Taijiquan is an internal martial and movement art from China that is based on the principle of complementary polarity (Yin & Yang) of Daoist philosophy.

The focus here is on developing a mindful spirit, centering the mind, body and movement, and strengthening the inner body structures. Soft and gentle movements characterize the outer image, which is occasionally supplemented by explosive movements.

Exercises with weapons such as the sword, sabre or spear are also part of this system and ultimately Tuishou (the pushing hands) offers the opportunity to approach the martial aspect of Taijiquan in a careful, controlled and playful way.

Nowadays, this art enjoys great popularity mainly because of its positive effect on our health and our being. Mind and body benefit equally from this method and a practitioner of this art can face everyday stress in a relaxed and grounded way.

First and foremost, it is about acquiring useful qualities. We develop a better quality of life through, among other things:

• more relaxation, balance and mobility
• a healthier posture and finer coordination in movements
• more vitality and strength through stronger deep structures (fasciae)

Taijiquan promotes our quality of life through, among other things:

• more mindfulness, clarity and concentration
• more calm and serenity
• better self-awareness
• the joy of discovering our own being and body
• an understanding of the mechanisms through philosophy

Here I would like to shed some light on my teaching methods so that you can get an idea of my training.

Level 1

At the beginning of our training, I teach the theoretical & practical basics of Taijiquan.

This includes, among other things:

• A simple understanding of the philosophy behind Taiji boxing
• Organizing mind and body by pole standing (Zhan Zhuang)
• Basic movement patterns such as:
• weight shifts & steps
• leg- and armspirales of Silkreeling
• bending, stretching and twisting
• Various basic exercises (silk thread pulling in variations)
• The development of expansive power (Fajin)
• The 1st form in the old frame (Laojia Yilu)
• Grundlagen der schiebenden Hände (Tuishou)

Level 2

Here I accompany you from the outer form to the inside. The basics of level 1 will now be combined with all the movements of Taijiquan.

This includes, among other things:

• The integration of the centered stance from the pole position into all positions
• Connecting the basic exercises with the 1st form.
• Learning other forms for more flexibility, endurance and strength.
• Deepening the principles of Tuishous
• Expanding body awareness outwards in the partner exercise.

Further Levels

In all further steps we work more inwards until intention (Yi) and movement are understood and can be used effortlessly.

There is no final destination here, because the true path is boundless and the further we go, the further we see.

Finally, I would like to briefly explain the difference between teaching in courses, individual training and seminars.

In course training, you practise in a group. Therefore, the pace may sometimes be a little slower, but the motivation factor (the group dynamic) is higher and such a course is also easy to integrate financially into everyday life.
This type of learning is particularly suitable for those who like to get started straight away (i.e. learning by doing). All the basics are also taught here, but they are interspersed throughout the ongoing lessons.

In individual training, the focus is entirely on the student. The training is more organized and is aimed specifically at the needs of the individual.
This type of lesson is particularly suitable for people who want to make faster progress, who have no other choice (are working in the evening) or who do not want to practise and learn in a group for personal reasons.

Depending on the content, workshops are aimed either at beginners who want to come into contact with the subject or at advanced students who want to practise intensively and deepen their knowledge over a period of time in order to make faster progress or overcome obstacles.

They are not a substitute for proper and regular training. True Gong Fu (practice time) is formed by training that fits into your daily life. Attending 3 or 4 seminars a year will not lead to satisfactory results and without the supervision of an experienced teacher, the likelihood of straying from the Taijiquan path is very high.