Tai Chi Bath is a Tai Chi school located in Bath, New Zealand, offering classes in Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan for people of all ages, abilities, and experience levels. The school warmly welcomes beginners and provides a supportive and inclusive environment for learning and practising Tai Chi.
Classes at Tai Chi Bath are held on two days, Thursdays and Saturdays. Thursday classes include Tai Chi Exercises and Form sessions, suitable for beginners, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. An additional Informal Push Hands session, which is more advanced, takes place from 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM. On Saturdays, the Tai Chi exercises and form class runs from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
The school's main location is at 7 Grove Street in Bath on Thursdays, while the Saturday classes are held at Alice Park, located to the east of Bath. The Saturday class is conducted outdoors, allowing participants to practise Tai Chi amidst the beauty of nature.
Tai Chi Bath follows the full curriculum of Chen-style Tai Chi, where classes are a combination of Tai Chi Exercises and Tai Chi Form. The first hour of each class is dedicated to Tai Chi Exercises, focusing on warm-up exercises, individual Tai Chi exercises, and learning the fundamental principles of Tai Chi. The following hours are dedicated to learning and practising the Chen-style Tai Chi Form, a sequence of movements unique to this style.
The Chen-style Form is taught in parts, with Part 1 learned and practised on Thursdays and the full form taught on Saturdays. While many students attend the classes for the full two hours, it is also possible to attend for only one or one-and-a-half hours, depending on individual schedule preferences. For those with specific medical conditions, attending for just half an hour can be beneficial.
The classes at Tai Chi Bath are designed to be flexible, allowing students to join and leave at any point during the class. The school recognises that life can be busy, and the aim is to provide opportunities for individuals to incorporate Tai Chi into their lives in a way that best suits their needs.
The approach taken by Tai Chi Bath is centred around providing a respite from the fast-paced nature of modern life. The classes aim to create space for individuals to slow down and fully immerse themselves in the Tai Chi experience. Emphasising classical Tai Chi principles, the school encourages participants to spend ample time within each exercise, allowing for deep relaxation and complete attention to the body-person, a concept rooted in classical Chinese philosophy.
Whether you are a beginner or have previous experience in Tai Chi, Tai Chi Bath invites you to join their classes and explore the numerous health benefits for both body and mind that come from practising Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan. Visit their website for more information about class locations, times, and registration.