There are many styles of internal martial arts. Tai Chi Chuan is one of them, but even among tai chi chuan, there are different varieties: Cheng style, Yang style, Wu style. Each of them have their own signature in terms of movements.
Tai Chi Ireland focuses on the Southern Wu Style which is slightly different to the more classical Northern Wu Style. Last weekend, Tai Chi Ireland organised a workshop on the Northern Wu style with Tina C Zhang. Most of the movements are similar, but certain postures characterise the northern wu style, mainly the ox plow stance.
Tina Zhang patiently showed us the Northern Wu style short form through a long day of martial art work. Tina offered us tips, which we will be able to apply to our general tai chi practice, in a very simple, natural way. I was glad to learn the Northern Wu style, but it was also a priviledge to train with Tina.
She is a patient and dedicated teacher and a real inspiration, especially for any woman wishing to practice tai chi.
Here is a youtube video in which she is doing the Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan:
September 9, 2011 at 12:14 am
Greetings. I am trying to obtain a dvd of Northern Wu Tai Chi. I already have your book, but a dvd would assist me in my learning (flow of movements, etc). Do you have one available, or do you know of one? Thanks
Jeff Pollard
September 10, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Sorry, Jeff. I can’t help you with that. But if you visit Tina Zhang or Frank Allen’s website or contact them, I am sure they’ll be able to help you. Look at my Links page.