by Jocelyn Watkin | Oct 8, 2016 | Information |
Wish you had a magic wand?
Do you wish you had a magic wand so you could be better at tai chi? Do you believe that your lack of coordination will hold you back or that you’re not ‘naturally gifted’?
The truth is out – you don’t have to be genius or gifted at all. And, you don’t need magic, either. It turns out that what our mothers always said is actually right: Practice makes us better.
“Bounce” by Matthew Syed
I’ve been reading a great book on this topic by three-times Commonwealth table-tennis champion, Matthew Syed. Matthew explores what it takes to be successful in sport (and in life) in his book: Bounce: the myth of talent and the power of practice He proves that effort and sustained purposeful practice brings excellence.
So, how do you practice ‘purposely’? Here are some ideas:
- Set a regular tai chi practice time each day. It doesn’t matter what time of the day, just do it when it is the BEST time for you. If you have arthritis or are stiff, you will know when your joints are their best.
- Make a start, even if you only have a few minutes at that time. 5 minutes is better than nothing, as long as you warm up. 10 minutes is better than five. 20 minutes is ideal. It is better to practice every day than to have longer tai chi workouts for only two or three times a week.
- Start with the warm-up exercises or the Qi Gong breathing exercises.
Some students tell me they don’t like to practice in case they get it wrong. Here are more ideas to help:
- Everyone is different: age, body shape and some may have health issues or injuries. There are many different ways to do tai chi and never one perfect way.
- After the warm-up, do the tai chi form or moves you know best. Go over these several times and for as long as you as you feel comfortable. If you feel any pain, please stop immediately.
- Follow the essential tai chi principles: http://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/essential-tai-chi-principles-2/
- Follow along with a teaching DVD such as Tai Chi for Arthritis by Dr Paul Lam.
- Prepare questions to ask your teacher the next time you attend a class.
Remember, it is about effort – not talent (nor magic). Practice will help you to say Kia Ora (Hello) to better tai chi.
Find out more:
No need to wish upon a star to be better at tai chi
by Jocelyn Watkin | Sep 10, 2016 | Information |
Great Wall of China
What made me leave my tai chi school of nearly 14 years to become an instructor for the Tai Chi for Health Institute?
I had been stuck on a plateau for some time, due to the ‘one size fits all’ or ‘cookie cutter’ approach of my then tai chi school. I searched for more stimulation and development; I read books, trawled through the Internet and tried a couple of different tai chi schools. I even organised a tai chi tour to China in 2015 and climbed sacred Wudangshan (Wudang Mountain), the tūrangawaewae of tai chi (spiritual home and place to stand for all who feel connected to tai chi).
Other tai chi schools were iniitally helpful in my quest but they didn’t have what I was looking for long-term, or their type of tai chi aggravated an old injury I had.
On YouTube I discovered Dr Paul Lam, the founder and director of Tai Chi for Health Institute (TCHI). I was instantly struck by his openness, his formidable tai chi, his philosophy that tai chi is for everyone and the thorough medical research that he’d conducted to prove the health benefits of tai chi.
A quick search of the TCHI website revealed that one of his two master trainers for New Zealand, Tamara Bennett of Smiling Dragon Tai Chi & Qigong, offered classes at Pukekohe, only 25 minutes away from my home. I soon rocked up to her classes and was impressed.
As I am a qualified teacher for the New Zealand education system, I instantly spotted that Tamara understood teaching methodology and was following a lesson plan. This was the first time I had encountered this in my 20 years of learning martial arts. If someone is good at one skill (whether karate, tai chi, music, maths, cooking, etc) it doesn’t automatically follow that they’ll be good at teaching it. Teaching is an acquired skill that must be learned, just like any other skill. I found out later that Tamara was following the Stepwise Progressive Teaching Method, which had been devised and perfected by Dr Lam.
I was also blown away by her tai chi ability. Throughout my 14 years of tai chi, I had been told by my (now ex) instructors that people who teach it for the health benefits don’t do ‘proper’ tai chi. Well, this was ‘real’ tai chi alright. All of the essential tai chi principles were there in Tamara’s movements and form.
What’s more, she and her students were friendly and welcoming. The barriers I had previously encountered (my age, ethnicity and being female) were not held against me.
Very soon I was flourishing with TCHI’s mix of the Chen, Sun and Yang forms, especially the welcome addition of Qi Gong in the Sun style of tai chi. I loved the blend of Chinese and Western philosophy and medical knowledge. I knew that this was the tai chi school that I would like to be part of.
