A Tai Chi Year in Review (2013)

As this year comes to a close we wanted to take a moment to review some of the time we have spent together in 2013.  As you look through this post, we hope you are reminded of fun and memorable moments from classes, workshops, or even posts here on this site.  We look forward to the physical and mental development, personal growth, and enjoyable memories that we will all enjoy as we train together in the new year.   Happy New Year to you all!


January 2013
We were honored to host two Qigong workshops in Pine Grove, including a workshop on the "8 Pieces of Brocade Qigong Set."  This was also the month in which we posted a video of the 2nd part of the Yang Style Tai Chi Traditional Long Form as an aid to students practicing at home.

February 2013
Other than a Qigong workshop on a section of the "Five Animal Exercises Qigong Set," this was a fairly uneventful month, full of the consistent, dedicated training that produces the health benefits and skills that people seek in Tai Chi and Qigong training.  Bravo to the students who understand the rewards that only come from perseverance in training!

March 2013
More weekend Qigong workshops were held this month along with the regularly scheduled classes, but two events that set this month apart were the publishing of Andrew Plitt's first Qigong Workshop Manual and a post with information and helpful tips for students who wish to train in China.

April 2013
One of the most exciting month of the year, April is the month in which World Tai Chi and Qigong Day takes place.  We had a blast celebrating this day with our community!

May 2013
Another great month of steady training and overall improvement.  A big thank you to all of the dedicated students that never give up!


June 2013
This month was an exciting month for many of our students!  Two students earned their 3rd Level Orange Sashes and two students earned Their 1st Level White Sashes!  A very proud moment for all involved. 

July 2013
In July we posted the names of the postures in the Yang Tai Chi 24 Form and uploaded a video of Andrew Plitt going through the Qigong exercises we use as a cool down in class, which can be used as simple exercises at home for overall health.




August 2013
This month was mostly a regular training month, but we did post videos Andrew Plitt performing the Yang Tai Chi 24 Form and the 3rd part of the Yang Tai Chi Long Form to aid students practicing at home. 

September 2013
A month of diligent practice and Mind-body improvement.

October 2013
This Month we hosted our first "Open Tai Chi Night" in which anyone who wanted to attend was welcome to come enjoy Tai Chi with us, free of charge.  A big thank you to everyone who attended!  (stay tuned for future Open Tai Chi events)

November 2013
Another blissful month of Tai Chi and Qigong practice

December 2013
A wonderful month of practice with some time off for the holidays.  Along with the enjoyment of family, friends, and training, we posted a 6 video series of basic exercises to help beginning Tai Chi students develop a good root and sense of balance, as well as posting a video about Tai Chi vs. Arthritis.
 

Now we bring this year to a close with much gratitude to all of the wonderful people that train with us, shop at Amador County's Online Health Food Store, and seek self and community improvement through the practices of Tai Chi and Qigong.  Thank you for all that you do, thank you for all of your support, and we wish you the very best New Year!

Basic Tai Chi Videos for Balance and Rooting

I have good news for my students.  I have just finished uploading a video series to Youtube, that covers the basic balance and rooting exercises that are among the first things students learn in class.  If you need to work on your balance, the exercises in these videos will be invaluable to you.  I hope this will be a helpful resource while you are practicing at home.  Enjoy!

Video #1


Video # 2


Video #3


Video #4


Video #5


Video #6

A Thought for Today

This picture says "kung fu" which is commonly thought of as a fighting style, but in Chinese it actually refers to any skill that take hard work over a long period of time to master.  So you can think of Tai Chi as your kung fu. 

Patience and  mastery are always more important than learning the next move.

Tai Chi vs. Arthritis Pain, a New Study

Here is an interesting video of a new study that is being conducted on the effectiveness of Tai Chi on arthritis pain.  Have a look.

Holiday Class Schedule 2013

This announcement is to let everyone know which training days will be skipped during the holidays. 

