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| Frequently asked questions | ||
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Common questions
People send e-mails with a
variety of questions. This is a sample:
Why are your classes more expensive than the guy down the street?
I want to learn tai chi as a martial art, why do I need to become a member?
Are you offering lessons in Heaton, Gosforth, Jesmond, Whitley Bay (wherever)?
Instructing:
More information:
Most students ask too many
questions too soon. An inquisitive mind is not wrong, but too much
questioning often signifies that the student failed to practice enough or
didn't take time to analyse and investigate the problem on his own.
(Adam Hsu)
Does tai chi
involve physical contact?
Yes it does.
Tai chi classes feature 3 main
areas of study:
qigong, form and pushing
hands/partner work.
Qigong and form are solo training methods. Partner work
involves training with other students. If you are not
undertaking partner work, you are not
really training tai chi.
Physical contact is necessary in order to receive feedback (tense/relaxed/connected
etc) and to practice the tai chi skills.
If you are not comfortable with physical contact, we recommend that you
consider an alternative form of exercise or try a different tai chi school.
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What kind of tai chi do you teach?
We offer 2
Yang style
approaches:
Old/classical
Yang style tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing)
- a Chinese martial art
- Sifu Waller teaches this
Qigong & tai chi
- for
wellbeing
- Rachel
teaches this
Please note that
our classes are
not tailored
for the
elderly
or for medical
treatment.
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Do you
teach classes for the elderly?
Some tai chi classes have specialist areas of tuition
e.g. tai chi for the
elderly, tai chi in a chair, tai chi for children,
tai chi for people with mental health issues or tai chi as performance art.
These are not areas that we specialise in.
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Who can study tai chi?
(i) Qigong & tai chi
Qigong & tai
chi for health can be practiced by anyone who can perform the movements.
The exercises are low impact and do not
strain the body.
Fitness and age are not so important.
(ii)
Tai chi chuan
Tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing)
is
not suitable for everyone.
If you fancy discovering martial arts you need to be realistic in terms of
expectations.
We reserve the right to decline tuition:
• if we feel that a student is
physically unable to study tai chi safely
• if an individual demonstrates the
wrong attitude for tai chi study
▲
Why are your
classes more expensive than the guy down the street?
Print off these pages:
Take the sheets to another class and ask the instructor to explain and illustrate/demonstrate each facet to you. This will answer your question.
Do you allow
spectators?
Being a spectator is problematic:
On what basis is the new starter assessing the
tai chi?
How are they measuring the skill?
What criteria is being applied?
Which qualities do they consider to be valuable?
And why?
Most people are motivated by
self-gratification or by values/standards that they
personally consider relevant and meaningful.
Watching a tai chi class is pointless.
This is not TV. Participate,
study, learn. Deep your
understanding. Gain some
context. A spectator in a tai chi class is a time waster.
Do you offer
discounts?
Yes we do.
School members who train in the park get 30 minutes
of extra tuition for their £10.
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Do you only teach on a Monday night?
No. We teach throughout the week:
(i) Wednesday night
Sifu Waller offers workshops for school members every Wednesday night.
(ii) Saturday morning
We teach indoor students on a Saturday morning.
We also offer boot camps. These take place several times a year.
(iii) Sunday morning
We teach tai chi in the park on a Sunday morning.
(iv) Weekdays
Most of our classes are private lessons.
Can you offer medical guidance?
We are not
medical professionals.
Tai chi for health was not designed to
be a treatment.
It was intended to improve overall
health and
wellbeing.
Many people have sought out our tuition in order to address specific medical
concerns, but we cannot ethically claim expertise in medical matters.
Nor can we commit one-to-one time within a
lesson
for individual medical guidance.
More...
▲
What
is tai chi?
This website is intended to give you some idea of what
tai chi involves.
However,
tai chi cannot be summarised in a few words, a sentence,
photographs, or in
terms of something you are familiar with.
Tai chi
is a physical art.
To understand tai chi, you must practice tai chi.
▲
Can I call
in for a chat?
(i) Reassurances
New people often want to be reassured that the
class will be to their
liking.... how do we do that? We do not know the person, their tastes,
expectations and preferences.
We have no idea what they are
looking for.
(ii) Guarantee
It is like seeking to guarantee in advance that you will
like a meal, a book, a DVD, a song or
a holiday. Who knows what will happen? The risk is part of life.
