Group Leader - John Clarkson
taichi.10@louthu3a.org.uk

Usually every Tuesday at 10 am at Studio 2000, in Cannon Street

Participants should wear loose clothing
suitable for gentle exercise with flat shoes.

There is a charge of £4 each. 

Tai -chi is a gentle way of exercise which teaches good body control.  Nothing is stretched pulled or pushed and behind it all is a very subtle martial art.  Why not come and give it a go on Tuesday mornings at the Studio in Cannon Street starting at 10 am

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art which builds practical knowledge of internal energy ('Chi') for self-healing, healing of others and self-defence. More popular these days for its dramatic ability to improve health, vitality and well-being through the harmonization of mind, body and spirit, this soft, flowing, gentle, low-impact exercise is applicable to all regardless of age, sex or health. The Chinese believe that once Tai Chi is practised correctly you will gain the pliability of a child, the health of a lumberjack and the peace of mind of a sage.

Every Tai Chi class begins with a powerful set of standing Chi Kung postures, followed by Tai Chi warm-up exercises, followed by learning the traditional Yang style Tai Chi form. Classes are conducted in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and at a pace to suit all.

Over time the words Tai Chi have come to mean many different things to different people. It is known as:

* An exercise system for self-healing, health and vitality

* An effective method of personal growth and development

* An aid to meditation

* A potent martial art

Tai Chi's roots historically stem from the martial arts but the trend of many Tai Chi classes still is to adopt a 'health only' approach at the expense of martial content. It is because of its effectiveness in health maintenance that parts of the National Health Service have adopted and recommend Tai Chi as a safe exercise for the elderly to reduce the incidence of falls. However, if class members want to explore the martial art content then these can be included.

Our emphasis is on clearly demonstrating the core concepts and principles of traditional Tai Chi as a means to the development and use of your own internal energy (Chi), linking together the myriad benefits of Tai Chi: health, meditation, self-healing, self-defence, fitness and so on. It is this holistic approach to mind and body that attracts so many to Tai Chi.

John Clarkson