November 2013
At the KSW Karate Dojo, Tai Chi classes will be skipped on the following dates:
Wednesday, Nov. 27
Friday, Nov. 29

At New York Fitness class will be skipped on the following date:
Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving day)


December 2013 -January 2014
At the KSW Karate Dojo Tai Chi classes will be skipped on the following dates:
Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013
Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014

If any classes will be skipped at New York Fitness in December 2013 we will post that information asap.

We wish you all a wonderful, safe holiday season!

No Tai Chi Class on 11-11-13

This is just a reminder that there will be no Tai Chi class at the KSW Karate Dojo this Monday, November 11, 2013 due to the holiday.  Class will resume as usual on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 and we look forward to seeing you all there.  Have a fun and safe three day weekend!  :)

1st Open Tai Chi Night - Thank You

We just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who attended our 1st "Open Tai Chi Night."  It was great having all there and we hope you had as much fun as we did!  We hope to have another one before the end of the year, but we don't have a date set yet.  Stay tuned and we will let you know when as soon as we can. 

The First Open Tai Chi Night

On October 28, 2013 we will be holding our very first "Open Tai Chi Night" at the KSW Karate Dojo in Pine Grove.  This night is for anyone who is curious about Tai Chi or who has loved ones who are curious about Tai Chi, to come see what it's all about, free of charge.  It's also a night for anyone who currently practices Tai Chi and would like to meet other, local practitioners.  We hope to see you and your loved ones there!  :)

"Open Tai Chi Night" starts at 6:00p.m.

Look for the big grey building on Hwy. 88, in Pine Grove.  We'll be there.  :)

Good to Hear

We had a friend and customer post this picture on her Facebook account the other day and we thought it was too cool to keep to ourselves.  So we asked for permission to pass it on to you and it was enthusiastically granted. 

This picture was posted under the caption, "All I need for Tough Mudder tomorrow! < 3 Puretrim shakes!"

With a caption like that, you know the shakes must be working.  :)  Pure Trim Shakes are available at Amador County's Online Health Food Store.

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.  :)

Yang Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) 24 Posture Form Video

For those students who are working on the 24 form, here is a video for you.  We hope you will find it useful when you are practicing on your own time.  Enjoy!

Yang Tai Chi Chuan Long Form ~ Part 3 Video

We finally filmed the third part of the Yang Style Tai Chi Long Form and posted it on Youtube.  To those students who are learning this section, we hope you all find this useful.  Enjoy!

Wake Up or Cool Down Qigong Exercise Video

Here is a short video (approx. 10 min.) of self-massage Qigong exercises that we use as a cool down after every Tai Chi Class.  These exercises are an excellent way to help you wake up in the morning and to make you feel energized as you start your day.  They are also excellent cool down exercises after any workout (running, martial arts, weight lifting, etc) to relax the body and increase circulation to the muscles and joints.  These types of self-massage techniques can help your body repair faster after workouts, which means less down time and a healthier body.  Most of these exercises are very silly looking, but once you feel the difference they make, you probably will not care about their silly appearance.  Enjoy!

Names of Postures in the Yang Tai Chi 24 Form.

I have been asked by several students to post the names of the movements for the Yang Tai Chi 24 Form so I am listing them here for those of you who have been wanting this list.  I have also posted this list, as well as the list of movements in the Yang Style Traditional Long Form on the "Chinese Terminology for Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Chinese Martial Arts" page of this site.  I hope you all find this helpful.

