By Dr. Bob Bacher, Pavones Tai Chi School. Photos © Rey Serna.
WHAT IS TAI CHI?
Tai chi is a martial art based on ancient Chinese culture, medicine, and philosophy.
Millions of people all over the world practice tai chi daily for its wonderful benefits for health and fitness, healing chronic pain and illness, reversing the effects of aging, and relieving stress.
Its gentle flowing movements have a profound calming and soothing effect on your central nervous system, dissolving both physical and emotional stress.
Regular practice of tai chi can relieve back and joint pain and arthritis, stabilize blood pressure, improve circulation, heal illness, and keep your mind and body feeling young and alive.
TRAINING PROGRAM
We teach the original Chen-style in the tradition of Grandmaster Wang Xi’an.
BASIC TRAINING
- How to align your body with gravity to relax and conserve energy – the key to all postures and movements
- Breathing to energize your whole body for vibrant health and well being
- Gentle exercises to loosen up muscles and joints, increase circulation, relieve and prevent joint pain and injuries, and reverse the effects of aging
- Silk reeling – tai chi’s continually spiralling/coiling whole body movements. Silk reeling strengthens and tones muscles, tendons, and ligaments, cultivates powerful energy circulation, improves cardiovascular and lymphatic function, and heals and prevents soft tissue injuries – the most intelligent way to exercise the whole body
- Our Spine Stretch increases spinal mobility and corrects the alignment of spinal vertebrae – the BEST exercise to relieve and prevent back pain and restore youthful spinal pliability for life
- A simple standing meditation to cultivate stillness and total relaxation of body and mind.
SOLO FORM
Solo forms contain all of tai chi’s health-giving and self-defence techniques and are designed to preserve the art for future generations.
Forms teach us correct posture and whole body movement, balance and coordination, and how to relax for healthy qi (vital energy) circulation.
Our training program focuses on the original Chen style Old Frame First Routine, a 75-movement form that is the basis for Chen style tai chi, and the origin of all other major styles.
PUSH HANDS
Partner training exercises to develop self-defence skills, Push Hands is a way to practice and test actual combat techniques without injury.
QIGONG
Internal exercises combine movement with special breathing techniques and visualization to regenerate and strengthen the whole body, and cultivate balanced qi circulation for health, healing, and martial power.
Dr. Bob Bacher has studied and taught tai chi, qigong, karate, yoga, and meditation since 1969. Dr. Bacher combines 35 years clinical expertise as a Chiropractor with his extensive martial art background to teach Chen style tai chi for both health and self-defense. He offers group classes, workshops, retreats, and private vacations at Pavones Tai Chi School in southern Costa Rica on the Pacific coast.
