TESTIMONIALS (unedited)
Jenny E...
Because I have very dodgy knees, I started tai chi a year ago as a form of gentle weight bearing exercise. Gentle it may be but I soon discovered muscles I didn’t know I had. I usually go home exhausted. However, tai chi is also about letting go so it is a relaxed and satisfying exhaustion.
My knees are still dodgy but they cause me far less trouble and my balance has improved enormously.
Alison makes classes fun with lots of humour. They are small so there is always individual attention and often special exercises if someone has a particular problem such as a sore shoulder or, in my case, is very short.
She explains some of the philosophy behind tai chi and the rationale for the different movements. She is also extremely patient and never minds going over movements many times until we grasp them.
Tai chi is a life long journey. Start now...
Because I have very dodgy knees, I started tai chi a year ago as a form of gentle weight bearing exercise. Gentle it may be but I soon discovered muscles I didn’t know I had. I usually go home exhausted. However, tai chi is also about letting go so it is a relaxed and satisfying exhaustion.
My knees are still dodgy but they cause me far less trouble and my balance has improved enormously.
Alison makes classes fun with lots of humour. They are small so there is always individual attention and often special exercises if someone has a particular problem such as a sore shoulder or, in my case, is very short.
She explains some of the philosophy behind tai chi and the rationale for the different movements. She is also extremely patient and never minds going over movements many times until we grasp them.
Tai chi is a life long journey. Start now...
JayBee...
I am in my mid sixties and a retired Financial executive.
For most of my life, I have tried to live by the old adage that you should endeavour to give a third of your time to each of: family, career and self.... This has been very difficult to achieve at times in the past 40 years! As regards personal time ("self"), my focus has been on cultivation of the mind as well as staying reasonably fit.
After retiring from a long career in Finance, I discovered and started Tai Chi training 4 years ago. It is a great pity it was not 24 years ago...., Tai Chi is now an important interest in my life.....and a major supplement to my daily (western style) gym classes and Yang style Tai Chi practice. My early training was in Yang style Tai Chi, which is a perhaps bit easier than Chen style and less "martial", but very rewarding nonetheless.
I have found over the years that Tai Chi training has brought me numerous benefits: intellectual/emotional benefits (better relaxation, clearer thought processes, better concentration, and appreciation of Chinese culture), physical benefits (better balance, stronger joints, more flexibility), and the personal confidence which comes from progressively learning an effective martial art. Tai Chi is of course particularly valuable as one means of slowing down mental and physical ageing processes… and I am certainly planning to continue until I am well into my 80s (if fortune favours me!).
My deepening interest in Tai Chi piqued my curiosity about Chen style-- the oldest of the 4 main Tai Chi styles. The greater emphasis on martial applications, and a wish to improve my Tai Chi technique (all 4 styles follow the same underlying principles I believe!) led me to one of Alison's classes in our local church hall about a year ago… and I've been attending regularly ever since.
Alison Anderson is without doubt a very gifted and professional teacher with great breadth and depth of understanding of Tai Chi-- as well as closely related disciplines such as Qi Gong and Chinese Medicine and Massage.
She relates and communicates comfortably with her students, using word pictures and humour to get a quite complex message (with many subtle aspects) across to individuals, in a way that they will understand and remember. Her classes are informative and challenging, but relaxed and enjoyable.
Her passion for Tai Chi is evident to all…. and my observation is that students in her classes having enjoyed a great experience, and are enthusiastic to learn more.
I think that I'm fortunate to have found a teacher of this calibre in Balmain (Sydney)... it's a great opportunity to learn for years to come.
I am in my mid sixties and a retired Financial executive.
For most of my life, I have tried to live by the old adage that you should endeavour to give a third of your time to each of: family, career and self.... This has been very difficult to achieve at times in the past 40 years! As regards personal time ("self"), my focus has been on cultivation of the mind as well as staying reasonably fit.
After retiring from a long career in Finance, I discovered and started Tai Chi training 4 years ago. It is a great pity it was not 24 years ago...., Tai Chi is now an important interest in my life.....and a major supplement to my daily (western style) gym classes and Yang style Tai Chi practice. My early training was in Yang style Tai Chi, which is a perhaps bit easier than Chen style and less "martial", but very rewarding nonetheless.
I have found over the years that Tai Chi training has brought me numerous benefits: intellectual/emotional benefits (better relaxation, clearer thought processes, better concentration, and appreciation of Chinese culture), physical benefits (better balance, stronger joints, more flexibility), and the personal confidence which comes from progressively learning an effective martial art. Tai Chi is of course particularly valuable as one means of slowing down mental and physical ageing processes… and I am certainly planning to continue until I am well into my 80s (if fortune favours me!).