1. Beginning
2. Parting Wild Horse's Mane: 3x
3. White Crane Spreads Its Wings
4. Brush Knee and Push: 3x
5. Playing the Lute
6. Step Back and Repulse the Monkey
7. Grasp Sparrow's Tail (Ward off, Rollback, Press, Push): Left
8. Grasp Sparrow's Tail (Ward off, Rollback, Press, Push): Right
9. Single Whip
10. Wave Hands Like Clouds
11. Single Whip
12. High Pat on The Horse
13. Right Heel Kick
14. Twin Fists Strike Opponent's Ears
15. Left Heel Kick
16. Snake Creeps Down Left and Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg Right
17. Snake Creeps Down Right and Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg Left
18. Fair maiden Weaves with Shuttles: Left and Right
19. Needle and Sea Bottom
20. Fan Through the Back
21. Turn Body, Parry, Punch
22. Seal Tight (Apparent Close Up)
23. Cross Hands
24. Close Form

No Class on the 4th

This is just a reminder that there will be no morning Tai Chi class at New York Fitness on Thursday, July 4th 2013.  This class will proceed as usual starting Tuesday, July 9, 2013.  We will miss seeing you all in class and we hope you all have a safe, fun-filled 4th!

Happy 4th of July! 



 

Tai Chi Offers Better Quality of Life Than Many Popular Activities

According to an article published in "Supreme Chi Living," an online journal by The American Tai Chi and Qigong Association, Tai Chi practitioners report better quality of life than those active in other activities popular in our culture today.  We have included the article as well as a link back to the original website below for you to see it for yourself.  Enjoy!

"Tai Chi Participation Shows More Positive Impact on Quality of Life than Gym Exercise and Book Clubs
 
June 27, 2013 - Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a traditional Chinese medicine practice and martial art with bio-psychosocial aspects. A study published by Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in its May 2013 issue aimed to examine the impact of participation in TCC on multiple domains of Quality of Life (QoL) and to assess the involvement of the psychological factors of self-efficacy, Locus of Control (LoC) and Hope in these effects.
A total of 68 participants from the general community (13 males and 55 females) aged between 18 and 68 (M=43.55 years) and not currently suffering from a mental or physical illness took part in the study.
It was found that TCC participants, as a group, scored significantly better than those in sedentary (book club) and active (gym exercise) control conditions on Psychological and Physical QoL, and that the Physical QoL benefits of TCC continue to accrue with years of practice. The three psychological factors were shown to variously mediate (self-efficacy) and moderate (internal LoC and Hope) this latter relationship.
Whilst the results bear limitations (in particular small sample sizes), it is hoped that these findings will encourage further research into TCC, and consideration of TCC as part of the range of treatment options available in community-based mental and physical health management." 

View Article on Original Website Here.


If you live in Amador County and are looking for a place to study Tai Chi Chuan, take a look at our Class Schedules and Locations page to find the best time and location for you.  We offer Tai Chi Chuan classes in Jackson, CA and Pine Grove, CA as well as a Qigong class in Sutter Creek, CA.

Free Shipping from "Amador County's Online Health Food Store"

We know times are tough for a lot of people and we are always trying to help those in our community save money on the products and services we offer.  For that reason, we are proud to present this offer.

There is a Free Shipping program available on "Amador County's Online Health Food Store" that is designed to help simplify your ordering process and save you money, at the same time. 

Here is how it works:
If you sign up for automatic shipments with at least 3 products, the shipping is free.  The really cool part is that you can have your products shipped to you once a month, once every two months, or once every three months.  For example, if you use one bottle of Daily Complete each month, you can set your auto-ship to send three bottles, once every three months.  That way you don't have to pay for the shipping and you still get one bottle of Daily Complete for each month. 

I hope you all find this program useful and I hope it makes your lives a little simpler.  If you have any questions please Contact Me. 

Congratualtions to Our Students!

Over the past few weeks we have had several students at the KSW Karate Dojo in Pine Grove, test for their next Sash Level in Tai Chi Chuan.  Due to their hard work and the time they have put into their training, they have passed each test with flying colors.  Here we would like to congratulate them on their accomplishment and show you all pictures of these students' promotions. We hope you will join us in congratulating them.

 Pete (AndrewPlitt's Dad) removing his old sash.

 Pete receiving his new Level 3 Orange Sash.

 Pete tying on his new sash.

 Pete Receiving his certificate.

 Pete showing off his new rank certificate with Andrew Plitt.

Kathy handing in her old sash.

 Kathy being presented with her Level 3 Orange Sash.

