Holiday Class Schedule

For the upcoming holidays our class schedule is changing to the following:

• Monday, Dec. 22, 2014
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo 
• 9:00am to 10:30am

• Tuesday, Dec, 23, 2014
• NYF Tai Chi 
• 7:00am to 8:00am
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo
• 9:00am to 10:30am

• Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014
• NYF Tai Chi
• Canceled due to Holiday
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo
• Canceled due to Holiday

• Friday, Dec. 26, 2014
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo
• Canceled due to holiday

• Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014
• NYF Tai Chi
• Canceled due to instructor absence 

• Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015
• NYF Tai Chi
• Canceled due to holiday
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo
• Canceled due to holiday

• Friday, Jan. 2, 2015
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo
• Canceled due to instructor absence

• Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015
• NYF Tai Chi
• Canceled due to instructor absence

• Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015
• NYF Tai Chi 
• Canceled due to instructor absence 
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo
• Canceled due to instructor absence

• Friday, Jan. 9, 2015
• Tai Chi at Pine Grove Dojo
• Canceled due to instructor absence

Classes will resume their normal schedule at both New York Fitness (NYF) and the Pine Grove Dojo beginning Jan. 13, 2015.  To see our regular class schedule please visit our Classes page.

We want to wish you all a very fun, happy, and safe holiday season and we look forward to seeing you all in class again in the new year!  Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication!

Specific Dates Available for Private Lessons

Due to a heavy schedule, private lessons have been suspended indefinitely.  However, there are a few specific dates coming up on which private lessons may be scheduled.

The dates are as follows:

• Sun, Dec. 21, 2014
• Mon. Dec. 22, 2014
• Tue. Dec. 23, 2014
• Mon. Jan. 12, 2015
• Tue. Jan. 13 2015
• Wed. Jan. 14, 2015
• Thu. Jan. 15, 2015
• Fri. Jan. 16, 2015
• Sat. Jan. 17, 2015

For more details about private lessons, please visit the "Classes" page.

Or Contact Us

Congratulations to Our New Purple Sash!

On November 8, 2014 Kathy spent 5.5 hours testing for her first intermediate sash.  She worked so hard and earned every bit of her new rank.  Congratulations, Kathy!

Two More Chen Tai Chi 27 Form Videos

Here are the two most recent Chen Tai Chi 27 Form instructional video uploads.  Enjoy!  :)

Moves 17 through 20 of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form

Here are the most recent videos in the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form instructional series.  Enjoy!

15th and 16th moves of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form (Videos)

Here are the instructional videos for the 15th and 16th moves of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form.  Enjoy!  :)









And if you have missed any of the previous videos in this series you can view all of the currently released videos in the following playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAzIKxB72CMAoHkaT3P8FL0_uYeUzvTXc

Move 14 of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form (Video)

Here is the 14th move of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form.  We hope you find this video helpful in your training.  Enjoy!  :)

13th Move of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form (Video)

Here's the most recent upload for the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form instructional video series.  We hope you all enjoy it!

Move 12 of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form (video)

Today the instructional video for the 12th move of the Chen Tai Chi 27 form went live.  We've posted it below in case you missed it on our YouTube channel.  Enjoy!  :)

Tai Chi 27 Form Instructional Video Series

We have been working on editing another instructional video series for you.  It is for the Chen Style Tai Chi 27 Form.  So far we have the first 11 videos posted.  We will continue releasing a new video for this series every week, from this point on, until the entire series is released.  We hope you all enjoy this series and this form.

Below are the videos we have posted so far:

Pine Grove Tai Chi Class Schedule Changing Soon

The schedule for the Tai Chi classes in Pine Grove is going to change soon.  Starting the week of Monday, August 25, 2014 the new schedule will be as follows:

Thursday mornings 9:00 - 10:30

Friday evenings 6:00 - 7:30

Classes will continue on their normal schedule until August 25.  Thank you all for your feedback on the time slots that would work best for you.  Have a great weekend and we'll see you in class on Monday!  

Tai Chi Class Warm-Up Video

I have had some students request a video of the warm-up we do in class so they can use it at home to warm up before training.  It took me a little while to get around to it, but I've finally finished it and I hope you all find it very helpful.  Enjoy.

Pan Gen Qigong Video Series (23 videos)

After several weeks of working on this series it is finally finished and available for everyone to enjoy.

As with the other video series we have posted, the first several videos in this series walk you through each stationary and moving posture of Pan Gen Qigong.  The last 6 videos are follow-along videos that contain no instruction and are simply meant to make it easier for you to schedule a video into your day, to make practicing easy to time and accomplish. 

Pan Gen Qigong (roughly translated as "Turning Foundation" Qigong) is for developing internal power and a strong root for internal martial arts training (such as Tai Chi).  However, the benefits of developing internal power and a strong root extend beyond martial arts training into everyday life.  It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that ailments are a direct result of imbalanced energy flow through the body.  Because this Qigong set places a great deal of importance on developing your internal energy and circulating it through your body, and the postures aid in directing the energy to break up blockages, this Qigong set can easily be used for health purposes, as well as martial purposes. 

