturday of May is the 6th which I’m told clashes with a certain national event so I am negotiating with the School to move to the following Saturday, 13th May. I will confirm here and on WhatsApp in due course.

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More Evidence for Benefits of Tai Chi

I know Richard posted this on the WhatsApp group but anyone who practices or is thinking of practising Tai Chi should have a listen to this episode of Just One Thing by Dr. Michael Mosely. It looks briefly at the growing evidence for the health benefits of the martial art of Tai Chi admittedly without any actual reference to the martial side!

There is a “taster” video on the BBC  Make Your Move webpages. It is simplified but gives an indication of one element of Tai Chi, the hand form, though it is not a  style I recognise and shows no martial intent. Michael also mentions a video on the NHS website but I cannot find it. Please let me know if you can.

If you want to see what our hand form looks like I suggest you visit Peter Ballam’s website or come to the King Alfred Leisure Centre any Thursday evening from 8-9pm and see it for real.

The health benefits are also real and it is a practical and effective martial art but you don’t have to do any actual fighting unless you really want to.  ; )

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Christmas 2022 & a Look Forward to 2023

Club training has finished for this year. Hopefully your personal training has not – keep up the great work! I have seen improvements in everyone and look forward to helping you progress along your Taijiquan pathway next year.

King Alfred classes re-start on Twelfth Night, Thursday 5th January 2023 AND there will be a Workshop for the more advanced students at Hove Park School from 2-5pm two days later on Saturday 7th. Usual format: 1st hour – Hand Forms, 2nd hour – Pushing Hands & Applications, 3rd hour – Weapons Forms & Applications. Cost now £10 per hour but still just £20 for the whole workshop.

I have advertised a Beginners Course starting on the 5th January and have had some interest so hopefully we shall have a few new members joining our ranks. If you are new to Taichi and have just found that this course is on please contact me to secure a place. Cost will be £10 per week.

Happy Christmas one and all and thanks for your support,

Tim

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Workshop in Portslade 6th August 2-5pm

The next Sussex Wudang Tai Chi Workshop will be held in Portslade Sports Centre on 6th August. Not suitable for complete beginners so if you haven’t been doing PTCC long speak to your instructor, or PM me, to make sure it’s suitable. Bring hand weights for warm-up if you have them and if not, a couple of cans of tomatoes from the cupboard will suffice.

Usual format and cost but I’m hoping we can add a bit of relaxed freestyle tui shou this month. See 2022-08-06 Portslade Workshop Flyer for details.

No cafe,  just vending machines, on site and the nearest ‘corner shop’ is half a mile away so come with any refreshments you need.

Really looking forward to training with other ‘Wudangers’ again BUT, if you do have a sore throat or any other ‘cold like’ symptoms, PLEASE DON’T COME!!!

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Wudang Tai Chi Workshop 11th June

I’m pleased to announce we will be hosting a workshop for Wudang Practical Tai Chi Chuan practitioners at Portslade Sports Centre (BN41 2WS) on Saturday 11th June 2022, 2-5pm. Open to all who recognise the Yang Lu-chan, Wu family, Cheng Tin-hung, Dan Docherty lineage.

I have been nagging Peter to restart the monthly workshops in Horsham for a while and he and Barbara suggested we alternate venues between Horsham and Hove. Peter was going to host the first in May but found Forest School was no longer available on a Saturday afternoon. He will hopefully be able to find an alternative venue for July.

Format and cost will be much the same as usual – £5 per hour.  1st hour Warm up & Hand Forms, 2nd hour Pushing Hands and Applications, 3rd hour Weapons Forms & Applications.

If coming by train I may be able to arrange a lift from Portslade Station though there are frequent buses.

Hope to see old friends and make new ones on the 11th but please let me know if you are coming so I have an idea of numbers.

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Wish Wudang Tai Chi Club Will Re-start at the King Alfred in September

Firstly I would like to say ‘Thank You and Well done!’ to all the students who have stuck with me through Zoom and outdoor classes since the first lock-down in March 2020.

After much discussion we have decided to re-start classes at the King Alfred Leisure Centre on Thursday 23rd September 2021 so the last class on the promenade will be on the 16th. This, of course,  assumes restrictions remain relaxed. Numbers will be strictly limited to ensure safe distancing can be maintained as much as possible. Pair work may only be done in training bubbles.

As before the epidemic the first hour, 8-9pm, will be for Hand Forms and Pushing Hands which players may choose to do solo or paired. The second hour, 9-10pm, will concentrate on applications and the three weapons forms and techniques. There is to be no sharing of equipment.

Beginners are welcome to the first hour but please phone, text or email to be sure there is space.

Tuesday evening Qi-gong classes will revert to Zoom as the weather deteriorates. Date to be confirmed.

 

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Just One Thing by Dr. Michael Mosely

I’ve been listening to Just One Thing on Radio 4 over the past few weeks. Each episode suggests one thing you can do to improve your mental and physical health each week and the evidence to back it up.

This week it was on the importance of balance which tends to deteriorate from age 35-40. Not just for preventing falls (2nd most common cause of accidental death according to the WHO) but also for benefits to mental health. I’m thinking ‘Great, Tai Chi is known to be good for balance and falls prevention’ but he was talking about standing on one leg while brushing your teeth… Then he spoke to Professor Dawn Skelton at Glasgow Caledonian University who said “Tai Chi is one of the best activities to improve your balance!”.

Prof. Skelton also mentioned that, starting at any age, regular practice was key. This reminded me of a comment by my taiji sifu Dan Docherty that regular practice in China meant daily whereas in the west it meant once a week! In my experience of teaching over the last 20 years you can sure tell the difference between those students who practice daily and those who only do a weekly class!”

This doesn’t mean you have to practice for an hour every day though  – most people just don’t have the time. No, just 5 minutes, once or twice a day will bring so much more benefit than only attending a weekly class. Who knows, you may even get to enjoy it and see it as something to look forward to in the daily grind!