Meet the Instructor

Yong Nian Taijiquan (UK)

A member of the World Yong Nian Taiji Federation

The Tai Chi Union of Great Britain run a regular article giving their instructors the opportunity to answer the same questions. My responses to the questions are......

How many years have you been practicing Tai Chi?

Oddly enough, I remember how many years I have been practicing because of my daughter Molly’s age. Not long after I began attending classes, she wanted to join-in with her dad as many little girls do. She was five (1994). She is now eighteen, so I think I have entered my fourteenth year of practice. Unfortunately, Molly’s enthusiasm waned with the onset of puberty. C’est la vie.

What stimulated your interest?

I was Ill. Stress at work that I was unable to deal with appropriately. Postural / back problems due to sporting injuries after too many hours being battered on a rugby pitch resulting in attacks of sciatica every couple of months which literally put me on my back. Eventually, I decided to do something about it and, being an auto-didact by nature, I trawled through the library investigating yoga, pilates and Alexander technique. Then I discovered (and was intriqued by) Zhan Zhuang Chi Kung as explained by Master Lam Kam Chuen this, naturally enough, led me to taijiquan which I initially learnt from a book. Then, in an almost classically daoist way, I happened across my first teacher…… A neighbour saw me training in my garden and subsequently informed me that he was a taiji instructor and student of a person who had trained with many taiji and Qi Gong masters including the illustrious Great Grandmaster Fu Zhongwen. I began training with John Walker and Tony Henry’s of the Classical Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Society and the rest, as they say, is history.

What does Tai Chi Chuan mean to you?

Everything. Obviously, it has changed my mental and physical health. I have also had the honour of seeing it change many of the people with whom I train in sometimes profound, often unforeseen, ways. Over the last three years I have been fortunate enough to have been able to dedicate myself to taijiquan fulltime – both teaching and personal training. This has meant being able to travel and meet some exceptional teachers and practitioners and experience different cultures in a way I had not expected or looked for.

What is the most important aspect for you?

The twists, turns and surprises of a never-ending journey.

Do you have any personal goals in Tai Chi?

No. Things will develop as they will. I don’t think about it any more. On a teaching level, I (sorry for wearing the phrase out) “go with the flow”.

Who or what inspired you?

The practice of taijiquan and Qi Gong, my teachers and the people I have trained and who have found/continue to find my teaching of value.

What do you make of Tai Chi Chuans currently popularity?

My teacher, Master Fu Qing Quan, would answer this by saying that taijiquan has always been popular – other things come and go – authenticity alone survives. Who am I to disagree?

As a teacher, how do you feel about the martial aspect of Tai Chi?

Taijiquan is the supreme ultimate fist – not the supreme ultimate relaxation / health exercise thingy. I have the pleasure of training a black belt in karate who has also put herself through the rigours of close quarter combat (CQC) and she is in absolutely no doubt about the efficacy of taijiquan as a form of fighting. In China, they wouldn’t even understand the question.

Part of the problem appears to be that, in the West, we have appeared to have “bought into” the mysteries and magic of “internal” martial arts – our Qi is strong inside. We should ensure that this is not being used as a convenient excuse for being overweight and palpably unfit on the outside. Taijiquan teachers should have the same level of physical fitness as any other personal trainer / martial artist (age, as ever, permitting).

As regards the health aspects of Chinese exercise routines, our taiji training has led us to learn various Dao Yin / Qi Gong exercises that can be used to increase peoples ability to cope with the mental and physical demands of their lives and at the same time preparing them to cope with the mental and physical demands of practicing the taijiquan (which itself prepares us for the challenges of the sword forms, tuishou and san shou).

When I start a new taiji class, I don’t teach taiji. I teach other exercise routines to prepare people for the challenges ahead – Lian Gong Shi Ba Fa is a particular favourite of mine because it has elements of other systems that give it depth (Ba Duan Jin, Yi Jin Jing, Wang Zhiping’s 20 Forms, tuina and An Mo etc.) and it also has a definable therapeutic effect which relies less on simple calming techniques than other systems. In addition, I will teach some relaxation exercises with particular emphasis on calming Kidney exercises.

For some people, being introduced to slow rhythmic and uncomplicated exercises with co-ordination of breath is enough to provide the desired improvements in health and they have no desire for anything else. For others, knowledge of these exercises merely whets the appetite and provides a firm foundation for the introduction of the taijiquan proper.

I suppose the answer could be for people to advertise themselves as Chinese Health Exercise Teachers and/or Taijiquan instructors. Regardless of our own martial ability, we should, however, avoid dropping the “quan” from taijiquan.

What are your views on competition?

I’m assuming you mean Wushu - Like most taijiquan practitioners, my fighting days are over.

The very word “Competition” often seems to automatically provoke a negative response. As a way of assessing, maintaining and improving professional standards, I do not have a problem with it and would like to see one of my younger students achieve something in this respect.

What direction would you like to see tai chi going in the future?

Towards quantifiable authenticity and professionalism, away from amateurism, charlatanism and marketing.