Chan style Tai Chi & Kung Fu in Worksop

10/09/2026

Slow Staff Practice

Staff training is not always about speed and power.

Slow practice offers another way to develop the skill. By taking specific combinations of movements and linking them together, we can practise repeatedly with continuity and body coordination as the main focus.

Moving the staff slowly also gives us an opportunity to calm the mind and find our own natural rhythm.

Outdoors, a longer staff can be used. One advantage of a long staff is that it is relatively easy to balance and control. For indoor practice, a shorter staff can be a more practical choice.

In this video, three groups of staff movements are linked together into one continuous sequence. Once these three basic patterns become familiar, other movements and transitions can gradually be added to create more variations.

Slow down, connect the movements, and let the body find its own rhythm.

26/08/2026

A stick of this length is something you can find almost anywhere in everyday life.

What’s interesting is that a short stick like this can be used with techniques normally associated with a long staff, a saber, or even a sword.

The length may be different, but the principles behind the techniques can still be adapted to it.

20/08/2026

Tai Chi Staff Training

Traditionally, after learning the first Tai Chi form, students often move on to practising Tai Chi sword.

However, in Chinese martial arts, the staff is often described as the “mother of all weapons” — meaning that many of the fundamental techniques used with other traditional weapons can be traced back to basic staff movements.

For this reason, we are introducing some basic staff-handling and movement exercises into our Tai Chi classes. The aim is not to replace Tai Chi sword training, but to give everyone a better understanding of how to control and coordinate a weapon.

Hopefully, when we officially begin learning Tai Chi sword, these basic skills will make it easier for everyone to understand and pick up the techniques.

19/08/2026

As we continue our Tai Chi practice, we’ll soon come to some movements that involve standing on one leg.

There aren’t actually that many one-legged movements in Tai Chi, but when we practise them, there are two important points to remember.

First, keep your eyes looking at a point in the distance. Alternatively, you can gently bring your attention to your forehead. Try not to look down at your feet, as this can affect your balance.

Second, don’t rush to lift one leg. Before lifting the foot, gradually transfer all your weight onto the supporting leg and make sure your body is balanced and upright. Only then should you slowly lift the other foot.

The idea is not to rely on muscle strength to hold yourself up. Instead, allow your body structure, alignment and balance to do the work.

Take your time, stay relaxed, and let the movement become natural.

01/08/2026

17/07/2026

Tai Chi Applications Demonstration

11/07/2026

Chan Style Tai Chi – Old Frame 2

Old Frame 2 is the more explosive routine of Chan Style Tai Chi, featuring powerful strikes, stamping, and dynamic bursts of force.

However, its power does not come from brute strength. It is built upon the foundation developed in Old Frame 1.

In Tai Chi, “softness” does not mean weakness. It means moving without unnecessary muscle tension, allowing the whole body to work as one connected unit.

Many people believe they have achieved this level of relaxation while practising Old Frame 1. But the real test comes in Old Frame 2.

Old Frame 1 is like building a strong pipe. The purpose is to create a clear and connected pathway.

Old Frame 2 is like sending high-pressure water through that pipe.

If the pipe is strong and has no leaks, the pressure can flow through efficiently. If there are weak points, energy will be lost.

The same principle applies to Tai Chi.

If the body is truly relaxed and connected, power can travel naturally from the ground through the whole body and be released with speed and force.

If not, the movement becomes stiff and relies only on muscular effort.

This is the meaning behind the Tai Chi principle:

“Accumulate softness to develop strength.”

Old Frame 2 doesn’t create power — it reveals whether you’ve developed it.


is not the opposite of relaxation. In Tai Chi, it is the result of it.

18/06/2026

Yang Style 24-Form Tai Chi

Also known as the Simplified 24-Form, it is one of the most popular Tai Chi routines in the world.

Its short length and accessible structure make it suitable for beginners of all ages.

Although we primarily teach Chen Style Tai Chi, the 24-Form is often used as an introduction to Tai Chi training.

Through slow and controlled movements, practitioners develop balance, coordination, body awareness, and relaxation.

These qualities form the foundation of Tai Chi skill and power.

Tai Chi power is not created through muscular tension, but through relaxation, whole-body coordination, and efficient movement.

The Yang Style 24-Form is smooth, stable, and expansive, helping students establish sound fundamentals and correct body structure.

Many modern studies on Tai Chi health benefits have used the Yang Style 24-Form as their research model.

Research findings have shown positive effects on balance, mobility, and overall well-being.

Tai Chi is a lifelong journey of health, skill, and self-cultivation.

Tai Chi begins with relaxation and balance.
Through consistent practice, softness develops into strength.
The journey starts with the fundamentals.

# Yang Style 24-Form Tai Chi

21/05/2026

Learning Tai Chi is a gradual journey.
At the beginning, we often start by simply copying the teacher’s form and movements. Then, through continuous correction and guidance, we learn to adjust our posture and structure. Just like any physical exercise, incorrect movements can easily lead to injury, so proper correction is essential.

After the body begins to understand the movements, the next step is learning how to connect every motion together, allowing the entire form to become smooth and flowing.

Through push hands practice, we begin to develop a completely new understanding of Tai Chi. By combining our own rhythm with the feelings and awareness gained from push hands, we slowly bring those insights back into the form itself, eventually developing our own unique style and tempo.

That is why even when practicing the exact same form, 100 people can express it in 100 different ways.

At this stage, we truly understand the meaning of:
“The teacher opens the door, but cultivation depends on oneself.”

14/05/2026

Every style and tradition of Tai Chi has its own focus — some emphasise the martial art application, while others focus more on health, wellbeing, and self-cultivation.

But whether Tai Chi is practised as a martial art or as a health practice, we believe the true heart of Tai Chi remains the same — the internal movement created through breathing.

In our morning Tai Chi class, our main focus is on Health Tai Chi. We truly believe that Tai Chi improves our physical health, balance, vitality, and overall wellbeing not simply because of the external movements, but because of the deep internal movement generated through breath, relaxation, body connection, and mindful practice. This is the belief that guides our teaching.

Today, through Push Hands practice, everyone had the opportunity to feel and understand more deeply how Tai Chi really works. Push Hands and solo Tai Chi practice complement each other beautifully — each helps us understand the principles of the other on a deeper level.

I’m very proud of everyone today. There was clear progress, great focus, genuine enthusiasm, and wonderful positive energy throughout the class.

Step by step, breath by breath, we continue to grow together. ☯️🙏✨