training & development tai chi

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International Tai Chi Coaching

Institute

Guide

To

Tai Chi & Chi Kung Coach

Mentoring Program.



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Introduction:

The ITCCI recognises the role of Tai Chi Chuan and Chi

Kung in the developing world as main stream healthexercises that are proven by the established medical and

scientific communities to grant benefits as both

preventative and as an aid in the recovery or management

of medical conditions.

It is with this awareness that we aim to provide a

recognisable standard of education to prospective andestablished teachers and instructors of these arts based on

our own knowledge and expertise gathered over the

duration of more than 30 years. It is our aim that this

standard becomes the ‘benchmark’ that the public and

health authorities can rely on as a credible professionalstandard where none has currently existed before.

As there are many types or systems of Tai Chi and Chi

Kung we try wherever possible to give a balanced

education as no one system holds advantage over another but rather it is the principles and concepts of all systems

that are relevant to the development of Tai Chi and ChiKung teachers/instructors.

This benchmark is represented through our mentoring

program that follows the coaching ladder of the National

Governing Body the Irish martial Arts Commission andlinks into their Level 1 coaching course at the final stages



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in order to qualify the individual with relevant skills of

coaching.

The Mentoring Program leads to our own certification of a

genuine standard that forms the basis of further education

and does not represent the highest levels attainable in TaiChi and Chi Kung as we acknowledge the martial processes

associated with these disciplines but the program does form

the essential foundation for future development of the

individual should they wish to pursue this aspect of the arts.

We provide choice of experience meaning; those that wish

to focus on the health benefits can do so in a fullknowledge of the concepts and principles and expertise in

the Tai Chi forms and Chi Kung sets with relevant

performance skills that are needed to educate others under

their guidance. While those that wish to increase their skillsand explore the martial dimension of Tai Chi Chuan have a

foundation on which to carry on their education.

In context of our full curriculum the Mentoring program

represents about one quarter of the current knowledge base

on offer by the ITCCI.

Our History and Lineage:

Master Sam Lee is originally from Hong Kong and studied

Choy Lay Fat under Grand Master Lee Koon Hung (Hall of Fame Black belt Magazine). Tai Chi in Hong Kong at age 6



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following in the family tradition learning from his father,

until age 10 when followed the guidance of Wu Tai Chi

Master Law of the Social Welfare Council Hong Kong.

Neil Drew

Born in Cornwall, I studied Wing Chun at age 14. A move

to Bristol & London after leaving school broadened my

martial art experience and I sampled many arts including

Aikido and Lau Gar while still continuing my Wing Chun.

A change in circumstances led me to devote my study to

Yang style Tai Chi Chuan under the guidance of Master Chu King Hun. After relocating to Ireland in the late 80’s I

furthered my studies under Master Ding.

During the course of the last twenty years I have had manyopportunities to meet with many fine masters and glimpse

insights into their practices.

The Mentoring Program

The Mentoring Program assumes that you have had no or

little experience of either Tai Chi and Chi Kung and willdevelop you to a standard of Level 1 Coach within thecoaching criteria as laid down by the Irish National

Governing Body for Tai Chi that of the Irish Martial arts

Commission.



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Experienced practitioners benefit from our system as well

as often practices that should be adopted from the onset of

traditional Tai Chi Training can be overlooked in some

schools (from our experience) or bad training habits can

develop which can hinder the development of the

practitioner.

Practitioners who are very experienced and are competent

that they have the correct practices for their development

are invited to join us as an affiliate so that we can further develop our standards and vary our training programs to

envelop all the styles and systems in as broad a range as

possible for the mutual benefit of coaches and public.

Forms & Styles

Our current program presents two versions of Tai Chi Formthat of the Yang and Wu style.

The Yang form is chosen as the model to develop bodymechanics awareness because of its large circular frame;

the mechanics are more evident for the novice.

The Wu style although a derivative from the Yang style has

kept many components of a original Tai Chi set pre datingmodernisation by Yang Cheng Fu

Yang Cheng Fu has been credited for changing the Yang

Family Form to emphasis health benefits of the art and it is

his style that is most popular in the West. However, thiscaused a division at the time and many of his followers felt



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that it detracted from the martial tradition and thus the Wu

style developed based on the more martial applications.

Many Yang stylists believe the opinion of the Yang form to

be unfounded and misunderstood and that Yang Cheng

Fu’s genius was that he was able to emphasis the healthwithout detriment to the martial applications. To date many

of the Wu forms have gone through changes as well.

