Chattanooga Tai Chi and Qi Gong Classes
Eastern-based exercises such as Qi Gong and Tai Chi have been shown in western medical studies to be helpful with alleviating mental and physical stress, lowering blood pressure, building immunity, and improving health. The routines are relatively easy for people of all ages to learn and provide a life-time of enjoyment and health benefits.
Our center offers instruction in both Tai Chi Chuan and a variety of Qi Gong exercise routines. Training is provided within our paid classes ($20/class or $60/month for unlimited sessions) and we also provide open practice periods for the Chattanooga community (by donation).
Tai Chi Classes are offered Tuesdays from 6:30pm-8pm and Saturdays from 9:00am-10:30am (see our hours and events for complete schedule). To learn the form well you should attend at least 1-2 classes per week and practice daily.
For beginners, there is a free qi gong introductory class on Tuesdays from 6:30pm-7pm.
For the community we offer open Qi Gong and Tai Chi sessions where you can come to practice. There is no instruction offered during these sessions but the Qi Gong is easy to follow along with (or start on Tuesday evenings in the introductory class which offers basic instruction) and even the Tai Chi can be followed after a few sessions. See our community health events page for more information and to view the full schedule.
About The Yang Style Of Tai Chi Chuan:
Our center focuses on the Yang style of Tai Chi, which is one of the most widely practiced styles of Tai Chi world-wide. We start all students on what is known as the Classical Yang Style Long Form. The form contains 125 movements and takes 25-40 minutes to perform. Most students can learn the form within 3-6 months.
While Tai Chi is ultimately a martial art, most people focus on the well researched health aspects of the routine and that is certainly our focus here. For more details about the history of the Yang style and the lineage through which my instruction comes, see the yang style details page and view some Tai Chi videos.
Qi Gong:
Qi Gong is a sort of umbrella term for all of the martial arts and energetic
exercises including meditation. The more popular Qi Gong routines are generally easier to learn and often serve as warm-ups for the Tai Chi form. Our center focuses on two main Qi Gong routines the Da Peng Gong and Tai Chi Dao Yin routines as taught by Master Tom Tam. The Da Peng Gong routine is focused on removing the physical tension and misalignments within the body which leads to poor health and disease. Tai Chi Dao Yin is a slower more meditative form which focuses on improving the circulation of energy within your body for health and sensitivity. Both are excellent exercise routines that are easy to learn and help you to improve your health and heal disease.
Our Instructor:
Chad Dupuis, our acupuncturist and Tai Chi instructor is well versed in the Yang and Wu styles of Tai Chi along with many forms of Qi Gong. Mr. Dupuis began his Tai Chi studies with the late Dr. Wen Zee, a cardiac surgeon from Shanghai and accomplished student of the famous Wu style Grandmaster Ma Yueh Liang. He learned the Yang style of Tai Chi with 5th generation Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu and his sons Vincent and Gordon. He continues his studies with one of Gin Soon Chu's accomplished Yang style masters, Tom Tam.