Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced today mainly to restore and maintain health and increase wellbeing. The attack and defence meaning of its forms is mostly hidden within and not displayed on the surface as in external martial arts. Through its focus on body and mind and with the help of gentle exercises tai chi promotes harmony within the body. With regular practice it will improve your balance, coordination and confidence as well as increasing flexibility and reducing stress levels.

Chen-style Taijiquan is the oldest form of tai chi passed on for 14 generations in the Chen Family before it spread more widely. Since then other forms of tai chi such as Yang-style, Sun-style and Wu-style were developed from it. Unlike these, Chen-style Tai Chi has kept the characteristics of ancient Taijiquan, namely the method of ‘twining force’ with hardness and softness moving in harmony and with equal stress on fast and slow movements.

Beate has practiced Tai Chi since 2000 at the Galway Tai Chi Academy and is regularly attending Master Wang Hai Jun's seminars since 2004. She now offers Tai Chi classes in Kinvara, Co. Galway.