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| FAQs (class members) | ||
| Written by Rachel | ||
classes taijiquan self defence qigong tai chi for health about us reviews a-z
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Common questions
Beginners send
e-mails with a
variety of questions. This is a sample:
More information:
How do you pronounce
Waller?
It is common for students to mispronounce their own instructor's name.
This does not look good.
It makes the student look stupid.
People often say "Wol-ah" or some other erroneous mispronunciation.
Sifu Waller was named after his ancestor Nicholas de Valer.
Waller is the Anglicised version of the
Norse name "de Valer".
Consider: caller, taller, smaller, hauler, mauler, brawler, Waller.
http://rhymebrain.com/en/What_rhymes_with_waller.html
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What exactly am I paying a monthly fee
for?
See the list...
It is not a tuition fee.
The membership fee is paid regardless of attendance/class availability.
Members are paying for the hall rental, the hosting of this
website, the authoring of these pages,
opportunities and
personal attention, in addition to tuition.
▲
Why have I been moved to
tai chi for fitness?
Taijiquan students who do not attend lessons frequently will be moved to
tai chi for fitness.
This is for your own wellbeing rather than a penalty.
We must also adhere to the TCUGB insurance requirements. It is not possible to train any martial art with a low level of commitment.
All martial arts have a risk factor attached.
Poor attendance coupled with limited home practice is a recipe for injury.
Students who are moved should change their T-shirt to white.
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Why doesn't Sifu care about
YouTube clips?
If you e-mail Sifu Waller to say that you have been watching YouTube
clips, what does that say to your instructor?
It tells him:
- that you have been sat hunched over the PC rather than
practicing tai chi
- that rather than read this 500 page website you are
trawling for examples of other people's tai chi
- instead of working on your own tai chi you
are watching somebody else's practice
- you are watching YouTube instead of studying the books from the
reading list
This is not an auspicious e-mail to send.
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How much training should I do at home?
That depends upon you. If you have enthusiasm and want to train, then do so. If you do not
want to train, then do not train.
Nothing should be forced.
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)
Should I
train when sick?
This depends upon what is wrong with you
and whether or not it is appropriate to be exercising.
In Asia you would try to go to classes even if you had broken an arm or leg.
It may not be possible to practice, but you can still learn through
observation (mitori geiko).
In the West, you must do what you feel is best for you.
Sifu Waller trains no matter what.
He was very ill in Malaysia, has suffered broken bones, torn ligaments,
migraines, various injuries, wisdom teeth extraction etc... and he never
stopped training at home.
On many occasions Sifu Waller has taught lessons whilst being quite ill and
no one even noticed.
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How can I
speed up my progress?
Learn the foundation skills thoroughly.Know all of the qigong exercises, the entire pattern of the
Long
Yang
form and all of the beginner's
partner work drills.
Competence with the basics is the key.
Practice, practice, practice.
Get to class early,
attend workshops, train at home, watch our
DVDs, read the
books, find a home training partner, become an
indoor student.
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Why don't you produce more
DVDs?
DVDs take a lot of time to film, produce and burn.
We have a very small number of students to sell them to and virtually no
chance of making a profit from DVDs.
Besides, many students fail to make use of the titles we are already
offering...
▲
I have backache,
what can I do?
Go see a doctor.
Constructive rest every day for at least 20 minutes each time.
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How
long will it take me to become an expert?
Expertise requires 10000 hours of good quality on-going practice.
Improving, deliberate practice, with regular corrections and continuous
progress.
Calculate:
Can I train the 3-tier
wallbag?
Yes, taijiquan students can train this.
Buy a 3-tier wallbag and open finger bag gloves first.
Explore the 3-tier wallbag with Sifu Waller 15 minutes before any workshop
you have signed-up for (weather permitting).
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Why do taijiquan students pay
more money to work with Sifu Waller?
Surely the question answers itself? Rachel teaches qigong, tai chi for health, tai chi for fitness and taijiquan (intro).
Sifu Waller teaches:
Chin na (seizing)
Shuai jiao (take downs)
Taijiquan (supreme ultimate fist)
Neigong (whole-body strength)
Jing (whole-body power)
Brain work (meditation, awareness, metacognition)
The practice, assessment and tuition is significantly more in-depth.
Also, Sifu Waller is a master of
taijiquan. Rachel is not.
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How do I move up
a grade?
Get to class as early as you can.
Print off the progress page for your
current grade and ask Rachel (beginners) or Sifu Waller (taijiquan only) to tick off the items you are competent with.
Seek tuition for unfamiliar topics.
Practice between lessons.
Aim to train with other students between lessons.
Remember that your progress is your responsibility, not ours:
"You
can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink".
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I want to move from
taijiquan to tai chi for fitness
Just let Rachel know about this.
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How do I become an
instructor?
Tai chi for health:
- practice daily at home between lessons
- a track record of long-term weekly class attendance
- show aptitude with all items in the
tai chi for health syllabus
- be capable of answering detailed questions concerning the principles and
wisdom of tai chi
- extensive shido-geiko experience in class
- private lessons with Sifu Waller
- regular workshop attendance
- a good relationship with other students
- be a strong communicator
- have patience
- a sense of humour is essential
Taijiquan:
- as above but much more earnest
- show aptitude with all items in the taijiquan
syllabus
- internal martial arts combat skill
- courage and compassion
We offer an extensive teaching training program that is free of
charge.
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Do you offer
boot camp?
Yes.
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Do you offer evening or
weekend private tuition?
No.
Boot camp and
indoor tuition take place at the weekend.
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Will background
reading help my practice?
Sifu Waller believes that mind/mental training is paramount.
He commits a considerable amount of time to this endeavour.
Although the mind leads the body, reading must supplement (not replace) the
physical training...
Compliment practice with principles and
insight.
The greater your understanding, and the more receptive your mind is, the
more easily you can learn.
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I don't want to train at home in
case I do it incorrectly
This is a very neat piece of reasoning but it is also flawed.
When a child learns how to write stories at school, do they quit
because they make spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and cannot express
their thoughts skilfully?
When a person learns a new language, do they expect to be fluent
immediately?
Do they quit because their French is not as good a natural-born French
person?
Or do they persevere and improve?
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What inspired
Sifu Waller to study taijiquan?
Sifu Waller watched David Carradine in the TV series Kung Fu in the early
1970's and this prompted him to commence martial arts practice.
It also inspired an interest in the philosophical/spiritual side of
training.
He later saw The Silent Flute and eventually the BBC documentary The Way of
the Warrior.
More...
Page created 26 November 2007
Last updated
27 April 2020