Hi, my name is John Riddle and I am a qualified Tai Chi and Chi Kung teacher, registered with the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain as a Tai Chi Instructor. I have been practicing Tai Chi for many years and teaching Tai Chi in South London and now Wiltshire since 2011. I teach the Yang Style Long Form as devised and taught by Yang Cheng Fu and handed down since 1912 so that the original form is still taught all over the world. My own training was through the Hine Institute under the guidance of Master John HIne, one of the founders of the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain, where I am a registered Tai Chi and Chi Kung Instructor and through whom I am insured to teach.

I am a father of two daughters and grandfather to two granddaughters, a semi retired teacher in secondary schools and a singer and composer of my own music. I have found that since I started practicing Tai Chi, my whole life has slowly developed into a calm and peaceful existence. My previously eclectic and busy mind has settled into a peaceful state (most of the time) and my body has responded well to the smooth, gentle and physical practice of Tai Chi. Living in the moment and enjoying what is happening now is an aim of mine and Tai Chi and Chi Kung help me achieve this awareness of now. After all, we can only experience what is happening now.

The gentle nature suits me very well, after participating in physical sports like rugby, judo, cycling, running, basketball, boxing and weight training. After picking up some injuries along the way, I find that Tai Chi is excellent for keeping me fit, flexible and balanced. Since doing Tai Chi an old back injury has settled down and rarely gives any trouble. In fact my overall health has been excellent and my mind calmed with the gentle and fluid movements. Tai Chi has been called meditation in motion and even medication in motion and most fields of medicine will promote Tai Chi as a good form of exercise for many different ailments.

Chi Kung strengthens your personal Chi energy (life force) whereas Tai Chi moves the Chi energy around the body, breaking through tensions and blockages, caused by stress and living a busy life. Chi Kung is like a rugby player going to the gym to build strength and stamina by doing repetitive weights and exercises. Whereas Tai Chi is like playing the game using all the generated strength and flexibility on the field.

To my mind, chi Kung without Tai Chi misses out on some of the tremendous benefits associated with this ancient Chinese art, based on a martial art (Tai Chi Chuan) and developed for health and balance. Developed in 1912 and practiced. all over the world, Yang style Tai Chi is an extremely powerful system that will change your life... for the better.