The Yang Family themselves present different forms as thelineage divides through the generations and there are

variations on the same theme. More confusion is added to

the Western mind as historically as there are two differentWu styles (Wu & Wuu; different emphasis). Other styles

are the Sun and Chen. Sun style is another system that

derived from the Yang tradition following Yang Chen Fu

and the Chen style is argued as the original Style of TaiChi.

Chen style still taught by the Chen Family claims to havethe original Tai Chi but many historians dispute this and

trace the art back to the Taoist Monks of the Wudang

Mountain.

In fact it is generally regarded that the term Tai Chi Chuan(Grand Ultimate Fist) is a fairly modern appendage to whatin the past may have been called Cotton Fist and even Long

Boxing. But what is evident about these forms that

although designed for fighting they have a knowledge base

rooted in the health arts of the era.



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The ITCCI Mentoring Program draws upon the basic

construction of Tai Chi Chuan based on the Classic Texts

that states original Tai Chi Chuan was composed of thirteen

postures and it is these thirteen postures that are evident in

all Tai Chi Systems and it is the principles and concepts

contained in these 13 postures that defines any system or form as being regarded as Tai Chi Chuan.

Closer examination of all traditional styles shows that these

13 postures are evident in one variation or another butadhere to the principles and concepts of their origins. A

danger to modern society is that many Tai Chi forms and

systems appear to be arising based on limited knowledgethat do not have the postures and principles evident but are

based on a more aesthetic look than any real content.

So what you will learn on our course is the concepts andprinciples and the thirteen postures that all Tai Chi is based

on. Many Schools today omit this part of the education and

so the teacher does not have a clear idea of the foundationof Tai Chi and cannot understand the building blocks of

how a form can be developed.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the core of most

martial arts and not just Tai Chi. However all too often it is

not given as part of the teachers’ instruction or knowledge.

Its importance lies is the very fabric of each movement of Tai Chi as it is upon the knowledge and activation of the



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bodies energy force that both Tai Chi and Chi Kung

address through their characteristic movements.

Understanding TCM gives you the coach a higher

understanding of the movement principles and how the

posture affects the body energy and indeed how movementcan manipulate the flow and how to get the best from your

own training and that of your students after qualifying.

Bio Mechanics

The physical dimension of the form ties in with the

theoretical knowledge of TCM. Examining what weunderstand as correct posture to reach a new level of

understanding of how the body transports energy and how

physical adjustment can change or affect this dynamic and

how movement can influence this force is really what our program teaches you.

Through the progression of learning form you will alsolearn how the body can project energy through kinetic

posture testing a traditional method of teaching students

about structure and providing bio feedback in order to fine

tune the mechanics and arrive at a sensation of energy.

Meditation and Focus

Part of the energy process is reliant on the mental stimulus

of energy and the tradition of Tai Chi Kung has developed

many forms meditations.



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The ITCCI Mentoring Program gives exercises in aspects

of this essential development.

Chi Kung

Chi Kung is being more and more regarded as a separatecurriculum these days but as we can see the basis for Tai

Chi is in Chi Kung. Chi Kung sets existed before Tai Chi

and the principles are twinned so to study one is to study

the other.

Many Chi Kung sets emphasis martial training but we

choose from the tradition of Chi Kung developed more for health as this is where the majority of demand in the

western world is in regard to Chi Kung and many of the

martial attributes can be obtained by doing health Chi Kung

without risk of damage to the body which these martialsystems sometimes risk.

We will present two traditional sets that are effective todaywith many uses for health. More often or not the Tai Chi

Coach will present Chi Kung as an additional class

providing extra income revenue but it can be developed as

part of a class based exercise within Tai Chi.

Warm Ups and Cool Downs

We separate these exercises from Chi Kung and Tai Chi

although, they have purpose as Chi Kung and Tai Chi

development, but these exercises are chosen as they fallinto good coaching practice. Warm ups and Cool downs are



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stand alone exercises that prepare the body and cool the

body down are an essential part of any exercise routine and

stop the energy from dissipating at the end of a session and

from stress through being unprepared at the beginning of a

session.

Push Hands

Single Push hands in a static position helps to re enforce

the common Tai Chi principles are ensures that themovement, posture and mindset are accomplished in a

controlled but pressured situation.

Single Push hands is a two person exercise that helps to

train sensitivity and response to energy and force and is

useful as a bonding tool in corporate settings as compliancy

is required from both partners in the learning stage to makepush hands work before a freestyle approach can be

adopted.

Although nowadays much stock is placed in competitive

push hands we prefer to use the technique as a means to

train the self and investigate deficiency in techniques which

when found can be strengthened. This applies mentally as

well as physically.

