DVDs

classes     qigong     tai chi     kung fu     about us     reviews     a-z

Members-only

Sifu Waller has produced a number of DVDs to supplement the material offered in our curriculum. These are only available to class members who have joined the class.


Lazy students?

Beginners complain that they cannot remember the names of the partner work drills or qigong exercises. Yet the information is on DVD. Make full use of the resources available to you.


Low budget

If you are expecting movie, TV or mass market DVD quality, please do not buy these titles. These are low budget DVDs produced for a small tai chi class.
We have an inexpensive video camera, editing software... and that is it. No lighting, no sound stage, no studio. The DVDs are as good as they get.


Small market

Each DVD takes some hours to film, then and a few more weeks to edit and produce. Our market is small. The profit margin is low.


Information rich

The DVDs are not lavish, fancy or commercial. Sifu Waller is an instructor not an actor. These DVDs contain a massive amount of useful data.
You could watch them for years and still uncover new insights relative to your standard of practice.
 

I thought it might be useful to know, if anyone has trouble with DVD playback, they should peel off the sticker. This has always solved it for me.

(Mark 3)

DVD-R

The DVDs are DVD-R format. Please ensure that your DVD player is compatible and can play these discs. They are designed to work on a DVD player not a computer 'app'.
Most problems are caused by students buying DVDs to play on old players that are not DVD-R compatible or trying to play them on their PC.


Compatibility check

If you're not sure how to check compatibility, just let me know the manufacturer and model number of your player.


Cost

DVDs cost £20.


Pay upfront please

We ask that students order and pay for DVDs upfront. The title will be brought to class the following week. This is no different to purchasing goods on-line.


Relevance

The DVDs are listed in terms of relevance:

1. Qigong - follow along with Rachel
   - follow Rachel as she performs 5-10 repetitions of the basic exercises
   - plate exercise
   - standing post
   - 4 directions: forwards & backwards
   - 4 directions: to the side
   - opening & closing: to the side
   - cloud hands
   - ba duan jin
   - moving qigong
   - pushing peng exercise
   - standing
    

2. Long Yang form (section 1) - square form version
   - 4 segments
   - each pattern of movement examined in detail
   - grasping sparrows tail
   - section 1 mirrored
   - common errors
    

3. Partner work
   - 4 directions with a partner
   - central equilibrium – maintain the centre
   - eyes-closed walking
   - palm at 3 distances
   - peripheral vision - mugger scenario
   - posture testing
   - yielding exercise
   - 90°stepping
   - diamond stepping
   - leading & following (eyes-closed)
   - relative distance (tig)
   - avoiding line of force (solo & melee)
   - riding the attack
   - single pushing hands
   - pushing legs
   - monkey paws
   - yielding basic skills
   - partner work mistakes
   - detailed breakdown of every drill, illustrating key points, areas of focus, where your mind needs to be
   - different angles
   - variety of exponents
   - common faults
    

4. Exercises
   - leg stretches
   - psoas exercises
   - self-massage
   - constructive rest
   - stretches & joint work
   - qigong on one leg
   - form posture qigong (combat version)
   - high circle qigong
   - qigong development
    

5. Qigong corrections
   - Rachel illustrates the most common faults and what is being done incorrectly
   - tips for good practice
   - plate exercise
   - standing post
   - 4 directions: forwards & backwards
   - 4 directions: to the side
   - opening & closing: to the side
   - cloud hands
   - ba duan jin
   - moving qigong
   - 3 circle qigong
   - full circle qigong
   - qigong development
   - ba duan jin (other approaches)
   - moving qigong exercises (complete)
   - pushing peng exercise (complete)
    

6. Fitness
   - if you have tight hamstrings, lower back ache, slouching posture, inflexible groin/hips or cannot touch your toes, this DVD will help
   - follow-along style DVD
   - simple to perform, easy to learn
   - improves balance, stress-relief, meditation exercise
   - encourages a calm mind and composed emotions
   - energises
   - does not strain the body
   - strength-building
   - emphasis is placed upon allowing rather than forcing
   - improves skeletal alignment and poise
   - low-impact
   - no exotic/strenuous postures
   - can be practiced by most people
   - horse stance
   - core stability and core strength
   - core strength (3 sets) - 33 exercises
   - expect a significant increase in physical strength
    

7. Taoist Yoga
   - if you have tight hamstrings, lower back ache, slouching posture, inflexible groin/hips or cannot touch your toes, this DVD will help
   - gentle exercises to supplement qigong
   - simple to perform, easy to learn
   - improves balance, stress-relief, meditation exercise
   - encourages a calm mind and composed emotions
   - energises
   - does not strain the body
   - strength-building
   - emphasis is placed upon allowing rather than forcing
   - improves skeletal alignment and poise
   - low-impact
   - no exotic/strenuous postures
   - can be practiced by most people
    

8. Example applications
   - raise & lower arms, peng left, rollback, squeeze, push, single whip, raise hands, shoulder, stork spreads wings, brush knee twist step, play pipa, parry punch, embrace tiger return to mountain
   - fist hides under elbow, repulse monkey, slant flying, needle at sea bottom, fan through back, turn and chop with fist, cloud hands, high pat on horse, separate foot, sole kick, punch to groin
   - hit tiger, wind rushes behind the ears, part wild horses mane, fair lady works at shuttles, snake creeps down, rooster stands on one leg, turn and serpent spits, piercing palm
   - step forward to seven stars, ride tiger, lotus kick, draw bow to shoot tiger, close
   - simple form application examples
   - rougher application examples
   - projections
   - section 1 applications for every movement

The DVDs can be purchased in class.


Weapons drills (old footage)

Tai chi students only.
- 13 knife drills
- 20 stick drills (in detail) & application
- 15 sword drills
The footage for this DVD is no longer compatible with the production software.
We can transfer the video files via WeTransfer or put them onto a DVD that can be played on a PC. But it won't be the same as our normal DVD's.

DVD troubleshooting

Students occasionally return DVDs to us and say that they are faulty. Usually they cannot say precisely where the fault occurs.
This means that Sifu Waller has to sit and watch the entire DVD in order to determine when the fault occurs.


Clean it

If the DVD jams at a certain point, Sifu Waller takes the disk out of the player, wipes it with a cloth and re-watches the same point. Typically, the fault is gone. The fault? Dirt. Grease. Fingerprints.


When exactly did it stick?

Please take the time to check the DVD thoroughly before returning it. If the DVD sticks and won't continue, please record the precise time in order to save Sifu Waller a lot of work.
Ensure also that your DVD player is DVD-R compatible. If you are using a computer app, these DVD-R discs were not intended for play via a computer.


DVD content via USB data stick?

Students occasionally ask if we can supply the DVD content via alternative means...
The problem with the DVDs is that the Adobe program we use to make them condenses the data quite significantly in order to fit it onto the DVD disc.
We've tried to supply raw files previously and they take up a massive amount of space. Sifu Waller tried to do it via USB but the data transfer rate and time involved made it prohibitive.

school database

Page created 2 March 2008
Last updated 18 January 2017