NHS networking groups
https://www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/tai-chi-for-health-and-rehabilitation-london-uk
https://www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/tai-chi-chi-kung-for-rehabilitation
Links to Tai Chi organisations
The Tai Chi for Health Institute, wwww.taichiforhealthinstitute.org
Tai Chi Union for GB, www.taichiunion.com
The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, CIMSPA Tai Chi and Qigong , non martial, health category.
https://www.cimspa.co.uk/join-us/membership-for-individuals/membership-for-practitioners/tai-chi-qi-gong-practitioner/
British Council for Chinese Martial Arts, BCCMA | British Council for Chinese Martial Arts
Tai Chi/Qigong in research :
A Comprehensive Review of Health Benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3085832/
Knee osteoarthritis, the effect of cycling and Tai chi
https://www.bjanaesthesia.org/article/S0007-0912(19)30506-9/fulltext
Tai Chi/Qigong in media:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001hf9h
Tai Chi for Parkinson’s https://youtu.be/2yyg1eDy0r0
What is Qigong and Tai Chi Chuan?
TAI CHI and QIGONG
Tai chi is great exercise for improving balance, core and lower body strength, coordination and cardiovascular health.
What is Tai Chi? Tai Chi ( less commonly spelled “Taiji”) originated in ancient China and has its roots in Chinese medicine, meditation and martial traditions. Tai Chi is also known as meditation with movement as it combines relaxed flowing movement with a calm but alert mental state ( Yu 2003). There are many styles of Tai Chi and even more forms. The oldest one known is Chen. The other well known styles the Yang and Sun style both developed from Chen. Tai Chi loosely translates as shadow boxing and is also known as internal martial art.
Tai Chi has four commonly differentiated pillars.
- Qi Gong
- The Form
- Push hands
- Applications
Long standing participants of Tai Chi are also known as Tai Chi players as you often see them playing with movement attempting to apply the Tai Chi principles into the new movement they happen to be learning during their practice.
The foundation pillar of Tai Chi is Qi Gong, a vast selection of repetitive moves encouraging health and well being of the body. The practice of Qi Gong moves encourages gentle stretching of joints and muscles in relaxed postures. The second pillar known as Tai Chi Form is a selection of movements performed in preselected order and its length can be as short as 24 to well over 73 moves. There are differences between styles and forms and every school will have a little variety in their forms. What is most important is that Tai Chi principles are adhered to when practicing even the simplest of moves. Those principles encourage good relaxed balanced posture, integration of the whole body in creation of movement, while maintaining softness, awareness and avoiding tension.
Tai Chi has been used in many health studies and the research is now backing its unquestionable benefits to health.
How Can Tai Chi Improve Your Health? From our own experience as clinicians and via application of Tai Chi movements to individual clients training programmes we know that modified Tai Chi/Qigong exercises are highly enjoyable and effective. In our classes we teach exercises which are selected from the traditional Qigong and basic Tai Chi form movements and adapted when needed; the main focus is on exercising large joints throughout their functional range of movement, loosening the waist, and maintaining upright posture throughout selective stepping sequences. All selected stepping sequences are focusing on maintenance and development of good stepping width, length together with correct heel strike and push off throughout the gait cycle. Tai Chi consists of fluid, gentle, graceful, and circular movements that are relaxed and slow in tempo. Breathing is deepened and slowed, aiding visual and mental concentration. Tai Chi is a sophisticated art with many different styles and forms. Despite the many variations of Tai Chi, its effectiveness for improving health and inner energy derives from a set of essential principles.
Tai Chi has been shown in research to strengthen lower limb muscles, improve flexibility, posture and balance which results in prevention of falls. In deconditioned and sedentary population, it improves cardiovascular endurance. Tai Chi aids mental relaxation and increases sense of well-being. It is especially suitable as a therapy for chronic conditions because its movements are slow and gentle, and the level of exertion can be adjusted to suit each person’s physical condition.
Regular practice of Qigong & Tai chi has many health benefits. Tai chi is often described as “meditation in motion,” but it might well be called “medication in motion.” There is growing evidence that this mind-body practice, which originated in China as a martial art, has value in treating or preventing many health problems. Tai chi differs from other types of exercise in several aspects. The movements are usually circular and never forced, the muscles are relaxed rather than tensed, the joints are not fully extended or bent, and connective tissues are not stretched. Tai chi can be easily adapted for anyone, from the most fit to people confined to wheelchairs or recovering from surgery. Regular practice of Qigong /Tai chi is known improve balance, focus, posture, range of movement . When practiced in standing it will strengthen your postural, core and lower limb muscles. You may already have a problem with your balance or would like to ensure that your balance stays at its best. Let us teach you a short form (set of movements) you can practice any time and anywhere without any equipment to ensure that you stick with the regular practice every exercise needs in order to be effective in improving your health in general but mostly your balance and posture.
Practicing Qigong and Tai Chi is great way how to improve and maintain your standing static and dynamic balance, coordination, core and leg strength. We will adapt each move if necessary and gradually progress to match your ability.