For the internal martial artists, the stationary postures aid in developing your root while stationary and the moving postures help you maintain that root while walking in a particular pattern.

I hope you all find this series and this Qigong set useful and I hope you enjoy practicing it as much as I do.  Enjoy! 

No Tai Chi Class on the 4th or 7th

This is just a quick heads up for those students who missed the announcement in class.  There will be no evening Tai Chi class on Friday July 4, 2014 nor on Monday July 7th, 2014.  Classes will resume as usual on Wednesday July 9th.  Have a great time on your 4th of July weekend and be safe!  We'll see you in class on Wednesday. 

Foot & Ankle Strength, Stretch, and Balance Qigong Video

Here is a video of a short, simple exercise that helps strengthen and stretch the feet and ankles.  It's usually practiced after an extended standing Qigong session, but it is excellent for those who wish to improve their balance, loosen up first thing in the morning, or cool down after a run/standing workout.  We hope you all find it useful and enjoy it immensely as you practice.

Seated Meditation/Qigong Video Series

Good news!  We just posted another follow-along Qigong video series.  This time it is a seated Meditation/Qigong video series for those of you who want a break from the standing Qigong sets every now and then.  We hope you all enjoy this series and find it very useful and beneficial.  Enjoy!

Chen Style Tai Chi 27 Postures Form Videos

Here is another set of videos showing the Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) 27 Form, from the front and rear views.  This one is up at the request of those students who are currently learning this form in the morning Tai Chi classes at New York Fitness in Jackson, CA.  We hope these videos are very helpful as you all practice in your spare time.  Enjoy!


This video is a demonstration of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form, from the front.




This video uses "line recognition" effects to help reduce distractions in the video and focus more on the movements only.  It is the same video as above, except for the added effects.




This video is a demonstration of the Chen Tai Chi 27 Form, from the rear.




This video uses "line recognition" effects to help reduce distractions in the video and focus more on the movements only.  It is the same video as above, except for the added effects.

Yang Tai Chi Traditional Saber Form Videos

We have been working hard this summer to put up a lot of instructional, follow-along, and demo videos for our students and fans.  We just posted another video set on you tube and this time it's a demo for the Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Saber Form, filmed from a front view and a rear view.  We hope you enjoy this little demo of one of the many fun forms Yang Style Tai Chi (Tajiquan) has to offer.  These videos were filmed in Pine Grove, CA at the KSW Karate dojo.  If you are interested in learning Tai Chi, please have a look at our class schedule to see which classes work for you.  Enjoy the videos!


This video is a front view demo of the form.




This video is a repeat of the above video in a "line recognition" format that helps remove some of the distractions of the room and draws attention more to the movements of the form.




This video is a rear view demo of the form.




This video is a repeat of the above video in a "line recognition" format that helps remove some of the distractions of the room and draws attention more to the movements of the form.

8 Pieces of Brocade (Ba Duan Jin) Qigong Video Series

We just posted another Qigong video series on YouTube and this time it's for a Qigong set that is considered to be one of the most popular Qigong sets practiced around the world.  There are many versions and variations of the movements in this set, but they all work on the same principles and are considered very beneficial for health.  It is believed by many that this particular Qigong set was developed by the legendary Chinese General, Yue Fei, to keep his troops strong, healthy, and battle ready.  People all around the world now enjoy these exercises to stay fit, strong, and flexible.

In this video series the first video gives you an introduction and explains how the series works.  The next 8 videos each describe one of the 8 movements in this Qigong set.  The last two videos are follow-along videos that are silent, except for quiet chimes that alert you when it is time to change moves.  We hope you all find this series very helpful and useful in your daily exercise routine.  Enjoy!

Zhan Zhuang Qigong Video Series

This is a very exciting update about the latest video series we posted on Youtube today.  This series in unlike any we have posted before because it is a follow-along Qigong set for daily practice.  The first video in this series is the instructional video that explains the movements, postures, breathing, and focus for "Standing Like a Post Qigong" (Zhan Zhuang Qigong), but the other videos include no instructions and are silent excpet for soft chimes that let you know when something is changing (This allows you to stay focused while meditating, without having to peek at the video to see if the posture has changed).  Each of the follow-along videos is set for a different time interval for holding the Zhan Zhuang posture (the first one starting at 1 minute and each subsequent video is a little longer).  This way, one may begin by practicing the 1 minute video daily, until it becomes easy, then they can progress to the next video, and so on.

For those of you who have not heard of Zhan Zhuang before, it is a standing Qigong practice that is considered one of the most important and most foundational Qigong practices for health and for the internal martial arts such as Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan), Xingyi quan, and Bagua Zhang.  It is believed to be one of the best energy cultivating Qigong exercises and is used to help people develop their root and therefore improve their balance.  Maintaining the Zhan Zhuang structure over a period of time helps develop awareness of your body that will cause you to recognize tension in your body of which you were previously unaware.  It will build a habit of holding a body structure that is not only more efficient in martial art movements, but more efficient in daily activities.  This structure is also said to open up the body's primary energy channels and break up any blockages in energy flow, which is one of the main sources of its health benefits.  The relaxation also calms the mind and the deep breathing massages the internal organs to help increase circulation to them, thereby nourishing and cleansing them more efficiently.

