Practice for Health, Fitness & Form
Practicing daily, 3-5x a week or even 2-3x a week will help achieve improvements to both posture and balance. It couples the deep programming methodology of learning via slow movements in tai chi with repetition to build the muscle memory to achieve balance in posture, health and musculature as well as reinforcing the training classes.
While training classes are focused on learning, practice classes are focused on repetitive execution to achieve fluency. With repetition, slow moves may also become fast moves in high level execution in advanced training or push hands.
Qi Gong Health
Our Qi Gong Health classes consists of exercises that combine breathing, stretching, and calisthenics to promote health and vitality. A set of Qi Gong exercise typically consist of 8 to 12 movements. Each movement is repeated multiple times in a slow and controlled manner.
Each class includes:
- Practicing 2 to 3 sets of Qi Gong exercises
- Detailed instruction and explanation of one to two moves from the set
Classes will cycle through the following sets of Qi Gong:
- Tendon Changing Classic (Yi Jin Jing)
- Eight Section Brocade (Ba Duan Jin)
- Ma Wang Dui Daoyin Shu
- Six Healing Sounds (Liu Zi Jue)
- Five Animals (Wu Qin Xi)
- Da Wu
This class is especially suitable for desk jockeys and anyone seeking a simple, effective way to relieve stress, relax and stretch out tense muscles, and to promote healing of tendons and ligaments. This class however is not suitable for those who have just incurred spinal injuries, as there are many moves that involve twisting and stretching of the spine.
Tai Chi Fitness
The goal of the Fitness classes is to improve the fitness level of participants and at the same time to enhance tai chi techniques, internal power and whole body coordination. This class is beneficial to both beginners and experienced tai chi practitioners. There is no prerequisite for the class, just come prepared for a workout.
The class content includes:
- Warm-up with Basics.
- Practicing tai chi techniques in isolation, using explosive force and agile footwork.
- Slow stretched out tai chi moves to improve flexibility and strengthening of the lower body.
- Conditioning with equipment for a fun workout, training reflexes and internal power.
- Then finishing with static poses for postural alignment and self awareness.
You do not need any prior training to take this class and you can also take this class regardless of your fitness level.
Tai Chi Forms Practice
Tai Chi Forms (a.k.a. Taolu) is simply a set of movements or postures linked together in a continuous sequence. Students learn the “Form” in a training course but will need regular practice to achieve fluency. This class is suitable for anyone who is currently taking a training course to learn Yang Style Tai Chi, Chen Style Tai Chi, Cannon Fist, or any Tai Chi Weapons. After learning the movements in your training course, you need to practice in order to remember the moves and also to execute them better. An instructor or senior students will be on hand to assist and show the moves if needed. On occasions when you miss a regular training session, this is where you can get some help to catch up.
This class is also good for those who are taking a break from training, you can continue your practice to maintain and keep what you have already learned.
