What is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi

T'ai chi ch'uan or Taijiquan, often shortened to t'ai chi, taiji or tai chi in English usage, is an internal Chinese martial art practised for both its defense training and its health benefits.

It is a 'hard and soft' martial art technique that is associated with general fitness, inner peace and longevity. Many training forms exist, both traditional and modern. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun.

Medical research has found evidence that tai chi is helpful for improving balance and for general psychological health, and that it is associated with general health benefits in older people.

I have been practicing the art of tai chi and qigong since 1989 and was made an instructor in 2002. I have studied with the Deyin Taijiquan Institute, UK since 1999 and have been coached to many medals in that time in many different competitions around the country including the title of Official British Champion in both open hand and weapons forms in the time 2005 – 2008.

I retired from competition in 2008 but was invited to represent GB again in 2015. This began my return to international competition and, to date, I have 4 World Championship gold Medals and 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. I have 2 European Championship gold medals and 8 British Championships gold medals.

When Covid hit, the international and national championships were suspended but I’m now in training to return to the competition floor in 2023.

My Masters are Faye Yip Li and Tary Yip, with my Grand Master being Professor Li Deyin. All three are highly regarded in the field of Tai Chi and I teach in the style I have been taught.

Please check out the Deyin website for more information on the quality and lineage of my training. Here is a link to my Deyin instructor page:  https://deyin-taiji.com/instructorinfo/instructor_information.php?nad=180

Styles taught & classes

I currently run a number of classes in the Wolverhampton and Walsall areas of the West Midlands. The classes range from beginners to advanced classes and we study a variety of styles of weapon and open hand forms. The main style taught is Yang style both modern and traditional and Sun style once a certain amount of competence has been achieved in Yang style.

Click here to find out more about some of the Tai Chi forms I teach in my classes.

Class times and locations are correct at the time of 'going to press' but please contact me to confirm specific class days, times and locations before turning up for the first time.