Class Schedule Change

Effective AUGUST 19, 2013 classes at the KSW Karate Dojo will be changing.  The new class schedule will begin on August 19 and will continue indefinitely.

The new class schedule is as follows:
Monday 6:00pm  to 7:00pm
Wednesday 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Friday 6:00pm to 7:00pm

If you have any questions please contact us.  Thank you for being understanding and helping us make this transition smoothly.  We enjoy having you all in class and appreciate all of the hard work and dedication you put into your training.  See you in class.  :)

A Video of Amador County's World Tai Chi and Qigong Day Celebration 2013

Here is a short video collage of the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day Celebration we had on April 27, 2013 in Pine Grove, CA.  We had Tai Chi and Qigong workshops, free chair massages, free ice cream, and tasty smoothies for everyone who attended.  We hope you enjoy this peek into our celebration and  we hope you will all join us again next year for more workshops and fun, at our 2014 World Tai Chi and Qigong Day celebration.

A big thank you to everyone who attended and to all those who helped make it happen!

February 9, Qigong Workshop in Pine Grove

On January 5, we had a Qigong workshop in Pine Grove at the KSW Karate Dojo where we covered the Deer Qigong section from the Five Animal Exercises Qigong Set (Wu Qin Xi).  This Qigong set was created in ancient China to help balance and strengthen the kidneys and waist area and is usually practiced during the winter months for optimal effects.  Those who came to this workshop really enjoyed it, but there were some who wanted to come and were unable to attend.  To allow those in our Amador County community, who wanted to attend but could not, another opportunity to learn this ancient Qigong set we will be having another workshop in February.

The next workshop will be held on February 9, 2013 at the KSW Karate Dojo in Pine Grove, CA.  If you would like to attend you may RSVP on facebook here, but an RSVP is not required to attend.  We hope many of you will come join us for this life changing experience.  Everyone is welcome.

For more information please visit our Workshops and Seminars page. 

To see a short video from our workshop on January 5, please view our last post titled "A Video From Last Saturday's Qigong Workshop."

January 2013 Qi Gong Workshops in Amador County

In January of 2013 two, weekend Qi Gong workshops will be available in Amador County.  The focus of these workshops is to teach as many people as possible simple Qi Gong routines for health that have been used in China for centuries to maintain healthy, strong, flexible bodies. 

The first workshop will be held on Sat. Jan. 5, and will be focused on "Deer Qigong."  This form of Qi Gong is part of the "Wu Qin Xi" or "Five Animal Playing" Qi Gong set.  The Chinese developed the Deer Qigong routine to mainly focus on balancing and strengthening the kidneys, but many of the exercises are also good for balance; coordination; and back, core, and hip flexibility.

The second workshop will be held on Sat. Jan. 12, and will be covering the "Ba Duan Jin" or "8 Pieces of Brocade" Qigong set.  This set is very popular all over the world for its simplicity and the safe nature of all the exercises.  This Qi Gong set can really be viewed as a whole body tune-up, with exercises that help improve range of motion, strength the body, improve balance, improve circulation and balance the body's energy flow. 

More information about these workshops and their location, time and price of attendance can be found on the new "Workshops and Seminars" page.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

2 Students Earned Their White Sash in Tai Chi Today

Today at 5:00pm two students began the test for their White Sash rank.  One student has been training with me for about 10 months and the other has been training with me for nearly two years.  Both have put an incredible amount of time and effort into their training and it was very obvious during the test. 

During the test they were required to show proficiency in the following:

• Yang Tai Chi 24 form
• 5 directional stepping
• Zhan Zhuang Qi Gong
• Tai Chi Qi Gong set
• and more...

At about 6:30pm the test was complete and both students had passed.  Below are some pictures of them receiving their sashes.

Laura receiving her White Sash after the Test.

Laura receiving her certificate.

Rhonda receiving her White Sash.

Rhonda receiving her certificate.

Learning to tie their new sashes with a little help from someone who has done it before.

Laura showing the new certificate with me.

 Rhonda showing her new certificate with me.

Congratulations, ladies!  You did an excellent job earning this rank.  Keep up the good work!

2 Students Earned Their Yellow Sash Ranks in Tai Chi

It has been over 6 months since they tested for their white sashes.  Six months filled with hard work, sweat, perseverance, and dedication to  practicing the same things over and over..... and it has paid off.  The two students who earned their Yellow Sashes today have truly earned this new rank and I'm very proud to have helped them reach this point in their training.

The skills that are required to earn a yellow sash include:

• Knowing and being able to perform the first part of the traditional Yang Style Long Form
• Learning 10 basic Tai Chi stepping sets that enforce many basic moving patterns of Tai Chi
• Rocking Qi Gong Sets that begin to prepare a student many aspects of pushing hands and sticking hands practice
• New stance practice routines that help strengthen the legs and coordinate body movements
• The 8 Doors, or fundamental moving concepts, of Tai Chi.
• And more...

Both of these students have been training with me since the beginning of 2011 and I'm very pleased with the progress they have made and the hard working attitude they have diplayed in their training so for.  It has taken them more than a year and a half to reach their second rank in our sash system.  This is not because they have not worked hard, on the contrary, it is because of their hard work that they have been able to reach this rank so quickly.  It is so important to make sure each skill is truly learned and not just briefly touched on and it can take a long time to get these things down.

Below are some pictures of the sash promotion ceremony.

In this picture my dad is giving me his old white sash and receiving his brand new Yellow Sash.

 Here my dad is receiving his rank certificate.

 

Here Kathy is receiving her new Yellow Sash.

Kathy looking over her new Yellow Sash rank certificate.

Dad and me showing off his new yellow sash and rank certificate.

 Kathy and me showing her new yellow sash and rank certificate.

Congratulations to you both!