NORTHANTS TAI CHI CHUAN, KETTERING, NORTHAMPTON.

Qi Gong will also be practiced.

Push hands and self defence practiced.

07999 532765 or bernie@northantstaichi.com for details.

A new class has opened in Weedon - convienient for people wishing to train in an authentic style of Tai Chi Chuan from Weedon/Daventry area. Please contact John Baker for details.

Some Changes to Classes in Kettering

Tuesday evening classes will soon be taken over by John Baker who will run the class in the same format as it has always been. Occosionally Bernie will turn up to train ( not teach) from time to time.

John who will be running the Tuesday evening class is also a qualified personal fitness instructor and works professionally as a gym coach. He has been studing Tai Chi for 4 years and is 'inside the door' level.

John is also available for private classes and has a keen interest in Tai Chi for health and rehabilitation after an illness. He can be contacted through 07983 078297

Kettering, the last sunday of every month Long Form from beginning to end, sabre, spear, and sword froms also practiced. Nei Kung depending on who turns up. Students countywide welcome. This class is closed to beginners.

Medieval Martial Arts, English and European.

One Tuesday a month I intend to train in traditional English and European martial arts, using Talhoffers Fectbook and Browns English Martial Arts as reference guides. The aim is to build experience in this area and have a good workout. Anyone interested call me ! 07999 532765.

Beginning Tai Chi

Check out the updated classes page for a class near you, if you are a potential new student of Tai Chi ensure that you attend a teacher who is qualified and registered with the Tai Chi Union of Great Britian- the only official governing for body for qualified teachers of real Tai Chi Chuan.

follow link to TCUGB website http://www.taichiunion.com/

Beginners classes in Kettering soon as well as self defence courses- an ideal christmas or new year gift !

Northampton boasts more classes and Taoist meditation class Friday evenings at Weston Favel.

My elder brethern is establishing his own class also in Northampton- follow link to his website

http://www.3-peaks.net/taijiquan.php

Coungs standard and ability are fantastic and has worked very hard and won countless competitions at national and international level, he is also a qualified personal trainer and a heck of a nice fella !, for one on one personal training Coung Sam is definatly the man to talk to!

From everyone at Northants Tai Chi we wish Coung every success and happiness with his new club and know perfectly well that he will succede.

Ok !, instead of muggins doing all the rigmarole of negotating prices paying, hanging on to stuff for weeks, anyone interested in haggeling is welcome to come along to my weapon supplier and DO their OWN haggeling ect, also I'm sure we can get some training and insights whilst there ! plus it will be a good day out !

any takers, you should know how to contact me by now for crying out loud !!

bernie@northantstaichi.com 07999 532765

China Trip Easter 08.

I'm aiming to organise a trip to China during Easter 2008. The visit will include time and some training on Wudang Mountain, visits to centers of Martial Arts interest, such as Shaolin monastery, which will also include some training with the monks. I'm intending to include some time in the Purple Bamboo park in Beijing to train with and push hands with the locals which can be very interesting and quite good fun. Along with being in China it is a fantastic way to pick up some very good deals on weapons and training equipment which when bulk bought and transported saves a fair few pounds !!.

The cost I anticipate will be no more than £1500, and this includes all air fares including internal flights in China, all transport costs, all hotels and accomadation, and 99% of food.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsvCQ7g42Ok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNPRsITWEXU

'Be Carefull Now !! This is for Real !!

I have some really cool heavy duty Hoodies with the Yinyang symbol in all sizes and some fantastic tee shirts from Wudang and Shaolin for sale--- 07999 532765, see me at training or give me a call, they are selling fast.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=167559981

Training resumes as per usual.

Enjoy some piccy's of China trip at http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/5324105 I have taken over 2000, so these are a sample of the greater amount, some more detailed and indepth photos can be seen at a presentation on Taoism, Tai Chi Chuan, and the history and signifcance of Wudang mountain, which I aim to do in the second thursday of May 7pm @ The Wayfarers Pub. The talk is open to everyone ( except Chuangtzu, you know who you are !) however there will be a cover charge of £5, part of which will be donated to The Taoist Restoration Society.

Now back from China and some fantastic opprotuinites to train with a REAL Professor of Tai Chi, Li Deyin of Beijing University, and Taoist Monk and Tai Chi Master Zhong Xueyong and his students on Wudang Mountain, even got to have dinner with the Minister for Sport !!,

Master Zhong and Bernie on Wudangshan.

