London Tai Chi Instructors.

forthcoming ebook on how to teach children tai chi

January 30, 2014
My book on how to teach children tai chi is almost writing itself... I've done three quarters of it, just having to finish off some of the text.

Then the next stage is for two of my friends (with permission of the parents) to take photos of the kids class doing various tai chi things. 100s of photos, so we can whittle them down and use the nicest and most appropriate.

While I'm intending to publish it as an ebook, I'm also having a friend look into printing off a small number of actual books, so each of the kids can have their own personal copy, as well as me having spares for review copies to send off to various tai chi magazines.

It's all very exciting, and as with all projects of mine, it's been made possible through the help of my boyfriend and my other friends, and of course with the willing help of the kids. They were excited to think they would be getting hold of a book featuring them! Great kids!

Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

flu, winter blues, and rain!

January 30, 2014
I haven't been posting here for a while, due to flu. Getting back to practise was a real relief, after so long just fevered-out, but I felt really weak for the first few days. Still, keeping at it has helped me get back to fighting fit and able to do stuff again. Going to a club to train is good, as I see my friends again and they encourage me to get more done, so all good.

Despite the rain and winter grey skies (blue would be nice some day!), it's always good to get out and doing - too long ...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

My 15 minutes of fame!

January 19, 2014
In January, I was asked to do a series of short videos for an advert for Kabuto Noodles. Obviously I was up for this, as I love having a go at new things and this sounded fun! I was followed around London for a day with a camera production team and a photographer - it was an absolutely freezing day, but glorious good fun!

We started on a boat on the Thames, with bright blazing sun and bitterly biting wind.... Still, the first "guinea pig" was up for it, copying various tai chi movements, as I ...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

Happy New Year!

January 8, 2014
Happiness, or more accurately, unhappiness has really been a theme in this week's newspapers. Loads of articles about how people are unhappy / stressed out / whatever, followed by why having the long break means people come back immediately looking for a new job...

I've had lots of different jobs and it wasn't always the ones that paid best that made me happiest. One of the poorest paid ones was as a cook in a motorway restaurant - but I liked it because I had nice people to work with, as wel...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

Losing weight, getting fit and other New Year resolutions....

December 29, 2013
Lots of people decide to lose weight and get fit in New Year, to work off all that holiday indulgence. But then they don't keep it up and lose all the benefit of that initial enthusiasm. What you need is something that's manageable and sustainable, that it doesn't feel all  too much, all too soon.

If I'd gone to a regular gym, I'm sure I wouldn't have stuck with it - I'm not the type to be able to just use an exercise machine, while watching mindless pap on tv, or listening to whatever music, ...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

Guilt-free festive feasting and afterwards

December 24, 2013
Rarely do I give dietary advice... but today it seems appropriate:)  I have every intention of stuffing myself to the gills with the lovingly cooked food prepared by my almost-in-laws tomorrow!  IMO the best thing is to eat healthily most of the time, then enjoy those occasional lapses and festive feastings as they come round.... particularly if someone else is  doing the cooking! :)

Normally, I prepare loads of fresh veggies with spices and freeze around 16-20 portions of mixed veg in ice cre...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

Avoiding difficult situations

December 22, 2013
Through tai chi practise, you learn not only how to become a calmer person yourself, but also how to avoid becoming involved in difficult situations. Since you are calm, without ego, without anything to prove, then walking away becomes not only easier, but the default option.

For instance, today I went down to the park to practise and there was a group of around 5 youths on bikes making strange remarks to passers-by. Now, I could have thought that it's my right to practise in the park, and jus...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

Patience, perserverence and ego

December 15, 2013
How long should you practise? Well, there's several answers to this, to my mind:

Practising a little every day is essential - on your own, to struggle with the new stuff, is helpful for embedding it. Especially if you are getting it wrong on your own, since that means you are learning how to learn. Never worry about getting stuff wrong, it's  the practise itself that's important - everything will come right in the end if you keep on trying.

Practising in a group is also essential, whether you d...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

Kids and tai chi

December 13, 2013
Teaching kids is much more full on than teaching adults. It may look easy, but if you aren't prepared and in authority, it can all go horribly wrong fairly swiftly....

First thing is to establish that you are the instructor, not the friend. I remember going for interview as a teacher and being asked how I felt about children. As they told me afterwards, they were trying to weed out those people who thought children were sweet little angels! Luckily there are ways to establish yourself in this ...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 

tai chi in the park

December 7, 2013
Many people can be nervous about practising in the park on their own, due to self-consciousness. But, really, don't worry - especially in London people ignore you most of the time. This is great, as it means you have space to practise and can be out among the trees enjoying nature, which is the best way to do tai chi.

Normally I like to practise in Hyde Park, when I'm in Central London, but recently I've taken to  practising in Green  Park, as it's on the Jubilee Line back from one of my clien...
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Posted by Fiona Anderson..

 
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