Eight Week Course Information

Wu's Tai Chi Chuan Academy, Archway, runs 5 sets of beginners' courses during the calendar year.

During the summer months (July and August) we do not run a course but will accept students as new members if they wish to join straight away without attending an eight week course.

Class Times

Day	Class Time	Instructor
Monday	6:30 - 8:00 pm	Roy Constantine
Monday	8:00 - 9:30 pm	Susie Collins
Wednesday	6:30 - 8:00 pm	Steve Wright & Neville Cote

Course dates for 2012 can be viewed here.

How much is it ?

The course costs £70 which includes the 8 weeks tuition, an accompanying course booklet "Fundamental of Tai Chi Chuan", Insurance for the year, and a Blue Polo shirt embroidered with the Academy logo. You can pay on line using the Paypal secure payment system. Alternatively pay in class by cheque or cash.

How do I enrol and pay?

You can register and pay on line with our on line registration and payment form. Payment is via PayPal which handles debit and credit card payments securely, and will send you a receipt for your payment which you should bring with you to the first class.

Alternatively you can come along on the open night, or on the first night of the course and fill in the registration form and pay by cash or cheque.

You may also join as a member straight away by downloading a registration form as a printable PDF file that you can either return to us with a cheque for the appropriate amount, or bring with you to the first class.

What Will I learn?

If you have little or no experience of Tai Chi Chuan and would like to gain some knowledge about Tai Chi Chuan the course allows you to learn and experience the movements and relate them to the underlying theory.

At the end of the course we hope you will be able to perform the sequence of the first 14 forms unprompted and unaided. This is the first section of the long form (108 movements of Wu's style Tai Chi Chuan).

We hope also that you will know and understand more about the principles and practice of Tai Chi Chuan

At the end of the course you may,or may not, choose to stay on and complete the beginner's syllabus.

The course comprises:

The course comprises:

• Warm up exercises
• A simple set of top to toe exercises to warm up the joints and muscles
• Individual forms
• The movement sets from which the long form or 108 movements is composed
• The course aims to cover the first 14 forms
• Tai Chi Walking
• A routine exercise that teaches the student to carry their weight properly
• It also acts as a stretching and strengthening exercise
• Applications of selected forms
• Demonstration of the martial application of some of the forms
• This shows the deeper meaning of the forms
• Please be aware this is NOT a self defence course
• Introductory push hands
• An introduction to two person or partner exercise using Tai Chi Principles
• 5 Element Meditation
• A simple physical meditation which you may find useful in everyday life for stress relief and relaxation
• Theory and Philosophy
• An introduction to the the basic ideas and philosophy behind the Tai Chi Movements
• These illustrate the rationale of the movements, and why they are structured the way they are

What should I Wear ?

We recommend loose easy fitting clothes that do not restrict movement e.g a Tee or sweat shirt, track suit bottoms and kung fu slippers, trainers or stocking feet are preferred to bare feet.

Please note that the cost of the course includes a blue polo shirt embroidered with the Academy logo.

There are changing rooms available.

Where is it ?

We are located in the gymnasium at the Furnival building,which is on Highgate Hill very close to Archway Underground station.

What happens at the end of the course?

The aim of the course is to introduce people to Tai Chi so they can see whether or not they like it, and would like to continue learning and practicing. The course covers only the first 14 of the 108 movements of the hand form, there is a lot more to learn, but what you learn on the course provides a sound basis for further study.

At the end of the course you will be asked if you wish to stay at the academy and continue learning. The course fee includes the membership fee for the year (£20) the only ongoing cost will be the monthly subscription (£40) for which you may attend any or all of the beginner's classes available.

Refunds Policy

The payment for the course is non-refundable.

However if your circumstances change or you are unable to complete the course, any unused classes can be held in credit for the year of your membership.

So, for instance if you book and pay for the course and then have to drop out after 2 weeks for whatever reason,you can take up the remaining six lessons at any time in the year for which your membership runs. Or pay the pro rata sum for the previously taken lessons and rejoin a course from lesson 1.