About our Instructors

Name: Stan - Taijiquan Instructor.
Occupation: Retired Self Employed Joiner
Location: North Wales
Previous Martial Arts Experience: None

In 1994 I had been running my own successful business for over 10 years,
I realised that in order to relieve the constant stresses and strains of every day life I needed
something to not only relax me, but also to maintain a good level of fitness.
Working 7 days (and evenings) a week was taking it’s toll on me, I really needed some time to myself,
So I decided to take up swimming at my local sports centre in Halewood, Merseyside.
Sunday morning then became my time to relax...
It was there I noticed a leaflet advertising a Tai Chi Class,
Every week a looked at the leaflet, every week the Yin Yang sign seemed to call to me.
After a couple of weeks, I decided to take a look at what it was all about.

I remember I was invited in by a very calm Chinese man and an enthusiastic group of people.

I sat down and instantly began to feel relaxed, the movements where so graceful.
The best part of an hour passed by in a flash, it felt like I’d had been for a long relaxing sleep,

I resolved to take part in next weeks class. My journey had begun.....

Classes began with warm up exercises, basic movements followed by the ‘Form’.
It felt as my brain was turning inside out, the movements were so relaxing,
they seemed to unlock the twists and locks in my body.
The simplest movements released waves of ‘good feelings’ and a sense of achievement.....

Soon, I took up a Tuesday night class too.
For the first time in years, I had actually allotted an evening to myself, this was unheard of...

Being a joiner I thought I was reasonably co-ordinated, but I soon began to notice I was actually quite one sided,
my left hand and left foot would not do as they were told... interesting!!!

‘Relax’, ‘Calm Down’ was the words I remember my very patient teacher Kam Lau telling me,
He would show us a move, it looked so simple, we would then try repeat it, ’This was not as easy as it looks!’ I thought.

However after a few goes, something would click and we would get the idea, we would then repeat it, over and over again, little by little we would start to build up the sequence of moves known as ‘The Tai Chi Form’,
coupled with basic movements and Chi Kung the hour passed by so quickly,

Every week I looked forward to my Tai Chi Classes, it was after all where all the stresses of life were banished for one hour, maybe this was part of the reason it was so relaxing and my body craved for more?

Weeks turned to years and I continued my studies with my teacher Kam Lau.
After ‘The Yang Form’ came, Chi Kung, Breathing Techniques, Push Hands and always more refinement of the movements.
 
It was then a great privilege to meet and train with the world renown Taijiquan Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang.
Grandmaster Chen is the 11th generation heir of Chen Style Taijiquan.
Each year since 1997 our school  has hosted a series of seminars with Grandmaster Chen.
Seminars I have attended include: Silk Reeling, Chen Style Taijiquan, Chen Applications, Straight Sword, Broadsword,
Yin Yang Chi Kung and Cannon Fist Taijiquan Form.

I began teaching in 2004 and have since entered Area and National Tai Chi Competitions.
Having literally Calmed Down, I retired from my business in 2006 and now hold my own Tai Chi classes in Wales and around the Merseyside Area, still of course under the guidance of The Kam Lau School of Tai Chi Chuan.

Taijiquan is an activity that people from of all walks of like can take part in, offering something for both young and old
not only is it is beneficial to health, it is also a martial art of the highest order.
To conclude: I would encourage everybody to take up Taijiquan.

Remember you cannot undo the tensions of a lifetime in a day, patience is required but the rewards are great.