Tai Chi classes in Hua Hin

What is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi is an ancient holistic Chinese martial art that is primarily practiced for its health benefits. Ever-increasingly popular in the West, Tai Chi practitioners seek to utilise internal energy (Chi) for self-development, good health and self-defence. Emphasizing complete relaxation, it has been called 'meditation in motion'. Unlike the hard martial arts, Tai Chi is characterized by soft, slow, flowing movements.

Tai Chi is an ideal form of exercise for a busy life-style, whatever your age or level of fitness, and has many healing and stress-relieving benefits.

Benefits
The health benefits of Tai Chi are well known. Medical research shows that these include:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Enhancing immune function
• Lowering blood pressure
• Higher energy levels
• Improving balance and posture

We will be offering classes in the Yang style short form (sometimes referred to as the Beijing short form). The classes will be based on the instruction passed down from Master Yang Zhenji and Master Yang Zhenduo.

The Yang style short form was created from the long form in 1956 by four masters, as a way of making Tai Chi more accessible to the mass population in China.

Depending on the instructor the short form will entail about 24 postures, where as the long form can be between 88 and 108 postures (although many postures are repeated). The decision to study the longer form would be the decision of the student and his teacher
when the student has reached the stage where they have sufficient understanding of the postures. Please note that it is not necessary to move onto the longer form to gain health and fitness benefits.

For those of you with no previous experience, please do not worry, Tai Chi is essentially a soft form of the martial arts which is suitable for all ages and virtually all levels of physical fitness. Although it is always advisable to have your health checked before any new physical activity, especially if you have been inactive for some time.

For those of you with some previous experience you must be aware that there are many aspects and variations to Tai Chi (as with all martial arts). Even acknowledged masters within the same style differ slightly in their approach and details. Indeed many of the masters are constantly refining their understanding of the form.

The instructor has studied Tai Chi for many years, commencing his training with the Yang style short form. Eventually he studied the Yang style long form before studying the Chen style form.

The length of classes will fluctuate slightly (roughly 65-75 minutes) depending on the students attending and their fitness level. Each class will start with some warm up and stretching exercises, followed by instruction in the Yang style form (including simple Push Hands if body structure is understood). Classes may end with stretching, standing meditation or some simple Qi Gong (Chi Gung) depending on student requirements.

There is no specific equipment needed for classes, just comfortable loose fitting clothes. If you are unaccustomed to training in the heat it is advisable to bring along a bottle of water. It is requested that all mobile phones are turned off before classes commence and students arrive on time as a respect to both teacher and fellow students.

Tai Chi classes at our camp:
Wednesdays 08:30 - 10:00
Saturdays 08:30 - 10:00

Yoga classes in Hua Hin

Open Yoga Retreat

What is Yoga?
Yoga is best known as a type of exercise system that stretches and strengthens the body through various poses known as Asanas but Yoga goes far beyond just a mere exercise routine. One of the most compelling reasons to begin practicing is the holistic outlook it takes - working mind, body, and spirit. The word 'Yoga' comes from the Latin 'yoke' - to join together. It is the union of body and mind. This rings true for all types of Yoga but the style you prefer will depend on your personal goals and lifestyle. In every style of Yoga, the aim is the attainment of optimal physical, mental and spiritual health.

What are the benefits of Yoga?
Yoga has enormous benefits both Physical and Mental. These are well known and well researched. Here are a few:

Physical Benefits:

• Increasing Flexibility and lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons
The well-researched Yoga positions exercise the many different tendons and ligaments in the body and act upon the various joints, improving flexibility dramatically.

• Pain Prevention
Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who suffer from back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car. That can cause tightness and spinal compression, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, both in and out of class, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

• Massaging of all Organs in the Body
Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity, which massages all the internal glands and organs in the body, including those - such as the prostate - that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing practitioners with forewarnings of a likely onset of disease or disorder.

• Excellent toning of the muscles
Muscles that have become flaccid or weak are stimulated repeatedly which sheds excess flab and flaccidity.

• Detoxification
By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, Yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins as well as providing nourishment. This leads to benefits such as better circulation, delayed ageing, increased energy levels and a remarkable zest for life.

Mental Benefits:

• Mental Calmness
Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing, as in Yoga, has the effect of bringing calmness to the mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as watching how you breathe and disengagement from your thoughts, which help to calm the mind.

• Stress Reduction
Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of Yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, seem to melt away during the time you are doing Yoga. This provides a much-needed break, as well as helping to put things into perspective. The emphasis Yoga places on being in the moment can greatly relieve stress on a daily basis, as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate future ones. You will certainly leave a yoga class feeling less stressed than when you started.

• Body Awareness
Doing Yoga will give you an increased awareness of your own body. You are often called upon to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment. Over time, this will increase your level of comfort in your own body. This can lead to improved posture and greater self-confidence.