My deepening interest in Tai Chi piqued my curiosity about Chen style-- the oldest of the 4 main Tai Chi styles. The greater emphasis on martial applications, and a wish to improve my Tai Chi technique (all 4 styles follow the same underlying principles I believe!) led me to one of Alison's classes in our local church hall about a year ago… and I've been attending regularly ever since.
Alison Anderson is without doubt a very gifted and professional teacher with great breadth and depth of understanding of Tai Chi-- as well as closely related disciplines such as Qi Gong and Chinese Medicine and Massage.
She relates and communicates comfortably with her students, using word pictures and humour to get a quite complex message (with many subtle aspects) across to individuals, in a way that they will understand and remember. Her classes are informative and challenging, but relaxed and enjoyable.
Her passion for Tai Chi is evident to all…. and my observation is that students in her classes having enjoyed a great experience, and are enthusiastic to learn more.
I think that I'm fortunate to have found a teacher of this calibre in Balmain (Sydney)... it's a great opportunity to learn for years to come.
Giacomo L…
My wife Lyn talked me into going to Tai Chi classes as I was trying to surf more at the age of 60. The aches and pains that this brings with it made it much easier for me to capitulate to her suggestions even though, as a macho man that had always played macho sports, I felt it was going to be an ‘experience’ if nothing else. Emphasis on the ‘nothing else’. Well how wrong I was. I’ve never felt better. It has improved my flexibility, strength, breathing and balance. The beauty of it is the pace at which it is done - slow, controlled and purposeful. Alison loves what she does and it comes through in her class. Health, composure and wellbeing are the benefits. I highly recommend her classes. |
Lyn L...
Alison and her classes are a delight. She has a great sense of humour and is very professional and sensitive to individuals working at their own pace. My husband really enjoys the special attention and her patience is to be commended! All ages benefit from Tai Chi and Alison's training is a skill for life. I leave her class feeling enlightened, educated & empowered and look forward to Monday nights. My balance, memory, core strength & shoulder injury improved after the second lesson. Helps me to take responsibility for my own body during the ageing process. |
Mandie S…
Apart from being amongst a great bunch of people, I've really enjoyed learning about the body-mind connection and how, when you really focus on the precision of your move (or balance!) it improves literally instantly! The classes are uplifting with laughs a plenty and I always leave in a better mood.
Alison manages all the different levels in the class well, by breaking it into smaller groups towards the end and allowing us to guide each other through the sequence whilst she comes and fine tunes the areas we need to work on.
I've found tai chi has been great in stilling and focusing the monkey-mind - it's truly amazing the strength and power you have when you 'put your mind to it'!
Apart from being amongst a great bunch of people, I've really enjoyed learning about the body-mind connection and how, when you really focus on the precision of your move (or balance!) it improves literally instantly! The classes are uplifting with laughs a plenty and I always leave in a better mood.
Alison manages all the different levels in the class well, by breaking it into smaller groups towards the end and allowing us to guide each other through the sequence whilst she comes and fine tunes the areas we need to work on.
I've found tai chi has been great in stilling and focusing the monkey-mind - it's truly amazing the strength and power you have when you 'put your mind to it'!
Michele S...
One of the best things to happen, in a health and exercise sense, was finding Alison's Tai Chi classes.
After being told I needed to exercise and failing to finish a gym membership I have been attending Alison's Tai Chi class weekly for three years now, and always look forward to going.
Apart from enjoying learning, I have had positive results, knees that were starting to trouble me aren't any more and my balance is good, overall I feel stronger.
Alison is always encouraging and finds different ways to explain when I don't understand. Lessons are flexible depending who is there and our level of ability. I always come away feeling I have learnt sometime new, sometimes challenging, always interesting.
Alison incorporates Qi Gong into classes which have helped me understand the way energy works in the body and when practised bring benefits into my every day life.
One of the best things to happen, in a health and exercise sense, was finding Alison's Tai Chi classes.
After being told I needed to exercise and failing to finish a gym membership I have been attending Alison's Tai Chi class weekly for three years now, and always look forward to going.
Apart from enjoying learning, I have had positive results, knees that were starting to trouble me aren't any more and my balance is good, overall I feel stronger.
Alison is always encouraging and finds different ways to explain when I don't understand. Lessons are flexible depending who is there and our level of ability. I always come away feeling I have learnt sometime new, sometimes challenging, always interesting.
Alison incorporates Qi Gong into classes which have helped me understand the way energy works in the body and when practised bring benefits into my every day life.
