Taiji Quan (T'ai chi chuän) is of origin a Chinese martial art that is thousands of years old. It's extraordinary that not muscular power and speed play the most important role with this Art of Self Defense, but the cultivation of the qi, the vital life en ergy. With attention (yi), good body posture and targeted motions you can use this energy to ward off every attack. The outer form is known for its fluent, in each other proceeding movements that are executed in a controlled and relaxed manner. Also the emanation (jing shen) is hereby important.

Taiji Quan is also used as a physical education that increases the resistance of the practitioner and helps in preventing all kinds of complaints. In general you can say that practicing Taiji Quan through the regulating influence on the nervous system has a positive effect on the blood circulation, digestion, metabolism and breathing. Through this it has a positive effect on all kinds of complaints, like rheumatic complaints, coronary heart disease , blood pressure problems and stress. Because with practicing Taiji Quan concentration and relaxing go to gether, it's ideal against stress and increases the flexibility and concentration.

The basic training exists of a form (a number of movements in a strict order) that is executed supple and relaxed. Besides practicing a form, there is also attention for Taiji Qi Gong during the lesson and we end every lesson with a short meditation. Everywhere in China you can see people practice Taiji Quan in the morning. Their primary reason is health benefits. During the training you learn to cultivate and control your life energy (qi). You improve you're body posture, so the energy can circulate with greater ease through your body. After a period of intense training, you will notice that your body is more relaxed, that you're more stable and not easily can be pushed aside (literally and figurative).

Because the traditional forms are often very long and complex, the China Wushu Research Institute introduced in 1956 a simplified form (with 24 movements) that is easy to learn for beginners. This is the first form we will learn. After that come the standardized competition forms and the traditional classic Yang and Chen forms. All in all a program that will take many years to complete!