Tamara awarding my instructor certificates
I had not wanted to become a tai chi instructor until then. As a professional teacher, tai chi gave me a break from teaching. However, a career change meant that I was more open to become a tai chi instructor. When I discovered that TCHI had well-thought out and proven programme to teach instructors, I knew that I would take that path.
I am now a premier TCHI-Board Certified Instructor for four Tai Chi for Health Programmes (find out which ones here). I am also a member of the Tai Chi for Health Community in New Zealand.
I met Dr Paul Lam at recent instructor workshop. He is as genuine and open as he is on YouTube. His tai chi was even more formidable face-to-face than it is on YouTube.
Tamara and my fellow instructors encouraged me to start teaching my own classes. Two came along to my very first opening night to support me and, along with Tamara, they continue to be trusted colleagues that I can call on for advice. Thank you so much Tamara Bennett, Aria Tauroa and Ian Blaine.
A big ‘shout out’ to the Sunday Club guys, too. You know who you are. I could not have come this far without you so thanks for ‘being there’ for me.
I love teaching and I am able to incorporate all of my tai chi skills and knowledge, including from my wider martial arts and teaching background. My students come from all walks of life, are friendly and helpful with each other, and they all want to do well with their tai chi. I can see that they practice between classes and that’s pretty amazing when compared with my experience at other tai chi schools.
After being stuck on a plateau for so long I feel energised and excited about my tai chi and the future. TCHI has been the right move because it offers:
- A thorough teaching syllabus and proven teaching methodology, the Stepwise Progressive Teaching Method, which is backed up by teaching DVDs.
- Medical research and case studies to prove the health benefits of tai chi.
- Well-established Tai Chi for Health Programmes that maximise these health benefits.
- A TCHI Board-Certification process to become a Tai Chi for Health Instructor.
- Support from the NZ master trainers and fellow instructors (of TCHI) and through my membership of Tai Chi for Health Community in New Zealand.
- Adherence to the essential tai chi principles, i.e. this is ‘real’ tai chi
- A mix of the Chen, Sun and Yang tai chi styles, plus Qi Gong and meditation
- Tai chi for everyone including making it accessible to as many as possible, particularly those less able or who have health issues.
- Acceptance that people learn and move in different ways, according to their own style, body-shape, age, etc
- An open, welcoming and safe environment where know-how is shared and questions encouraged.
- Greater diversity and range of tai chi skills and knowledge, due to the acceptance that one person or ‘guru’ cannot know everything.
- Opportunities to advance my own tai chi, including weapons training, whether I wanted to be an instructor or not. I.e. advanced students are not held back because they are not instructors.
- Friendly people that know when to be serious about tai chi and also how to have fun with it.
- The positivity and determination of Dr Paul Lam (the founder and director of TCHI) to ensure the above points and over-arching kaupapa (guiding principles and thinking) are embedded into everything that TCHI stands for.
Find out more:
Photos from Wudangshan (Mt Wudang), Hubei province, China:
Jindian Temple at the summit of Wudang Mountain, 900 steps up
Mt Wudang summit (and the Jindian Temple) – view from the top
by Jocelyn Watkin | Aug 26, 2016 | Information |
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
There’s a lot to love about tai chi – especially that you can do it almost anywhere, at any time.
Wherever I am during the day and across the world, it is easy to practice tai chi. One of my most memorable tai chi locations was in the Kyzylkum (Qizilqum) Desert in Uzbekistan. The word “Qizilqum” means “Red Sand” in the Uzbek language. I had an exotic, Uzbek-carpeted platform to stand on and the early morning sun rays stretched my shadow far across the desert. Fabulous. It was also very cold and I needed all of my Qi (energy flow) to keep warm.
Kyzylkum Desert in Uzbekistan
Further below, I’ve uploaded a few of my favourite spots around the world where I’ve tried tai chi.
You don’t need a special uniform or equipment to do tai chi and you don’t need to go to a gym. Whether at home, at work or when travelling you can practice tai chi in your lounge, the park, the beach, at your desk, on a plane or in your campsite or hotel room. You don’t have to wait until the rain stops or for the sun to be less hot. The benefits of tai chi are the same, whether indoors or outside.
There is no ‘proper’ time of day, either. While you might find it easier to have a set time per day for tai chi, there is never just ONE chance per day. Some people prefer mornings, while others choose an afternoon or evening session. 15-20 minutes per day is great, although you could get benefits from just five minutes of tai chi daily. However, 10 minutes are better than five and 15 minutes are better than 10.