Single Push Hands is a starting block that leads to more

complex two person techniques that are not required on the

Mentoring Program but can be learnt on subsequent

workshops.



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History of the Art

Knowledge of the History and Origins of Tai Chi gives the

coach an essential perspective on the development and

changes of the art forms up to current day and provides

answers to the inevitable questions we constantly get askedas coaches and teachers.

How old is Tai Chi?

What Does Tai Chi Chuan mean?Who started it? …….and so on.

The teacher or coach who fails to answer these questionswith a degree of certainty is often the coach that loses the

respect of their students who expect a teacher and guide to

be well versed in all the aspects of the art including the

history.This knowledge also gives the coach a sense of lineage

which is the traditional measure of standards within Tai Chi

Chuan.

Knowledge of lineage is essential to ones peers as much as

it is to yourself and once again your knowledge in this area

will inspire confidence in you and your classes.

Your Requirement

What is required from you? Well the Mentoring program

requires a willingness to learn, a dedication to practice and

a desire to not only do Tai Chi & Chi Kung for your ownbenefit but also for the benefit of others.



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You should be in reasonable health that is to say you are

able to stand and move about without assistance and fit

enough to attend two full days of physical but gentle

exercise. Consult your doctor if you are unsure.

If you do have any physical disabilities or injuries it does

no necessarily exclude you but talk with us first to advise

you on limitations.

Level 1 Coaching Course

In addition to our own specific teaching it is a requirementnowadays to have a coaching qualification under EU

guidelines when teaching or instructing sport and

recreational based activities.

In Ireland Tai Chi Chuan falls under the umbrella

organisation and National Governing Body the Irish

Martial Arts Commission (IMAC).

IMAC was awarded National Governing Body NGB Status

for martial arts practised in Ireland by the Irish Sports

Council (ISC). The ISC oversee sport and recreation on

behalf of the Minister of Sport & Tourism.

Due to it recognition as a martial art (as well as a health

practice) Tai Chi comes under the jurisdiction of IMAC

who regulates good ethical practice and quality and

standard of all its member arts and associations of varyingmartial art systems.



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As part of the NGB status all sporting and recreational

bodies took part in the National Coaching Development

Program and are in the process of devising standards of

coaching that can be applied to the various NGB’s in order

to ensure and improve quality and delivery of expertisewithin each field. This program is co ordinated through

Coaching Ireland (formally; National Coaching Training

Centre) based in Limerick University Campus.

IMAC has developed coaching standards in line with the

NCDP and with its approval issues certificates of standard

upon completion of its courses. This standard also meetsthe requirement of the EU.

At present the majority of Tai Chi Teachers within Ireland

practise without membership to IMAC and without thenecessary coaching qualification, however although the

requirement is not yet enforced as legislation, Insurance

companies are increasingly asking for membership as arequirement with relevant qualifications. Many insurance

companies currently offer a discount as an incentive for

NGB membership.

As time moves forward it will become more difficult for those who are not coaching qualified to become insuredand thus they will operate outside of good practise and

legal security.

Our program ensures that you are accepted as a member of the NGB through our organisation and that you will gain a



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level 1 coaching certification which is the foundation level

of IMAC coaching development program.

The Level 1 coaching course itself requires full attendance

to its workshops that will give you the knowledge required

for basic coaching skills and is generic knowledgeapplicable to any sport or activity with a few sport/activity

related modules.

As part of coaching requirements you will be required tohold a current first aid certificate which our course also

provides for.

In addition to this you will also be required to attend a

Child Protection Welfare Course which is provided by the

IMAC.

As Tai Chi Coaching Development Officer for IMAC I

(Neil Drew) have played a strong role in the development

of the coaching program and as a graduate Coaching Tutor often lecture on the coaching course modules. This means

that the ITCCI is the best placed course to ensure your

standard from the outset falls in line with all the

requirements of the IMAC Tai Chi coaching development

ladder, not only for level 1 stage but subsequent coursesshould you choose to pursue that path as well.

Chi Kung at present does not have any representative NGB

or governing body standards laid down for its practise. Weat the ITCCI understand that Chi Kung practise follows



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many of the same principles of Tai Chi and in fact many

regard Tai Chi as a kind of Chi Kung.

With this in mind it is our aim to create a national standard

and to develop coaches with good and ethical practices that

will become a benchmark standard for Ireland. There aremany types of Chi Kung emerging from China and Asia

and it is endeavour to research more information about the

various types of Chi Kung and keep you abreast of all the

latest news and skills within this field including broader arts such as Tibetan Lu Jong.

Neil Drew

Director of Coaching Services.

Copyright ITCCI 2009

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