Video Clips – Tai Chi Exercises

“I have been practicing Tai Chi once a week with Ian Deavin and after 4 years I realised just how much better my back was feeling and that I simply don’t notice my shoulder, which used to be quite painful – so I have started going to classes twice a week and really enjoy it.” - Val Rigby, 81

- "I make time for myself."

- "Good relaxation and feel good."

- "I don’t need to hold onto the bannister rail now when I go up or down stairs."

- "After doing the class I feel calm and able to cope better with stress."

- "My reason for choosing Tai Chi was that I needed to reduce the tension my body would store as a result of normal daily activities and I felt that Tai Chi would be the answer. I needed to persevere in the early months as it was quite a difficult concept to relax and let go of tension by moving with tiny adjustments to my posture. Now it is almost second nature to check and recheck my posture in order to relax and ease the tension.

Looking back to the early months of Tai Chi I learnt how to listen to my body as it told me the discomforts that I had to release and work to ease. When I started I had a knee injury and a lower back niggle which was frequently needing adjustment by a practitioner. My knee is no longer an issue and my back is kept comfortable by small and regular positional checks throughout Tai Chi sessions and exercises and in daily living" - Sheila Biscoe

- "I’d suffered with sciatica for over 10 years and working at a desk bent over a computer screen really didn’t help. I had to have expensive back manipulation and decompression once a month, just to reduce the pain enough for me to function. Tai Chi was suggested to me as something that may help, so I thought “give it a try, what’s the worst that could happen”. By the end of the first month my back pain diminished, and I’ve never needed any treatment since starting.

It worked for me, but I didn’t stop then because I thought, “what else can this do for me?”. I look at Tai Chi as an insurance policy for health and wellbeing as I get older. Don’t believe for one moment that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, or course you can, as an old dog myself I can vouch for that. I’ve been learning Tai Chi for over 4 years and every lesson opens a new door to understanding how I function now, and gives me the tools to become better.

The classes are structured but with no pressure on you and you learn at your own speed. Every teacher I’ve met, including my fellow students, who I also learn from, have been friendly and supportive.  People at the classes are not judgemental on how well you perform, because we are all still learning. Every lesson has left me feeling good and given me something to think about for the next week.

The best bit is that you can do Tai Chi whenever you want, where ever you want. When I’m standing in queues, I’m training. Waiting for my wife while shopping, I’m training. Sitting at the desk, I’m training. Taking the dog for a walk, yes I’m still training. Now it’s a part of my life, and in a good way. My posture is much better, I’m steadier on my feet and feel healthy and well-balanced as a person.

If you feel old and want to feel younger, groan getting up or sitting down, or take longer to straighten your back, or you can’t remember the last time you stood upright, or you think that you’re too old to learn anything new, give Tai Chi a go, you will not regret it. There are over 250 million people doing some form of Tai Chi, so give it a try to feel what they feel" - Steve Milsom

- "I feel more relaxed and my posture is better."

- "Knowing when my posture is bad it reminds me to straighten up, relaxation which can be done at home and also feeling better in my body."

- "Excellent lesson tonight Ian, some seriously impressive stance and posture work" - Liberty Louise

- "I am more aware of my posture – by doing the exercises it has helped with my backaches. My knees are also much improved….I have suffered pain for several years."

- "I was rather apprehensive when I attended my first drop in Tai Chi session! I was made very welcome and found I enjoyed participating in the gentle exercise under the tuition of Ian. Tai Chi has helped my posture and balance, especially when walking" - Janet Hill

- "I have had a bad back for years – but it hasn't hurt since I started Tai Chi – and I saved money on a Physio."

- "Better movement in lower back."