Day One – Seminar On day one of the 2 and a half hours seminar session, Master Luo covered several key foundational aspects of Tai Chi Self Tension. Principles like Tensegrity, Couple Force movement and Distal Muscular contractions were covered in detail using diagrams, props and simple exercise examples. We were introduced to engineering and ..read more

It is my hope that, by telling the story of my father's life, students of Tai Chi will be inspired and will strive to attain higher and higher levels. I hope his biography shows how determination, dedication and drive can lead to overcoming challenges and setbacks. Do not look for "sudden" enlightenment. Enlightenment often comes only after long periods of hard effort ..read more

Gu was a proponent of the Short Range style and explained that one must have very strong internal pressure or the Invisible Spiral method will be ineffective. His Push Hands was almost entirely offense, using short, quick, tightly spiraled movements ..read more

We are very proud to have 4 students from our school represent Canada at the 4th World Taiji Championship in Singapore this August, 2024. The 4 athletes competing are: Sylvia, Paul, Pavel and Carlos. Together with students from the Competition class, they have been working really hard since the beginning of the year. Students participating ..read more

Luo Ji-Hong A Life Through Tai Chi My father was born on August 12, 1920 in the village of Xing Ning, Guang Dong Province in China. His people were Kejia (visitors) who had migrated from Central to Southern China over a hundred years before. When my father was three years old, my grandfather fell ill and died while away on one of his trading expeditions, leaving his family destitute. My grandmother worked tirelessly farming a small plot of rented land to feed and clothe her son. Because the Kejia settled in the poorest areas of Guang Dong Province, life was a constant struggle just to survive ..read more

Tai Chi Tai chi is the martial art practice that brings the focus of the mind into its slow, controlled, powerful and graceful movements. It is classified as an internal martial art because of the mental intent that drives every movement from within. The goal of tai chi is to achieve balance in all aspects of posture and movement, ultimately being one with nature. Tai Chi training teaches us to look inwards to achieve calmness, balance and awareness that can help improve our health physically, mentally and emotionally. Mindfulness Mindfulness is the practice of bringing one’s attention to the ..read more

In Part 2 of our 2-part Tai Chi Basic Principles blog series, we will delve into the principles introduced in our basic exercises four, five, and six, which are more physically demanding and require a wider, lower stance, as well as better coordination between the body, arms, and legs.  These principles are based on the foundation of those already introduced in part 1 of the blog series. Even though they are being taught separately, they do not conflict or contradict each other, every single principle is an important piece of the puzzle and they all eventually fit together to provide a ro ..read more

Five Bow Theory One of the first theories that we learn in our Tai Chi Basics class is the Five Bows, where we treat our body as if it is made up of bows, similar to those used in archery. The most important one, the main bow starts from the crown of the head (“Baihui” 百會) and runs down your spine to the tailbone. The two lower bows or leg bows, starts from the “Mingmen” 命門 (located directed opposite the navel), runs to the hips and down the legs to the centre of the feet (“Yongquan” 湧泉). The two upper bows or arm bows, starts from the base of your cervical spine C7 (“Dazhui” 大椎), runs to the ..read more

Tai chi is an internal martial art that combines philosophy, martial arts, well-being and self-awareness. It is known for its slow, graceful movements and health benefits. If you are interested in getting started with tai chi, here are a few suggestions. Find a school or instructor Tai chi is best learned with the guidance of a qualified instructor. Look for a school or instructor that can offer different levels of instruction, from beginner to advance. Visit the premises, talk to the students and instructor, ask for a complimentary trial class to experience first hand whether the class is sui ..read more

There are many variations of the Chen Style double hands push pattern, but the basic structure and stance remains the same. The two partners face each other at a 90 degree angle, forming an L shape with their stances. Both arms and one leg are in contact with the partner at all times, both sides shift, turn and maneuver to lock or destabilize each other in a continuous cycle. The close proximity of your partner in this exercise requires precision in the movements to successfully navigate the pattern without losing the flow or your own balance. Therefore it is one of the harder patterns to exec ..read more