What is Tai Chi Chuan?
Tai-Chi Ch'uan or "Grand Ultimate Boxing" is a Chinese Internal martial art. It is taught in the United States mainly as a exercise and for relaxation. Because of the slow movements and emphasis on breathing and balance, tai chi is considered a low impact aerobic exercise. Tai Chi Ch'uan is based on the philosophy of Lao Tzu and the Tao and the principles of Ying and Yang (full and empty). One of the many goals of Tai Chi Chuan is to improve ones health and balance to prolong ones life.
What We Teach?
NWTCCA teaches the Symmetrical Form of Yang Style T’ai Chi Ch’uan. This is a complete system of T’ai Chi Ch’uan focusing on health and relaxation through exercise and Ch’i Kung. Classes include instruction in Yang form, Qi Gong, partner exercises and weapons.
Our classes include warm-ups, stretching, ch'i kung, basic Tai Chi exercises and learning the form. The classes focus on relaxation and breathing, balance and body awareness. Ch’i Kung (Qigong) means cultivating energy and is practiced for health maintenance, healing and increasing vitality. Qigong is an integration of physical postures, breathing techniques, and focused intentions used to calm the mind and body and cultivate the inner energy of the human organism or vital life-force known as "Ch´i."
The aim of the t'ai-chi ch'uan class is to:
1) Learn the Old Form of Yang Family Style t'ai chi ch'uan, symmetrical form.
2) Learn Specific Exercises that Promote Good Health and relaxation.
3) Improve your coordination, balance, and body awareness.
4) Calm your mind, Reduce your stress and learn dynamic relaxation, harmony of the mind and the body by practicing the t'ai-chi ch'uan form and ch'i kung.
5) Learn functional movement and applications of the form.
1. Relax and sink
2. Head held up with the back straight
3. Relax shoulders, elbows and hands
4. Concentrate on tan t'ien
5. All movements use the waist
6. Do not use force (li) or muscular strength
7. Movements are smooth, continuous and linked together
8. Void (empty - yin) and Full (solid - yang) must be clearly differentiated
H. Kurland