What is Tai Chi?

One of the ‘internal’ martial arts of China, Tai Chi Chuan (the full name of the art) promotes health and well-being as well as being a potent form of self-defence. One of the enigmas of the art is that it can be practised on many levels, from a simple meditative exercise for health, to a realistic martial art.

What are the health benefits of Tai Chi?

Tai Chi Chuan has a profound effect on the overall health, posture and vitality of the practitioner. Tai Chi Chuan conditions the body and calms the mind; energy levels and mobility increase and the internal organs are massaged, enhancing their function.

Perhaps the best description of the health benefits of Tai Chi is described here, on the Tai Chi Academy web pages. My favourite quote is this one:

    ‘Move it or lose it, the Taoists say. The turning of the trunk flexes the spine, producing some of the same benefits as twists in Yoga (improved spinal flexibility, release of tension on the perispinal muscles, alleviating imbalances that can lead to back pain while improving blood flow to the discs). And like Yoga, Tai Chi conditions the psoas, that deep muscle of balance that underlies the lower abdominal organs and mediates the relationship of the spine to the pelvis and legs. Proper Tai Chi practice places certain demands on the body: The sinking of the weight, over time, tells the legs to add muscle and bone mass, while the turning of the body, in conjunction with deep abdominal breathing, ‘wrings out’ the organs, flushing blood out as they're compressed and allowing it to flow back in when the movement compresses another part of the torso. This flexing and unflexing reduces pockets of stagnation in the various organ systems.’
- Tai Chi Academy

What style of Tai Chi do you teach?

We teacher the 'old Yang' style of Tai Chi, passed on from Yang Jian-Hou > Li Jin Ling > Ku Yu Chang > Yim Sheung Mo > Lam Kam Chuen > Raymond Rand > our teacher Graham. See the article here on lineage for more details.

Who is it suitable for?

Our style of Tai Chi is suitable for both men and women. We insist people are at least 18 years old to join the class.

Can I learn Choy Lee Fut?

Choy Lee Fut is available only to students who have completed our 10-week beginners’ course.

What is Choy Lee Fut?

Choy Lee Fut originated from the Shaolin system and was created as an individual style by Chan Heung, who learned his art from three masters: Chan Yuen-Wu, Lee Yau-Shan and the monk Choy Fook. Chan Heung called his art Choy Lee Fut to commemorate his teachers and the Buddhist origin of the art (Fut means Buddha in Cantonese) and it is commonly known as Hung Hsing Choy Lee Fut.

The particular style of Choy Lee Fut we practice is known as Bak Hsing, or Northern style, Choy Lee Fut. Although primarily thought of as a Southern art, Tan San, the Bak Hsing founder, taught out of Siu Bak in the Northern province of Guangzhou.

Bak Hsing Choy Lee Fut is characterised by its flowing, flexible movements and the increased turn of the body used in the postures and execution of techniques, generating easy power from the turning movement and momentum of the opposite hand to the one which is striking. Slip attacking and the destabilising effect of blocking techniques on the opponent are trademarks of the Bak Hsing style.

For more information about these styles please see the article on our lineage.