 Kathy being presented with her Level 3 Orange Sash certificate.

Kathy showing off her new rank certificate with Andrew Plitt.

 Samantha receiving her new Level 1 White Sash.

 Samantha receiving her White Sash rank certificate.

 Samantha Showing off her new rank certificate with Andrew Plitt.

 Elizabeth receiving her new Level 1 White Sash.

 Elizabeth receiving her White Sash certificate.

 

Elizabeth showing off her new rank certificate with Andrew Plitt

Congratulations to all of these students for their hard work, perseverance, and achievements!  We're proud to have them training with us!

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!

Workshops Announcement

This is just a heads up to let you all know that some of the workshops that were listed on our Workshops and Seminars page have been canceled.  To see a list of the workshops that are still scheduled for this month please visit our Workshops and Seminars page.  We hope to see you all at these upcoming events!  :)

Upcoming Intro Tai Chi Class in Martell, CA

A Thought for the Day

When learning Tai Chi and Qigong do not get caught up in the desire to learn the next move or the next technique.  Spend time doing what you already know over and over again.  When you practice this way you will begin to develop a true understanding of what you are practicing; Only then you will be ready to learn something new.

A Fun World Tai Chi and Qigong Day 2013 Celebration!

Yesterday was "World Tai Chi and Qigong Day" (WTCQD), a day where people all over the world gather at 10:00am in there time zones to practice Tai Chi, share ideas and skills, and teach others about these amazing arts.  In Pine Grove, CA at the KSW Karate Dojo we celebrated WTCQD with our Amador County community and enjoyed the incredible talent and knowledge of Sensei Rodney Peoples, the head Sensei and KSW Karate, as he led us through a ten-step breathing and energy cultivation exercise;  the sweet spirited, relaxing and flowing Tai Chi movements taught by the wonderful Marilyn Nutter, Tai Chi instructor in Sutter Creek; awesome chair massages from the talented Andrea Newman, the massage therapist at KSW Karate; and the fun and informative Tai Chi and Qigong workshops led by Andrew Plitt.

There was also free ice cream available to those who attended workshops, and we had smoothies for lunch made from the Pure Trim Wellness Shakes to keep everyone energized and ready for more celebration.

Unfortunately we did not take very many pictures of this event, but we will post the pictures we did take; mostly between workshops.  The good news is, we took a lot of video of the workshops and we will be posting video segments in the very near future.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen and to everyone who attended!  You all made this "World Tai Chi and Qigong Day" an incredibly fun, enjoyable and memorable event!

This is nearly everyone who attended, gathered with our celebration poster made by Samantha Hoarau. :)

 

Some of the wonderful people who attended, sipping on Pure Trim Wellness Shakes, grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying each others company between workshops.

More of the lovely people who attended enjoying a chat between workshops.

In this picture Marilyn Nutter is beginning her wonderful Chi Movement workshop by explaining what we will be doing and the benefits that come from the exercises she will be showing us.  

(Awesome workshop, by the way!)

 And, of course, the fun-stance photo.  :)

We hope you all enjoyed this event as much as we did and, if you were not able to attend this year, we hope you will join our celebration next year on April 26, 2014.  Check back soon for video clips and check out our Workshops and Seminars page for upcoming events.

A Video on Detoxification

When it comes to health, most people know that exercise and proper nutrition are very important, but fewer people understand the importance of detoxifying the body.  If you click on the following link you will be able to view a video by Dr. Joel Robbins M.D., N.D., in which he discusses the importance of proper detoxification in a healthy lifestyle.  He also discusses the ancient Mediterranean herbal blend that we carry on Amador County's Online Health Food Store.  He offers very good information for anyone interested in living in a healthy manner.  Enjoy!

Click the Following Link to Watch the Video:
http://secure.awarenesslife.com/ecard/viewer/index.cfm?vcard_id=149055

Upcoming Workshops

Today was our "Ultimate Fast Food Smoothie Party" where we talked about highly nutritious smoothies that can be made on the go for people with busy schedules that want a healthful alternative to main stream fast food.  We want to say thank you to everyone who came and everyone who helped set it up!

