Tai Chi Happy Hour - Fridays @ 4pm - Body Balance Studio

Got chi? Come on over to Body Balance Academy every Friday from 4-5pm for open practice.  It's not a class. It's time for all students at all levels to come practice their forms in our beautiful Bamboo Studio. Enjoy the flow, whether you are learning fundamentals, Yang Long Form, Straight Sword, Ba Gua or Xing Yi.  The doors will be open. See you there.

Dancing in the chair - Dr. Zibin Guo's Wheelchair Tai Chi Chuan

Applied Taiji is the name for the modern application of the ancient principles of Tai Chi. Dr. Zibin Guo developed this seated Tai Chi form for people who use wheelchairs or who cannot stand for the duration of the form for any reason.  Think of it as a way to continue to gain the benefits of practice during illness or injury (as I learned so well over the past year after I broke my left ankle).

Wheelchair Tai Ji was demonstrated at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Here are photos from the Applied Taiji website.

Here's a video of the 13 posture Applied Taiji form.

Now you don't have to imagine how the ancient principles may be available to all, whether seated or standing.

If you want to study further, this page  includes information on using Tai Chi to reduce pain. It has a chart that describes the muscles involved in back and neck pain compared to the muscles used in several Tai Chi forms. You'll see how and why the relaxation of Tai Chi can work to rehabilitate these muscles.

Tai Chi Benefits to Parkinson's Patient

Early Monday evenings, when other folks are rushing home from work, a group of 10 men and women who are in their 50s or 60s quietly learning the art of tai chi.

At St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Ill., Ron Taylor takes his spot in the front row, right next to his instructor Yi Karpen. He moves slowly and deliberately, just like all of his classmates. Yet in his eyes, a look of quiet determination shows he’s here for a serious reason.

Taylor isn’t taking tai chi only for the benefits of relaxation — he’s in the class because he is doing his best to beat Parkinson’s disease. While reading one of his Parkinson’s publications, he found an article touting the benefits of tai chi. Right away, he decided to try it out.

Taylor, who lives in Pleasant Plains, Ill., is dealing not only with Parkinson’s but also a crushed vertebrae and neurological problems with his left leg.

Read the full story here.

Jean Kono Black Sash Celebration

Wow! If you missed Jean Kono's Black Sash performances Friday May 4th at Body Balance Academy, you missed multiple and repeated demonstrations of his power, grace, internal and external strength, speed and talent. The Double Broad Sword and Broad Sword Vs. Open Hand were my favorites.

Every one of the Kung Fu demonstrations was stellar from the kicking Kung Fu Kids to the white sash forms all the way to the brown sashes and black tips. Stay tuned for photos from the event.

Thanks very much to the parents, family and friends of Body Balance students who support and encourage us to pursue our practice.

Xie xie to Summer Lujan for producing the event.

And finally, much gratitude to Shih Fu Eileen Hancock for creating this amazing community of Tai Chi and Kung Fu practitioners and holding up the Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu traditions.