We are very excited about this video series and the opportunity to share a simple exercise that you can follow along with and enjoy on a daily basis.

Stepping Sets/ Line Drill Videos

Here is the latest video series we have put together.  It covers all of the Stepping Sets that our students are required to know for their 2nd level yellow sash.  These sets are also very popular exercises among students who are looking to improve their balance and coordination.  Enjoy! 

Video 1 of 11 "Intro"



Video 2 of 11 "Parting the Horse's Mane"



Video 3 of 11 "Wave Hands Like Clouds"



Video 4 of 11 "Diagonal Flying"



Video 5 of 11 "Brush Knee and Push"



Video 6 of 11 "Rooster Stands on One Leg"



Video 7 of 11 "Circle Fists and Twist Step"



Video 8 of 11 "Kick with Heels, Push with Palms"



Video 9 of 11 "Snake Creeps Down"



Video 10 of 11 "Repulse the Monkey"



Video 11 of 11 "Maiden Weaves with the Shuttle"

Thank You to all who Attended Amador County's WTCQD 2014

A very big thank you to Rodney Peoples, Marilyn Nutter, and Patsy Fine who all led such wonderful work shops for World Tai Chi and Qigong Day! I very big thank you to Pete Plitt as well for all the help with setting up, running, and cleaning up the Dojo for our celebration! And I very big thank you to all of the wonderful people who came and made the day so enjoyable! We always enjoy this event and we are glad you all enjoyed it today as well. We hope you all can join us for the world Tai Chi and Qigong Day celebration next year as well!

Unfortunately we did not take any pictures of this celebration, but we did get some video footage of some of the workshops. So stay tuned for that footage to be posted.

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day Schedule Complete

We have finalized the schedule for Amador County's World Tai Chi and Qigong Day celebration.  The first workshop will start at 10:00am, so please try to arrive a little bit early if you plan on attending this workshop.  We are very excited to have workshops led by such wonderful guest instructors, who have volunteered their time to add a great diversity to the knowledge that will be presented at this event.  We look forward to seeing you all there!

Workshop Schedule:
10:00-10:30 - 10-Step Meditation by Sensei Rodeny Peoples
11:00-11:30 - Reiki Undo and Healing Meditation Tai Chi by Marilyn Nutter
11:30-12:30 Lunch Break
12:30-1:00 - An Overview of the 8 Pieces of Brocade (Ba Duan Jin) Qigong set by Andrew Plitt
1:30-2:00 -  "Self-Care Through Energy Work (Qigong)" by Rev. Dr. Patsy Fine
2:30-3:00 -  The Yang Style 8 Posture Tai Chi Form by Andrew Plitt

Amador County's World Tai Chi and Qigong Day Celebration 2014

This is just a reminder that World Tai Chi and Qigong Day is coming up at the end of April.  Everyone is welcome to join us for this fun event and we certainly hope to see you there!  :)

For more info about our World Tai Chi and Qigong Day celebration visit This Page

Only 2 Days Left

If you have been following our drawing for a jar of Pure Gardens Skin Cream on facebook, you are already aware that there are only 2 days left to enter for a chance to win.  For those who are not following this drawing, or missed our last post about it, we want to let you know that there are still 2 days left to enter.  You can enter by visiting our facebook page and following the directions in our post from March 3, 2014.  Or by using the following embedded facebook post.

Post by Ancient Wisdom for The New You.

Best of luck to you all!

Sunday Evening Qigong Classes on Hold

As of today the Sunday evening Qigong classes in Sutter Creek are on hold until June 2014.  Scheduling conflicts that cannot be remedied until June have made it necessary to cancel this class until then.  We want to thank everyone who came to these classes and enjoyed the many wonderful benefits of Qigong with us and we would like to remind you all that Tai Chi and Qigong classes are held three days a week at the KSW Karate Dojo in Pine Grove and you are all always welcome to join us for these classes.  However, if we do not see you again until June, we wish you all the very best in your Qigong practice til then.

For a current class schedule please visit out Classes page.

March Product Giveaway

During the month of march we have decided to run a product giveaway, via our facebook page, for a free jar of Pure Gardens Skin Serum.  This is an all-natural skin cream that your skin will fall in love with instantly.

To find out more about this giveaway and enter for your chance to win follow the link below.  We wish you the best of luck! :)

Post by Ancient Wisdom for The New You.

A Good Video of Tai Chi Benefits

Here is a short video clip about some of the health benefits of practicing Tai Chi.  It's short, but fascinating.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cTlHy7D4uw&feature=youtu.be

Phone Issues

This is just to let you all know that our business phone (209-753-7865) has been on the blink since the first of the year.  The issues was just resolved this morning, so we can receive calls once again.  If you tried reaching us by phone between Jan. 1, 2014 and now we did not receive your call, so please try again.  We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your patience.