UPDATE: EUROPEAN TOURE MAY-JUNE 2024 I will be in the UK and Northern Europe this spring, seeing the sights, making videos, attending events, visiting old friends making new friends, and sharing tai chi and internal arts.
The plans currently in the works involve: • the UK (London, Southampton, Devonshire, Norfolk, Newcastle, Doncaster, Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Cairngorms, and such.) • Belgium (Antwerp) • Sweden (Stockholm) • France (Paris)
I might also make it to Cologne, Prague, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Northern Italy.
I’m happy to save money on hotels. So, if you want to host me, (on your couch, or to share knowledge and experience), please contact me.
Help keep this site alive.
Private lessons by appointment : 7 Days per Week
Recent Posts
New Lesson, February 20
Zhou (elbow) and Kao (shoulder) can be seen as techniques. But their deeper meaning is one of mechanical principle. Zhou displaces the opponent’s centripetal tensile geodesic, while kao is a defence against the opponent doing the same. 46 minute video
New Lesson Feb 9
Raise hands and pull down (“Pluck”). This lesson begins section 5 of the foundation routine. “Cai” or “pluck” draws the opponent’s force away from their centre of rotation. It has the effect of uprooting the opponent and pulling them off balance, while at the same time improving your balance and increasing mechanical efficiency. Video lesson . . . read more
New lesson feb 6, 2022: Single whip
45-minute video
My “most valuable video yet”
With the past 2-years of relative isolation, I’ve learned to welcome online praise. After struggling alone for a month to produce a video about one of the most confusing but ubiquitous concepts in tai chi, I was not sure how it would be received. The response has been, thankfully, positive. A recent commenter said, “This . . . read more
Tai chi forms and the deconstruction of self defence.
Tai chi routines are not intended to merely teach you specific martial techniques, but to deconstruct the elements of engagement. What does this mean? Martial techniques, like strikes, throws, kicks, joint manipulation, and grappling, depend on more than strength, speed, and conditioning. They are built on an awareness and understanding vectors, levers, structure, force, power, . . . read more
New workout posted
I have just posted a workout based on the first 24 lessons, covering the “four directions” (Peng, Lu, Ji, An), some basic silk reeling, and the left and right axial rotations. The workout is an hour long, and involves a lot of thigh work. So, take it easy. With tai chi practice, you should practise . . . read more
Delayed but not forgotten.
I apologize for the lack of activity over the past little while. I have been dealing with technical issues, computer problems, as well as a number of other distractions. I hope to have a computer working within a day or two, and will start posting again thereafter. Thanks, Ian
Vaccination is Required.
People who resist vaccination are not crazy. But they will be left out. I had expected to be able to start teaching in-person by September. But vaccination rates have slowed recently. So, it will take a little while longer. My business is conducted at close quarters, face-to-face, and is considered non-essential. So, I’ve not had . . . read more
Lesson 18: Ellipses with peng and lu
Lesson 17: peng peng peng peng
Positive and negative circles in opposite directions while stepping. It may seem like rubbing your head while patting your belly. But you can do it.
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Archives
- March 2024
- February 2024
- October 2023
- September 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- April 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020