Halong Bay, Vietnam
If you only have five minutes to spare on some days, then that is better than nothing. However, it is vital to warm up before you do tai chi. So, if all you have is 5-10 minutes, then just concentrate on the warm-up exercises and your breathing. Gently do a small number of these exercises according to the limited time you have, rather than try to rush through the full set. Or, just try the breathing exercises, as in the Open & Close movement in the Sun-style Tai Chi for Arthritis programme. This is perfect when sitting at your desk at work.
However, to receive the full benefits from tai chi, then you need to be doing it daily and for longer than five minutes. Still, it is better to make a start with a short session than to do nothing.
What are the benefits of Tai Chi for Arthritis?
- Increases strength and flexibility
- Decreases pain in joints
- Decreases stress
- Helps reduce high blood pressure
- Increases sense of well-being
- Improves balance.
- Find out more in this fact sheet for health care professionals.
Anywhere, anytime – say Kia Ora (Hello) to tai chi. Start today and keep it going.
Find out more from Dr Paul Lam:
by Jocelyn Watkin | Aug 22, 2016 | Information |
Stand tall and deliver
No matter what you’re confronted with, always maintain an upright body posture. This is one of the four essential tai chi principles.
But… what does upright body posture mean? Well, it’s not that old-fashioned walking with a book on your head. That’s a recipe for stiff muscles plus a sore neck and back from trying to move so rigidly. What’s more, even if you did move like that the book would still probably fall off your head.
Upright posture and alignment means NOT leaning or hunching – whether forwards, backwards or sideways. Imagine if the top of your head was suspended from a golden strand of silk – this is a magical thread because it doesn’t cause any pain. Suspended like this, gravity helps the joints in your spine move into alignment so they are stacked sweetly on top of each other, like they’re meant to be. Your tail bone is centrally positioned at the base of your spine and slighted tucked under. You feel balanced and comfortable.
Imagine that you are now gently lowered to your feet. Take the weight evenly on both feet and keep your knees soft (slightly bent, not flexed straight). This will keep your tail bone and buttocks tucked under and your spine neatly stacked. Keep your head upright (but not tense or rigid) with your eyes looking straight ahead. This might feel a little strange at first but in time it will feel more comfortable.
So, why is all of this important? Because, with your head upright and with correct body posture and alignment you are more likely to:
- Release tension and pressure caused by bad posture
- Reduce stress and pain on the back and knees
- Reduce the chance of falling
- Increase your muscle strength and balance
- Improve your martial art (you will be much harder to be pushed/pulled off balance)
- Increase the Qi/energy flow, as this flows better in an aligned body
So, kia ora/say hello to upright posture and body alignment. They’re heaps better than just walking with a book on your head.
How not to do tai chi
Find out more:
Put the book in your head, not on your head
by Jocelyn Watkin | Aug 13, 2016 | Information |
This is a post from August 2016.
Contact us to find out about current tai chi classes
Say hello to better health with these new Kia Ora Tai Chi for Health classes starting on Monday 15 August 2016, 6.30pm in Manurewa. Ideal for beginners and suitable for adults of all ages and high school students.
Timetable for 2016: Six weeks of classes for beginners, as follows::
- 1st week: Monday 15 and Wednesday 17 August
- 2nd week: Monday 22 and Wednesday 24 August
- No tai chi: Monday 29 and Wednesday 31 August
- 3rd week: Monday 5 September (no class on Wednesday 7 September)
- 4th week: Monday 12 and Wednesday 14 September
- 5th week: Monday 19 and Wednesday 21 September
- 6th week: Monday 26 and Wednesday 28 September
Find out more:
by Jocelyn Watkin | Jul 25, 2016 | Information |
Please note: This is a post from 2016.
Please contact us to find out about current classes.
Free tai chi lessons: Monday 8 and Wednesday 10 August 2016,
Are you tired or stressed? Have trouble sleeping? Need to get fitter? If you’re bored with the gym and hate wearing lycra then say hello to tai chi.
Come along for FREE 1-hour tai chi lessons on Monday 8th and Wednesday 10th August 2016 at 6.15pm, with Jocelyn Watkin, a qualified tai chi instructor. Jocelyn is a Manurewa local and has been practising tai chi for nearly 14 years. Adults of any age and high school students are all welcome.
Described as “moving meditation”, tai chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that combines mental focus with deliberate and relaxed movements that are gentle on the joints. Regular practice of tai chi can help to lower blood pressure and improve strength, health and balance. More information on the health benefits of tai chi.
Jocelyn will be teaching tai chi on Mondays and Wednesdays in Manurewa. After the free lessons, a new beginners’ class will start on Monday 15 August and Wednesday 17 August 2016. Students are encouraged to attend both nights rather than just one class per week. Click here for more information or contact us or phone or text Jocelyn on 027 493 9851.