(iii) Physical
Talk is cheap.
Tai chi is a physical exercise.
You cannot possibly
understand
anything about the art by chatting.
(iv) Verbal understanding
People ask more and more questions in the
hope of attaining a verbal
understanding or some
kind of guarantee...
They want the training to be
tailored to
suit their own personal requirements.
This is naive.
(v) Read...
If you think that words will help you, then read this
website.
Please do not call down to the
training hall
hoping for a chat. Come to train, not to chat.
Is tai chi a martial art?
Originally yes; it was developed as a system of combat.
The
true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they
will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way that they will
be useful in all things.
(Miyamoto Musashi)
In modern times tai chi is typically taught for
exercise.
Martial classes
offering a complete
range
of skills are very rare in the UK.
Sifu Waller specialises in
teaching tai chi as a martial art.
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I want to learn tai chi as a martial art, why
do I need to become a member?
Tai chi is more difficult to learn than tai
chi for health.
It cannot be approached haphazardly.
A clear, structured syllabus must be in place, along with a logical step-by-step
teaching plan determining just how the syllabus is implemented.
Students who attend weekly and are willing to practice
between lessons will find tai chi to be a challenging
learning experience.
Isn't tai chi just for
old people?
Qigong &
tai
chi for health are suitable for people who can manage to perform the
movements. Please note that
our tai chi classes are not
tailored
for the elderly or for medical
treatment.
Tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing) is another matter entirely
and can be quite challenging.
Age is a factor.
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Are martial arts safe?
The British Medical Association Guide To Sports Injuries states:
Combat sports such as boxing, judo, karate or kung fu make tough demands on the body; training is intense, and participation requires all-round fitness. Regardless of the fitness of the participants, however, the aggressive blows traded between opponents means that these sports always carry a serious risk of injury.
Kiddie kung fu?
Kung fu
for children is quite popular these days. We don't offers such classes. The
minimum age for kung fu with our school is
18.
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Kung fu for the elderly?
Our age range for new starters seeking to learn kung fu is
18-60. Providing you pass the eligibility criteria. (If
you start aged 59, you don't have to stop when you reach 60).
Risks for older martial artists:
• A fracture or medical emergency caused by
falls or other accidents
• Injury from blows to the head or body
• Risk of developing arthritis from overuse or
improper techniques
• Possible spinal cord injury from improper
techniques
• Risk of developing joint pain from improper
techniques
• Risk of developing a concussion or other head
injury
• Risk of developing stress fractures in the
bones due to physical activity
Doing martial arts is rough on the body. Many martial artists suffer
injuries. This is why over-50's eligibility is strict. It has to be. For the
safety of the student.
Ultimately, we always act with the safety and
wellbeing of the student in mind.
Some martial arts schools offer
programs tailored for the over
60's. We do not. Teaching martial arts to new
starters
over the age of 60 requires specialised training and insurance cover for this type
of practice.
Most adults can train qigong
& tai chi though.
To get the most out of
martial arts training, finding a tailored program for older adults is
essential. Some standard features that may be important for older adults
include shorter classes with more repetitions, modifications for those with
disabilities, and instructor certification in geriatric martial arts.
(Graying With Grace)
Isn't tai chi
slow and boring?
Some
tai chi exercises are slow, whilst others are not.
Tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing)
training starts slowly and then speeds up as the student becomes more skilled.
A good class will always have a comprehensive
syllabus
in place; ensuring on-going development and access to new material.
The training challenges your
mind with unexpected
insights, skills and
possibilities.
No two lessons are the
same.
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Can I come
with a friend?
Training with a friend or partner can be useful in terms of motivation,
pooling knowledge and practicing at
home.
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Are you offering lessons in Heaton, Gosforth, Jesmond, Whitley Bay (wherever)?
Our new
starter class is listed on the website.
The Monday night class is the only session suitable for people who are
new to our school.
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Is tai chi easy
to learn?
Everyone is different.
Some people pick things up quickly whilst others require more time.
A good
tai chi school will have a
tried and tested
syllabus in place.
By systematically learning one skill at a time, the student gradually accrues
information, gains physical awareness and increases the range and scope of their
understanding.
But this does not happen overnight.
There is a considerable amount of
information to learn. It must be revised,
refined, honed and practiced thoroughly.
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Is tai chi
easy to practice?