Wudang Taoist Sword Master, tea drinker of extraordinary abilities, with a ready smile and reasonable goatee beard, Zhang Jia Li. I had the opprotuinity to spend a little time with Zhang and watching his students train. Zhang is probably the best swordsman I have ever seen move !, despite the language barrier we had a laugh, if you invite Zhang for tea make sure you have plenty of time and lots and lots of tea !!

On way to the top Of Wudangshan, to the Golden summit.

The Kettering club played host to Master Chen Li from Beijing on thursday 29 June. Master Chen is in the UK promoting links with english clubs and associations for cultural exchanges and study trips in martial arts to China. Master Chen took the class for a traditional Qi Kung training session. The lesson focused on the Dao Yin of five animals, which went down very well with the class. Master Chens approach was excellent and helped students individually with some of the more technical moves. The class was also treated to an excellent demonstration of the Beijing Tai Chi form. Master Chen will return next year so hopefully we can have a longer session. A big thank you to Master Chen Li for his visit. Master Chen can be contacted on greatchenlei@yahoo.com You can visit www.scic-beijing.com for more details of exchange.

Nuff said !

Northants Tai Chi team at Nottingham. Left to right Alex, Nathan, Pete, Bernie, Brett, and Coung. The team successfully picked up the 'Best Looking Team' Award again this year, sponcered by Donaldsons Optitions.

WILL WE EVER HEAR THE END OF IT ! WELL DONE ALEX, ON TO THE BRITISH OPEN !

ALRIGHT BIG 'EAD !! NICE ONE PETE, KEEP IT UP !, (THE TRAINING) duh !!

Royal Armories Visit 2005, Medieval Sword and Buckler course,

Frank in action at sabre workshop, but pondering wheather he left the iron on before leaving home in the morning !

************************ FAREWELL TO MASTER CHENG TIN-HUNG*************************

Dan Docherty, Master of Wudang Tai Chi Chuan, historian and writer on Tai Chi gave a master class on Tai Chi Chuan in Northampton on March 12. He demonstrated his profound depth of knowelege and its practical application to this often misunderstood martial art. Students who attended progressed with understanding the arts and were given valuable corrections and shown new techniques by the Master himself. Dan attends Northampton at regular intervals, so do not miss out on his next visit if you want to improve your Tai Chi !!!!!

Kettering students success at British Open Championship

Alex Barinov collected TWO gold medals at this years British Open Tai Chi Championships held in Oxford on 10 April. In both disciplines of Fixed and Moving step Pushing Hands Alex skillfully out-witted and manouvered his opponents to clench his double victory. Alex has worked hard over the past two months and has had the 'full weight' of the Kettering Club to 'push' him hard.

Along with Alex's success Paul Russell clenched Silver and Bronze at Fixed and Moving. Considering that Paul has only been training since January he competed against opponents with years of top level competition experience, so hats off to Paul who has done the club proud yet again.

Alex shows of his well deserved 'Gongs'.

The best looking Tai Chi team award was picked up by Kettering. The event was sponcered by Specsavers.

Cuong will continue to train with the national team but will also continue to train with us at Northants Tai Chi.

Congratulations and all our best wishes are with you Coung. Rob and Coung at Bccma National Championships 2004.

Coung relaxes pretending he is a myopic western gunslinger after eating a vindaloo !!!

Rob Kitson, senior student at Kettering took Gold at fixed and moving step at pushing hands at the BCCMA National Championships earlier this month. Rob has a dedication to the art that is rare and the fruit of his hard training has born fruit, this enables Rob to compete in Bejing Tai Chi Championships, however prior commitments prevents Rob going to compete in China this year at least !!. Robs success at national level is indebted to Cuong Sam who Rob trains with on a regular basis, and who is also a formidable force on the competitive sceen.

Watch out for further competitions news and successes and defeats!, Remember Keep Training !

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WESTERN MARTIAL ARTS, 14TH, 15TH AND 16TH CENTURY ENGLISH AND EUROPEAN

Recently through my interest in weaponry I have began to look at the martial arts of England and Europe because of the rich history and skill of the martial artists of that age. The advent of ballistics and military technology reduced the need for close quarter hand to hand fighting and the use of hand held weapon skills but an emence amount of knowelege still survives and groups are training in revival Western Martial Arts ( NOT RE-ENACTMENT ). Through the later part of this year I will be training with two of the most dedicated groups, The Exiles, and The Boars Tooth, anyone with an interest in WMA or doing some training please get in contact !! bernie@northantstaichi.com

CD-ROM OF SHORT FORM.

http://martialintext.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk

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