How long does it take to learn to play the
guitar? How many lessons are needed to speak Japanese? Obviously it depends
upon your purpose.
Do you want to be the next Segovia or Clapton, or just to play a few simple
tunes? Do you intend to translate haiku, or are you simply preparing for a
two-week vacation?
Although the skill of your teacher and your talent level will certainly
influence your progress, the duration and intensity of your study will be
determined ultimately by the level of expertise that you seek.
(Michael Gelb)
Common questions
People send e-mails and phone up every week with a variety of
questions.
This is a sample:
Using material from site &
blog
Sometimes people ask to use pictures or material from this
site.
If you want to use material, please reproduce it in an unedited form.
We ask that you credit 'Dynamic Balancing Tai Chi' as the
author and link
back to this website.
The pictures were freely obtained from the web, so please help yourself.
Would you like to attend a class?
New starters
are welcome at any time - just come along and
join in.
There is no need to phone up in advance.
If you have basic questions concerning
class
venues, cost, attire etc - that information is on this site and up-to-date.
▲
Would you like to
book a private lesson?
Private sessions are available during the
day. Please
e-mail us with your details:
Name?
Previous tai chi or martial arts experience?
Any health problems?
Preferred day/time?
If you want us to teach tai chi for you, please supply your details.
Durham, Newcastle and Sunderland.
Different lessons cost different prices:
Yes.
If new starters pay £30 up-front, lesson 6 is free. (The lessons must be
taken consecutively).
Age Concern also offer concessions. Their Friday morning sessions only cost £3.
▲
(i) New starter
Flat shoes/training shoes. Plain T-shirt. Loose, comfortable trousers.
Inappropriate attire:
karate/kung fu/judo/ju jitsu/taekwondo suit
muscle t-shirt
short trousers
low-cut top/exposed cleavage
bare midriff
patterns/stripes/zig zags/dots
Jewellery/rings and watches should be removed before
the class commences.
(ii) Beginner (part 2)
Having completed part 1 of the beginners syllabus, all students are expected to
wear the
class T-shirt and kung fu trousers.
We welcome anyone who wants to become a tai chi
teacher.
Trainee teachers
are long-term students with considerable
experience in tai chi.
You can teach tai chi once you have gained an advanced-level
understanding of the art.
You also know how to articulate it to a class of people
such that they can learn something too.
▲
Not really.
Tai chi is a very gentle form of exercise that aims to move the body in a
natural,
comfortable way.
▲
Ideally yes. Whatever you can manage will be beneficial.
▲
No.
▲
No.
▲
90 minutes for a
regular class.
60 mins for over 50's.
Private lessons are 60 minutes long.
Corporate sessions are 60 minutes long.
▲
Tai chi is an
internal martial art.
Wudang or internal kung fu combines health and self defence.
▲
No.
The pace of the tai chi will vary depending upon the
neigong being studied at a particular time.
Neigong is what makes tai chi powerful, not speed.
To use tai chi properly in self defence requires
fa jing.
Fa jing is not fast, it is spontaneous.
There is much more to
self defence than speed.
▲
No.
Traditionally tai chi has been recommended as a health treatment for
older people, as they can
practice the exercises well past retirement age.
Children will only be considered if they demonstrate sufficient maturity.
If you fancy learning self defence, this is possible too - but be realistic
in terms of expectations.
Remember that 80 year old Chinese tai chi experts have probably been
training since youth.
▲
No.
Tai chi is a martial art, yoga is not.
Yoga is about stretching, twisting and balancing.
It is an excellent fitness regime but involves a totally different approach
to exercise.
Yoga stretches the body in order to
relax, whereas tai chi relaxes the body in order to stretch.
In tai chi the body is not
forced to do anything; the
lengthening and widening occurs by allowing the body to soften naturally.
Tai chi is a moving exercise rather than static; in fact -
tai chi is the movement
not the apparent postures.
▲
Self defence is the ability to protect
yourself in real-life situations.
Whilst learning the self defence will improve your knowledge of tai chi, it
is not compulsory.
▲
The world wide web.
If you are the owner of a picture and would like it removing from this site,
please let us know by
e-mail.
▲
That is up to you really.
It is useful to ask the teacher what
style they are teaching and find out a
little more about that style.
Different styles have difference purposes - some are for health & self
defence, whilst others are performance art.
What are your expectations?