Qigong &
tai chi for health
movements are not
physically strenuous and will not strain or tax the
body.
However, easy or difficult are relative to the individual.
It depends on memory,
coordination, patience and how committed you are.
Also, there is the question of how fit you are to begin with.
Tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing) is
much harder to learn and requires a greater commitment to practice. You cannot reasonably hope to
understand
tai chi overnight.
The art is very
in-depth,
with many levels of skill and achievement.
There is always more to
uncover...
Do
you offer weekend training courses?
Some endeavours offer a weekend
training course and then give attendees
some sort of 'certificate' stating that they're good enough to
teach other people. This
sounds like some sort of joke, doesn't it?
Imagine if driving instructors received their qualifications this way? Dentists?
Doctors? Electricians?
Tai chi and qigong are more akin to learning to play the guitar, piano or
performing ballet on stage. The level of skill
required to do it properly will take quite a lot of time to develop.
Tai chi is a whole different situation.
Traditional martial arts have a much more complex
curriculum and nobody below 3rd dan black belt would dream of
training to be an instructor.
More...
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How
long does it take to
learn tai chi?
There is no
conclusion to tai chi study; no end certificate or finishing point.
Tai chi was designed to be
part of your
life; something that you do
regularly.
Your body must last you a lifetime and
tai chi will help to
accomplish this.
How quickly you progress is down to you
personally.
Everyone is different. There are so many variables.
Consider:
Do your ambitions match your degree of commitment and ability?
How often do you attend lessons?
Do you practice at home?
How good is your memory?
Are your coordinated?
What are your expectations?
Did you think it would be easy?
Are you open and receptive?
Have you any existing health problems that might impede training?
Are you
patient?
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)
Is tai chi just form?
Form is just 1 area of practice in tai chi. 13 areas of knowledge and ability provide a balanced comprehension of the art:
Brain work (meditation, awareness, metacognition)
Neigong (whole-body strength)
Jing (whole-body power)
Chin na (seizing)
Shuai jiao (take downs)
A tai chi student should work towards competence in each of these areas and also uncover the essence of the art.
Can I pick the subjects/topics that
appeal
to me?
Cherry picking has serious drawbacks.
Our syllabus offers a balanced, step-by-step approach to gaining a thorough
and comprehensive understanding of tai chi.
Emphasising the
parts that you like
best or omitting the aspects you do not care for is
self-indulgent and will
lead to major gaps of knowledge and skill.
Consider: you want to learn French but you have no interest in verbs... You
want to be a chef but do not care to chop... You seek to drive a car but do
not like to turn left...
See how ridiculous this seems?
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Will tai chi help me to lose
weight?
Weight loss usually involves
balancing your food
intake and activity.
Undertaking a daily qigong and tai chi regime will most certainly help your
body exercise.
This must be paired with a
diet that best suits the individual.
Do we enter competitions?
By removing competitive attitudes from our
classes, students enjoy a friendly training environment.
There is no rivalry.
Many people find this to be a refreshing change when seeking to find
harmony in their
everyday life.
Do we perform public demonstrations?
Putting on a performance is an area of skill in its own right and has absolutely nothing to do with tai chi.
Which style of tai chi do you teach?
Yang style.
Can I learn tai chi using books, DVDs or YouTube?
No. Absolutely not.
Good quality books and video
clips may help to supplement lessons but are not a substitute for
professional
tuition.
An instructor will provide new material, insights, challenges, corrections, suggestions, tips & pointers... these
cannot be gained from a book.
Untutored tai chi practice can lead to
injury and serious
misconceptions about
the art.
Ideally, you should seek out the best
instructor you can find.
Can I be a fast-track student?
If a student is seeking a faster rate of progress, they need:
Frequent exposure to the material
Heavy repetition of basic elements
Practice in class with a variety of partners
A commitment to daily home training
There are
no shortcuts, quick fixes or secret methods to
assist you.
There is just practice.
If you are seeking a fast-track journey through the tai chi syllabus, the
onus is upon making the most of every available training opportunity and
resource. Attend weekly lessons, workshops, boot camp, watch the school
DVDs.
More serious students tend to seek indoor
tuition and private lessons.
Can I become a tai chi
teacher?
We welcome
anyone who wants to become a
tai chi teacher.
Our teacher training course is free of charge.
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suitability induction course joining membership pricES Faqs
Page created 26 August 1997
Last updated
26 September 2023