Next weekend we will be having two more events.  The first is the "Upper and Lower Back Health Qigong Workshop" in which we will be going over ancient Chinese exercises that can help keep your back strong, healthy and flexible.  The second is a "Detox Party" in which we will be discussing an ancient Mediterranean herbal detoxification blend that can help with your internal spring cleaning this year.

Below are links to the facebook event pages where you can get more detailed information about these events.  Everyone is welcome to attend!

"Upper and Lower Back Health Qigong Workshop"
https://www.facebook.com/events/448993211847798/?ref=14


"Detox Party"
https://www.facebook.com/events/176422595842206/?ref=14

Chen Style Tai Chi Form Video.

Here is a video we came across on youtube and thoroughly enjoyed it.  We had to share it with you because it is incredible.  Enjoy!

Study Chinese Martial Arts in China

Some people dream of studying Traditional Chinese Martial Arts (TCMA), including Tai Chi and Qigong, in China, but don't know where to start.  When I was planning to go to China to study TCMA I didn't have anyone I could turn to for advice about where to go or what to expect.  I literally just found a website for a martial arts school, saved up money by working while in high school and jumped on a plane three months after turning eighteen.  It was a very exciting adventure, but unfortunately the school I went to, in spite of having good martial arts training, was not a very good school in other respects.  Even though I learned a great deal, and I still think fondly of my time training there, I wish I would have known that there were other schools that I could have attended.

The second time I traveled to China I decided to go to Kunyu Shan Shaolin Martial Arts Academy, a school about which I had heard good things.  When I first arrived I decided I would only stay at Kunyu Shan for a week to see if I liked it, and at the end of that week, if I was not impressed, I would go elsewhere.  The first day I was there I just observed classes to see if they met my expectations.  The first class I observed was a Qigong class taught by a distinguished looking master that everyone called Master Guo.  By the end of the class I was very impressed, and by the end of the week I was hooked.  The training, the environment and, most importantly, the masters were exactly what I was looking for.  I had never met such devoted martial artists in all my life up to that point.  I ended up staying at this school for a year, studying under Master Guo, and by the end of the year I didn't want to leave.  I only wish I had known about Kunyu Shan when I was planning my first trip to China.

If you have a dream of traveling to China to study TCMA, but are not sure where to start, take heart.  It is easier than you think to get there.  The school I attended during my second trip, Kunyu Shan Shaolin Martial Arts Academy, is an excellent place to train and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in studying in China.  The training is top-notch and it is a truly life changing experience that I think everyone should try at least once.  

Below are some pictures of the Kunyu Shan Shaolin Martial Arts Academy.  More information is available at www.chinashaolins.com.  If you have any questions about attending this academy I would be happy to help in any way that I can.  You can also contact the academy directly by clicking here.

 This is the main training hall during a winter snowfall which makes the academy, as well as the surrounding mountains, look like a winter wonderland.

This is the Daoist temple that is a very short distance from the academy.  Students trained here at least once a week while I was at the academy.

This is the walkway from the dorm area to the dining hall and the main training hall.

This is the training courtyard in front of the main training hall.  This is where a lot of training is done during the warmer months.

This is a picture of some of the mountains that surround the academy.

This is the walkway to the main gate and to the dorm area from the dining hall and main training hall.

This is the road outside the academy that goes to the Daoist temple and to a national park.

 

The dining hall.

(The trees in front of the dining hall are used to condition different parts of the body)

The Wing Chun training hall.

A pagoda at the Daoist temple

A picture of the Main Training Hall in sunny weather.

Part of the path from the Daoist temple to the top of the mountain.

This is a picture of all of the masters and students who were attending the academy during my last few months there.

I hope you have enjoyed these pictures, and if you are someone who is looking to train in China, I hope this has made things a whole lot easier on you.