|
|
||
| Kung fu membership | ||
| Written by Rachel | ||
classes qigong tai chi kung fu about us reviews a-z
.JPG)
Rachel's class
Rachel's 'Newcastle Tai Chi' class is the default for the school. It
teaches qigong and tai chi.
Sifu Waller's class
Sifu Waller's class within Newcastle Tai Chi is called 'Dynamic
Balancing Boxing' (which means 'tai chi chuan'). Membership is subject to
qualifying criteria.
Criteria
Kung fu membership is subject to certain
mandatory
criteria:
Emotional wellbeing
Attendance
- weekly classes
- workshops
Friendly to other students
Making progress
Not struggling unduly
Not up to it
Kung fu students who are not suited to
martial arts training will be moved to
qigong & tai chi.
This is not a penalty.
Your health and wellbeing must come first.
Ultimately, we always act with the safety and
wellbeing of the student in mind.
Kung fu for the
elderly?
Some martial arts schools offer
programs tailored for children or for the over
60's. We do not. Teaching martial arts to those
age groups requires specialised training and insurance cover for this type
of practice. Unfortunately, we're neither trained nor insured to teach
children or seniors. Most adults can train qigong
& tai chi though.
To get the most out of
martial arts training, finding a tailored program for older adults is
essential. Some standard features that may be important for older adults
include shorter classes with more repetitions, modifications for those with
disabilities, and instructor certification in geriatric martial arts.
(Graying With Grace)
Combat
Most people who join our class are not expecting to learn a
martial art.
In fact, they are usually pleasantly surprised to find out that there is the
opportunity to learn tai chi skills alongside the
health/fitness, meditation and
relaxation training.
New starters commonly opt to undertake martial training
because it looks exciting but not intimidating.
Martial arts are dangerous
The British Medical Association Guide To Sports Injuries states:
Combat sports such as boxing, judo, karate or kung fu make tough demands on the body; training is intense, and participation requires all-round fitness. Regardless of the fitness of the participants, however, the aggressive blows traded between opponents means that these sports always carry a serious risk of injury.
Injured? Poorly? etc
In martial arts, if you attend the lesson, the assumption is that you are
fit enough to train. If there's anything preventing you from training
properly that night, Sifu Waller's lesson is not suitable for you.
Instead, ask to train in Rachel's class until you're able to resume martial
training. For further insight please read Dave Lowry's book In the
Dojo.
Hair and nails
If your hair is long, you will need to tie it back (using a soft tie. No
clips or pins). Nails need to be short in order to avoid injury to others or
being injured yourself.
These are healthy & safety concerns in every martial arts class.
Mild
It is our aim to offer a tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing)
program that enables students to gain a
comprehensive range of fighting skills.
Typically the student is not exactly 'hard-core'.
They want to have fun, they want to gain martial abilities but they do not want
to make too big a commitment.
Tai chi
basics
The first level of training is about reaching a basic level of
health and gaining familiarity and competence with
partner work. It is not a martial grade.
Students still wear a white T-shirt and explore preliminary concerns.
The onus is upon starting to get fit,
stronger, more
supple, better coordinated and
somewhat more
relaxed.
Good alignment,
ergonomics and elementary physics are all
introduced.
Students learn how to
focus and work with one another in a
constructive manner.
It should take the average student about 4-6 months to complete
all 3 parts of the tai chi basics.
Tai chi chuan syllabus
Having completed the tai chi basics, the student start to learn kung fu.
They now wear a black T-shirt.
Once they have passed
white
belt, a student can choose to wear a kung fu suit and a sash.
There are 16 belts in the tai chi chuan syllabus:
White
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Purple
Brown
Red
Black (1st dan)
Black (2nd dan)
Black (3rd dan)
Black (4th dan)
Black (5th dan)
Black (6th dan)
Black (7th dan)
Black (8th dan)
3 kung fu approaches on offer
Chin na (seizing),
shuai jiao (take downs) and
tai chi chuan (dynamic balancing boxing) are
offered by Sifu Waller. They are all combined into 1 syllabus.
Progress is contingent upon a range of factors i.e. attendance of classes and
workshops, fitness level and movement through the grades.
The student has nothing to offer
but an absolute willingness to follow the teacher's instructions and
direction without question or comments or personal improvisation.
(Dave Lowry)
A minimum of
12 workshops a year
In order to gain the necessary level of practice and exposure to relevant
material, tai chi basics students must attend at least 12 workshops each calendar year.
That's 1 per month.
If you haven't signed-up for workshops, don't ask to be assessed/graded in
class.
A minimum of
15 workshops a year
White - green
belt student training the tai chi
syllabus must make the necessary commitment.
A minimum of
20 workshops a year
Blue - red belt students require
at least 20
workshops each calendar year in order to
study tai chi and grade.
Not enough workshops attended?