Consider the atmosphere of the class - is it friendly and relaxed?
Can the teacher explain themselves comfortably?
You may also be limited by the availability of classes in your area.
▲
Tai chi is about feeling at one
with existence.
It is too easy to be caught in the mundaneity of everyday life.
The pictures remind you that the world around us is more than just human and
we are a part of that world.
Even the smallest creature is a treasure of natural beauty and magnificence.
You will learn more tai chi from the natural world than you would from
pictures of people standing in postures.
Some people can look at the face of an animal and then go home and eat a
burger.
In taoism and tai chi we see beyond our education, opinions, concepts and
conventions.
We see the creature within.
When we look with compassionate eyes, our relationship with the world
changes.
▲
Possibly.
Tai chi will exercise your body and this will cause weight-loss to occur.
However, tai chi is not a substitute for sensible
eating habits.
If you over-indulge, you will put on weight.
▲
Not necessarily.
Tai chi is a form of complementary medicine and may help with
arthritis, asthma, balance, blood pressure, bowel problems,
breathing, bronchitis, circulation, coordination, depression,
heart problems, immune system, impotence,
joint mobility, M. E. (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), migraine,
stress,
weight-loss.
The purpose of tai chi is to
strengthen your body and immune system
rather than cure specific ailments.
An overall improvement in health will result from training tai chi.
Please remember that
your tai chi teacher is not a doctor.
▲
You need to find somebody who teaches this material.
If you cannot find anyone locally, look out for workshops and seminars that cover
these topics.
There are quite a few books and videos available too, and whilst these will
not teach you the skills, they will give you some sense of the material.
Neigong cannot be taught via a website, book or video.
It takes years of careful tuition.
If you want to research neigong, here are some resources:
Taijiquan: Classical Yang style by Yang Jwing-Ming
(video)*
- the material preceding the form addresses neigong and 13 postures
Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel (book)
The Power of Internal Martial Arts by Bruce Frantzis (book)
Tai Chi Theory & Martial Power by Yang Jwing-Ming (book)
Internal Strength by Mike Sigman (video/DVD)
- these are quite difficult to obtain
The word 'neigong' may not be used, but then the name
is not the thing...
*Please
note that tai chi cannot be learned from a book
or video.
That entirely depends upon you. Everyone is
different. There are so many variables.
Consider:
Have you set aside some time every day for practice?
How long is it?
Do you bring preconceptions with you to lessons?
What are your expectations?
Did you think it would be easy?
Are you open and receptive?
Do you have some plan/ambition in mind?
Are you reading taoist texts regularly?
Is tai chi part of your life or a one-a-week night school class?
Do you train with other students between classes?
Have you any existing health problems that might impede training?
Is your body entrenched in hard-style habits of resistance and stiffness?
When you train at home, is your recollection good or poor?
Do you respond well to corrections in class?
Can you admit your mistakes?
Do you learn from them?
Have you committed to private lessons as well as regular classes?
What is your awareness like?
If things do not work for you, do you become aggressive and push?
Where is your focus?
We are not insured to teach children.
We are happy to answer
questions but have no
desire to debate tai chi with you.
▲
No. We cannot offer any recommendations.
Every tai chi
school has its own agenda. Each
school has its
own values, concerns and interests.
These are not necessarily compatible with other schools.
Our advice is to explore what is available in your area. Try out some
classes.
You may find something you like. Something that appeals to your values,
concerns and interests.
No. Although tai chi was invented in China, you do not need to be Chinese, speak
Chinese or dress Chinese to practice and understand the art.
Nowadays many Western people have gained great skill in tai chi.
There are some truly wonderful Chinese tai chi exponents, but also many
Western ones too.
Westerners have some very good ideals. One is that they like the guts, they
want to go to the heart of the matter and get the real stuff. They don't
care about all the fluff. How does it work? Tell me how it works, then I'll
do it.
The Chinese way is to have faith, do it a long time and maybe I'll tell you
how it works.
(Allen Pittman)
Consider chess. Originally chess was an Indian game. Western people adapted the
game.
Nowadays, who thinks of chess as being Indian?
▲
There are a number of sites on the web showing old
classes for our school.
Unfortunately they are not being maintained by their webmaster(s).
We have no means of updating these sites. E-mails to the webmaster(s)
receive no reply and no action is taken.
Our apologies for any inconvenience.
▲
Page created 13 January 1999