Tanbridge School Sports Hall Gym, Tanbridge School, Farthings Hill, Guildford Road, Horsham, Sussex. RH12 1SR
Times: Mon: 7:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Wed: 6:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m
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Church Street, Rudgwick, West Sussex, RH12 3BY.
Tuesday 10.00am -11.00am Tuesday 11.15am -12.15pm
Horsham Unitarian Church, Worthing Road Horsham RH121SL
Thursday 1.30pm to 3.00pm
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Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre
Roman Way, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 9QW
Friday 2.00pm to 3.00pm
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Cranleigh Band Room, Village Way,
Cranleigh GU6 8AF,
Tuesday 3.00pm- 4.00pm
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Roffey Millennium Hall, Crawley Road, Horsham RH12 4DT Thursday 10.00am to 11.00am.
Please contact me if you would like to talk through an opportunity of opening a Tai Chi venue near you.
S.E.M.K.A. HORSHAM TAI CHI
What is T'ai Chi Ch'uan?
T'ai Chi - "supreme ultimate"
- The forces of nature in balance
Ch'uan - "fist" "power" "balance"
- harnessing the forces of nature
The supreme ultimate way of the “fist" or “the supreme ultimate method of harmonizing the forces of nature through exercise”
It can also be interpreted as:
"Strength within softness"
or
"Harmony in motion"
T'ai Chi Ch'uan is an ancient Chinese Taoist exercise system which is concerned with the promotion of health on all levels of being physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Outwardly its movements - slow and graceful are aesthetically pleasing to watch, while at a deeper level it develops internal forces which may be applied in healing as well as in self-defence.
T'ai Chi also tones and strengthens the organs and muscles, increases vitality, induces relaxation of mind and body, and improves the internal circulation. It differs from the 'hard' styles of martial disciplines - which depend on power and speed in that it is a 'soft', 'internal' system which 'yields' to overcome or neutralise.
SHORT GLOSSARY
Short Form: The 37 Step Yang Style Form, as devised and interpreted from the Long Form by Professor Cheng Man-Ch'ing. It is the most popular form now taught in the western world, and is the foundation for further studies. It takes about 12 minutes to perform.
Long Form: The original Yang Style, now sometimes called 'Heaven Mountain'. It takes about 30 minutes to perform.
Sticking Hands: A partner exercise to develop 'sensing' and 'listening'.
Pushing Hands: A partner exercise in which both individuals learn to 'yield' and to redirect the pushing force of one's opponent.
Yielding: A technique used in pushing hands whereby one 'sticks' to the opponent's push and leads an attacker to over-extend and over- balance.
Cheng Man Ch'ing Master of 'The Five Excellences', and student and doctor of Yang Chen-Fu. The first noted practitioner to bring T'ai Chi to the West. Taught students in New York in the year 1965 - 75.
CLASS DETAILS
The Tai Chi that is practise in the class is intended to be an introduction to the principles of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and is NOT for those who would prefer the 'harder', more Martial Arts style of the discipline.
The lessons will consist of a version of the Hand Form as devised by the late Master, Professor Cheng Man Ch'ing (i.e. The 37 Step Yang Style Short Form) and instruction will be given in the important 'principles' underlying the system.
The 'applications' of some of the postures will be investigated in a gentle self-defence context, together with exercises in 'sticking', 'yielding' and basic 'push- hands'. Simple exercises for warming up, cooling down and stretching will be shown; and certain Chi Kung (or Qigong) exercises, which are an important facet of 'soft' martial arts training, will also be taught.
Students are asked to bring along a bottle of water and to wear loose clothing. The class will be conducted in a spirit of relaxed participation and friendship.
Summary of Syllabus
* Warm up / cool down exercises
* Simple Chi Kung exercises (Eight Strand of Brocade & Shibashi)
* Yang Style of Tai Chi 8 & Tai Chi 13 to introduce some of the basic movements to the students before starting the Tai Chi 37 step form
* Yang Style Short Form (37 Step Cheng Man Ch'ing Form)
* The T'ai Chi 'principles'
* Basic 'sticking', 'yielding' and Pushing Hands Exercises
* Basic self-defence applications
* Meditation and relaxation exercises
* Instruction in using the breath while moving through the Form
* Instruction in Tensho Chi forms
Paul Elliott: Tai Chi Instructor
Paul has been a Martial Arts Practitioner for over 40 years, and is The Chief Instructor of the Samurai Enlighten Musin Karate Academy and is graded 7th Dan in Wado-Ryu Karate and teaches 250 students around the West Sussex Area. He is also 1st Dan in Iaido, Reiki Master and Instructor of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chi Kung. He is one of the Senior Instructors and Chairman of the British Wado Federation.
He has trained in a particular style of Japanese Swordsmanship (Muso Shinden Ryu, Iaido).
In Tai Chi he studies with his Tai Chi Instructor Alex McGrregor who obtain his Tai chi skills from both The London School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and The British T'ai Chi Ch'uan Association.