Not to worry. Rachel welcomes qigong & tai chi students. We have
problem carrying your unused requirement onto the next calendar year.
Martial tasters
Periodically, there will be opportunities for lower grade students to explore basic martial concerns
and insights.
Mainly at workshops. But also occasionally in class.
These serve as a chance for you to experience how the
tai chi principles are employed.
Sifu Waller can also observe your behaviour
when partnering with other students.
In many martial arts schools
the practice was carried out in secrecy and the school's very existence was
frequently concealed from the authorities. For example, tai chi is based
on body of principles known to be around 2000 years old yet it was not revealed
until 1750.
(Howard Reid)
DVDs
Students will benefit immensely from buying class
DVDs.
The harder you work at the start of any endeavour, the easier the work will be
in the long-term:
Qigong
Long Yang form (section 1)
Exercises
Weapons #1
Partner work
The
DVDs can be
purchased in class.
Assignments
Tai chi chuan practice is dangerous and there is a risk of being hurt. We need
to have confidence that a student's head is in the right place. The 'mental
component' is even more important than the physical one, and we need to be
able to confidently say that you meet the liability requirement. The
curriculum has dozens of assignments, designed to test focus, knowledge,
critical thinking, and aptitude. The first 2 assignments are very basic.
Your goal
• Demonstrate a good attitude: friendly, receptive, sociable,
respectful, polite, hard working
• Arrive before 7:00 PM so that you can make the most
of the night
• Complete all beginners material
quickly
• Read some books from the reading list
(in particular Adam Hsu's The Sword Polisher's Record)
• Build-up your strength and
flexibility
• Read this website as thoroughly as you can
• Attend all lessons and workshops (if possible)
• Seek to establish a home training regime
appropriate to your grade
Your responsibility
Kung fu membership does not pressure the
student in any way.
You may train as much or as little as you want.
Of course we would prefer all martial students to attend every class and train
daily at home.
But this is your concern, not ours.
We only get involved when you ask to do something that exceeds your capacity
and the request is unrealistic/dangerous.
Weapons
You may train weapons on
weapons night providing
you are capable of doing so safely.
Students are required to supply their own weaponry.
Rachel will indicate which ones are suitable.
Kung fu students may study:
Stick drills (3 sets)
Knife drills
Workshops are important
Ideally, you want to gain the widest range of
fighting skills as quickly as you can.
The greater the exposure to our syllabus, the faster you will learn.
Subject to fitness
Most of the workshops
are suitable for all kung fu students.
Some are not.
If in doubt, please ask Rachel for advice.
Tasters
It is good to try a taster session for more advanced material.
The experience will give you a sense of things to come, and the opportunity
to see how different skills knit together as the syllabus unfolds.
However, the mainstay of your training must be suitable for your current
grade.
Lessons with Sifu
Once you have completed the first belt to Rachel's satisfaction,
you will start working with Sifu Waller.
This will be a big step up in terms of training.
It will be mentally demanding as well as
physical.
Asking for more?
Prove that you can handle it.
Read the FAQ regarding weapons forms.
Our insurance company insists that students are taught relative to competence.
If you want to learn more advanced material, you need to be capable of wielding
the sword.
Otherwise you will just get hurt.
Do not ask for more if you are not going to put
in the work.
Sifu
Waller loathes time wasters.
Poor attendance?
Kung fu students who do not attend lessons frequently enough will be moved to
qigong & tai chi.
This is for your own wellbeing rather than a penalty.
We must also adhere to the insurance requirements. It is not possible to train any martial art with a low level of
commitment.
All martial arts have a risk factor attached.
Poor attendance coupled with limited home practice is a recipe for injury.
Poor fitness?
Students who show signs of poor fitness will be required to re-take
the physical.
Kung fu students who fail the physical will be moved to
qigong & tai chi.
Concessions/charity
If a beginner considers themselves unable/unwilling to attend 12 workshops/boot camp/private lessons
each calendar year, please don't insult your instructor by asking for
charity.
Your time management skills and your
finances have nothing to do with Sifu Waller.
Don't try and make your problems his problem.
Should you feel incapable of attending the requisite number of additional
training opportunities, either resign yourself to remaining in the beginners
syllabus indefinitely or opt out and do qigong & tai chi instead.
Opt out
A tai chi student is welcome to opt out of the martial
training any time they like.
Switch to the qigong & tai chi
syllabus instead.
This is a practical choice if you feel that the
martial expectations are too much for you
to manage.
Some people find the prospect of combat and the
associated level of fitness to be intimidating
or not suited to their requirements after all.
Refunds & cancellation
We request 7 days notice if you are planning to
quit. That way the student has the time to cancel their standing order in
advance.
Should the standing order be inadvertently sent after notice has been
given, we will immediately refund the amount.
If you fail to give notice, don't attend classes or decide to cancel after
the first of the month we will not refund the monthly fee.
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
6 February 2011
▲