Extreme Ping Pong

Doubt this is real...but love it anyway;

End of Term Feeling

This weekend was a grading for the kids and some of the beginner grades adults, and it had a real end-of-term feeling - not least because T had prepared a "report" on each of the kids for their parents. J and S both got high praise...

And then I got a pressie as a thanks for my help during the year - a hand-printed T-shirt with the Chang Quan foundation set on it. Bit of a limited edition, only 3 in existance as far as we know.

Neato!

This sounds like what it feels like

...to learn a tai chi form. Lots of separate things going on that initially seem out of kilter but then all come together to make something fantastic.

(For some reason I can't seem to embed vids properly today...so you have to click on the picture...)

Human Pyramid

This Wednesday's class featured D (who is not exactly a small guy - at least 6 foot and circa 15 stone he says) demonstrating the strength of my Tai Chi square stance by standing on one of my legs. To my surprise, it actually took no effort at all to stay in position - as he had been explaining what he was going to do I had been having visions of my knees buckling and ending up in an injured heap on the floor.

He then got me to go around the room and do the same thing to anyone in the class who dared have a try. Obviously I'm more of a beginner's model.