Boot camp
   
     

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Weekend morning training

Start time 6:15 AM at our house. There will be training for most of the morning and food. We aim to finish late morning.


Experience for yourself

Boot camp is an opportunity to experience what home training actually feels like when you do it properly. A few hours of dedicated training will make you feel amazing.
It may even inspire you to start practicing at home yourself.


Revise

This is a good opportunity to practice all of the qigong exercises and a lot of partner work.
 

When you do taijiquan, you shouldn't sweat.
Sweating is a sign that energy is being dissipated.
It comes from tension and it's as if you are depleting your bank account.
Doing taijiquan, you want to accumulate energy, not spend it.
So, if you sweat, you should stop and rest.

(Cheng Man Ching)


A long workshop

Please note that boot camp is akin to two workshops taught back-to-back. Sifu Waller will be offering corrections, insights, tips & pointers throughout the morning.


Duration

Boot camp runs between 6:15 AM and 9:30 AM; just over 3 hours training (with a tea break). After 9 AM people's attention span starts to diminish and the quality of the training gets worse.


Breakfast

At 9:30 AM Rachel serves breakfast and Sifu Waller retires for the morning.


A healthy morning

Most people do not train at home, so boot camp involves an uncommon amount of training for the average student. The actual practice takes about 3 hours in total.
This is interspersed with constructive rest, reading, eating, drinking green tea and walking in nature.


Plenty of qigong

A less experienced taijiquan student is not adept with taijiquan so they need to do a lot of qigong. It provides the necessary fitness benefits by serving as a stopgap pending higher level taijiquan skill.


Schedule

Typical itinerary:

  1. Full circle qigong (30 mins)

  2. Self-massage

  3. Ba duan jin (8 exercises)

  4. Moving qigong

  5. Plate exercise

  6. Standing post

  7. 4 directions - forwards & backwards

  8. 4 directions - to the side

  9. Opening & closing - to the side

  10. Cloud hands

  11. Moving qigong (8 exercises)

  12. Stretches & joint work (12 exercises)

  13. Leg stretches

  14. Core strength

  15. Long Yang form (regular & mirrored)

  16. Taoist Yoga

  17. Constructive rest

  18. Partner work

  19. A walk outdoors


Watch & learn

This is a rare opportunity to see how a high-level practitioner performs the art.


Required equipment

Wear kung fu trousers, a T-shirt and a fleece (if required).
Additional equipment:

  1. Yoga mat

  2. A book from the reading list

  3. Waterproof coat

  4. Outdoor shoes

  5. 1 litre of water to drink

Under no circumstances should students wear a changshan, taijiquan T-shirt or teaching assistant T-shirt to our house. Baguazhang students may wear a baguazhang T-shirt.


Attendees

Places are limited to 7 taijiquan students.

Food

Sifu Waller and Rachel seek to eat healthily, so please do not bring any meat snacks, junk food or energy drinks. Bring bottled water.
If you have any special eating requirements, please advise Rachel by e-mail well in advance.


Fee

£25.
Payable in advance, at your earliest convenience.
 

The boot camp was a great experience. It's really nice to have the time to do things we can't do in class. I knew it would be demanding but the benefit you get out of it is incredible.
It was great to be able to join Sifu and you for form practice in the park. I really enjoyed it and made a mess of it at the same time.
I'm very grateful that Sifu showed me the weapon forms and showed us the bagua form. It only gets more impressive over time.
Many thanks to Sifu and you for organising it and allowing us to train with you.

(Marc B)



Boot camp provides an excellent opportunity to work through and understand the benefits of a whole body and mind workout. Working with Sifu for a longer period time meant I received more help and tips to improve my taijiquan practice. I thoroughly enjoyed the workout, the delicious food provided and the extended amount of time I got to spend with my taijiquan friends.

(Paula)



I enjoyed the boot camp as always particularly the introduction of the Taoist Yoga. Not even being able to comfortably perform a basic sitting up with legs straight clearly and simply exposes an area that needs work!

I barely felt any aching or stiffness in the following days which was a change from previous boot camps. Although I felt alert and full of energy when I left the session I felt an unusually high level of tiredness later in the afternoon. To the extent of being unable to stay awake and falling asleep for two hours in a chair at a relatives house! I also slept very well that night.

Training outdoors and going through a thorough morning routine is inspiring.
With a noticeable feeling of increased energy and mental clarity it becomes clear how much benefit there is in daily morning training. You quickly forget about the 6:30 start once you begin training.
I've struggled to stick to daily morning training thus far but since boot camp I've managed a short morning routine every morning. Only three days in but perhaps this is the turning point!
The boot camp offers something quite different to class and workshops. I would recommend it to all eligible class members.

(Marc H)



Many thanks to Sifu and yourself for a very well thought out boot camp. It was very useful to work through so much material in a relaxed atmosphere and get a true feeling for what a full taijiquan workout entails. I was definitely tired but relaxed by the finish! Thanks also for your kind hospitality which also contributed to a very enjoyable morning.

(Martin)
 

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Page created 18 April 1995
 Last updated 2 June 2014

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