We practice movements from the Sun Style form (73 moves) Yang style form ( 24 moves also known as the ” Beijing form”).
We adapt some of the moves if needed and allow you to progress in your own pace and ability. Using a wheel chair no problems. We will adapt the form allow you to use your body, shoulders and arms. Challenging also your body awareness, coordination and memory.
Why Choose Follow Steps To Teach You Tai Chi?
Simplicity in learning while remaining focused on health. At start Tai Chi it can appear little confusing. Tai Chi can be taught in so many ways, there are many different forms and styles.
When you learn with us you will start with an adapted shorter form of Sun style Tai Chi. We select movements to allow even a complete beginner to learn the foundation and principles of Tai Chi. Even if you have not exercised for a long time or if you have some limitation in movement caused by a health condition or old injury in our Tai Chi exercise class we will teach you slowly, adapting any exercise if needed to avoid straining your body.
In our classes you can take a rest at any time and ask questions when you are unsure. Our classes run for one hour, which includes a thorough warm up using selected Qi Gong exercises, a few walking drills and finally the form. We do not teach push hands or martial application of the moves as that is not the aim of our classes. There are many Tai Chi schools who do and we gladly recommend other teachers who will be able to take you to that level if you wish .
Archived: Past Events and Workshops
Half day workshop 73 Sun style form group practice 27/10/2018
Venue: West London, Southall, UB12SH, Ealing day treatment centre
Half day – Research/practical focus group -Tai Chi for postural stability – 3.5 hours of CPD with Michaela, Clare, Sue, David and group members
This workshop covered practical application of Tai Chi principles. We discussed recent, relevant and strong research backing the benefits of Tai chi for use in falls prevention as a tool to improve postural stability.
Saturday 2nd of March 2019
Venue: Southall EDTC, Britten Drive, Southall UB1 2SH
Half Day – 24 yang workshop – 3.5 hours of CPD with Michaela, David , Graham , Karen and group members
We practiced the popular 24 Yang style also known as the “Beijing” form. This practice session allowed for an opportunity to practice and learn the moves prior to attending our one day external instructor workshop later on in the year.
Saturday 13th of April 2019
Venue: Southall EDTC
Day workshop – Qigong / Shibashi workshop – 5 hours of CPD with teacher Tai Chi teacher Jane Launchbury from Long water Tai Chi
www.longwatertaichi.co.uk
Currently Jane is one of only three instructors in the UK certified by Professor Lin Hou-Sheng to teach Shibashi.
This workshop was a unique opportunity to learn the authentic version of the very popular 18-move Shibashi Tai Chi Qigong set. We learned to understand the movement components and benefited greatly from Jane’s depth of knowledge and expert guidance on the day.
Sunday 19th of May 2019
Venue: Southall EDTC
Tai Chi for Arthritis part 2 Instructor workshop and updates with Nuala Perrin Master trainer from Tai Chi for Health Institute
www.taichiforhealthinstitute.org
Saturday 1st of June 2019
Venue: Southall EDTC
Full Day workshop- Introduction to Chen – 5 hours of CPD with Tai Chi Teacher Eva Koskuba
https://www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/tai-chi-for-health-and-rehabilitation-london-uk
Eva teaches Tai Chi, various types of Qigong and other aspects of Chinese internal arts focusing on health benefits. In 2006 she was accepted as a lineage disciple (20th generation of Chen style) by Master Chen Xiaowang after studying with him over twenty years. We practiced Silk Reeling exercises, which are the core of Chen style tai chi. These spiralling, coiling and whirling movements exercise all the joints and help to develop connections within the body through the dantian/centre of the body. These spiralling exercises involve the whole body in one continuous movement from the soles of the feet to the fingertips.
For more information about this teacher please visit : https://ciaa.org.uk
Saturday 7th of September 2019 9:30 – 15:30, venue West London, Southall, Ealing Day Treatment Centre (EDTC) UB1 2SH
Day workshop – Moving with intent – 5 hours of CPD with Tai Chi teacher Eva Koskuba
Eva teaches Tai Chi, various types of Qigong and other aspects of Chinese internal arts focusing on health benefits. In 2006 she was accepted as a lineage disciple (20th generation of Chen style) by Master Chen Xiaowang after studying with him over twenty years.
We shall explore six external and internal harmonies which helps us to co-ordinate all aspects of one’s body and mind to develop new ways of effortless and efficient movement. The external harmonies help us to organise our body in movement and internal harmonies describe how the intent generates movements and helps to produce internal strength.
For more information about this teacher please visit : https://ciaa.org.uk
Saturday 23rd of November 2019 9:30 – 15:30, venue West London, Southall EDTC, UB1 2SH
Half day open practice workshop with members of the group
26th of October 2019
https://www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/tai-chi-for-health-and-rehabilitation-london-uk
Aim of this morning was to agree programme schedule for 2020, catch up with new members of our CPD group in person. We practiced our foundation forms in small groups allowing for sharing ideas and un-informal but focused practice between members.
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