Mini TaiChi & BaGua Bristol

TaiChi & BaGua Small Group Outdoor ClassChinese Internal Martial Arts
Improve your internal energy, balance, flexibility joints, relieve stress, physical meditation. Strengthen your mind and develop a healthier, more positive mindset.TAI CHI
Cloud Hands
TaiChi Walking
Yang Style Tai Chi 24 Forms
Wudang Tai Chi 13 Forms
Wudang Tai Chi SwordBA GUA
Baguazhang basic skills
Bagua Single Palm Change
Bagua Double Palm Change
Bagua Continuous PalmMEDITATION
Qigong：Bagua Zhang, Yi Jin Jing, Wu Qin Xi
Zhan Zhuang (Standing Meditation)Schedule
Twice A Week:Note: As this is an outdoor class, the schedule may be adjusted depending on the weather.September-October Classes:
24th Sep Thursday morning 10:30-11:30am
29th Sep Tuesday afternoon 5:00-6:00pm
1st Oct Thursday morning 10:30-11:30am
5th-11th October No ClassesLocation
St Andrew’s Church Yard (Birdcage Walk), Clifton, Bristol BS8 4EHPrice
£12 / Section (Group Class)
£45 / Section (Private Class)
£8 / Section (Online Class)Our Tai Chi and Bagua classes designed for all ages of people who want to improve their physical health, mental clarity, and overall well-being through traditional Chinese internal martial arts. Whether you are a complete beginner or have prior experience, our sessions provide a welcoming and supportive environment to learn at your own pace.Tai Chi focuses on slow, flowing movements that help develop balance, relaxation, coordination, and internal energy. Bagua (Baguazhang) complements this with circular walking patterns and dynamic body movements that enhance agility, flexibility, and body awareness.Classes combine practical instruction with mindful movement, helping students reduce stress, improve posture, and build functional strength. Our teaching approach emphasizes both the physical techniques and the underlying principles of movement, breathing, and intention.Join us to experience a calm yet powerful practice that supports both health and personal development in a modern UK setting.Sign Up For A Lesson Today:

About

About Shifu WeiShifu Wei began practising Chinese martial arts at the age of eight. From an early age, she developed a strong interest in traditional Chinese martial arts, including Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Quan.During her secondary school and high school years, she received formal training at a martial arts school, where she studied traditional Shaolin Kung Fu. Her training included Shaolin Changquan (Long Fist), Xiaohongquan (Small Hong Fist), as well as a variety of traditional Chinese weapons, including the broadsword and straight sword.Over the years, her martial arts journey gradually expanded from external styles such as Shaolin Kung Fu to the internal martial arts, particularly TaiChi Quan and Baguazhang, also she do TaiChi Sword and Broadsword. This combination of experience has given her a broad understanding of Chinese martial arts, from physical technique and coordination to balance, relaxation, body awareness and internal movement.Shifu Wei has been teaching Tai Chi Quan and Bagua zhang in the UK for over a year, sharing traditional Chinese martial arts with students of different ages and backgrounds.She is dedicated to developing and promoting Internal Martial Arts in Bristol, while preserving their traditional Chinese martial arts roots. Her aim is to create a welcoming environment where people can learn authentic Chinese martial arts, improve their physical and mental wellbeing, and gain a deeper understanding of Chinese martial arts and culture.Through her teaching, Shifu Wei hopes to help Chinese Internal Martial Arts grow within the Bristol community and enable more people in the UK to experience and benefit from these traditional arts.About TaiChi And BaGuaTaiChi Quan (太极拳) can be described from multiple angles — cultural, physical, philosophical, and health-focused. Here’s a well-rounded description you can use or adapt depending on your audience:⸻Tai Chi Quan (also spelled Taiji Quan) is a traditional Chinese martial art that combines slow, flowing movements with deep breathing and focused intention. Often described as “meditation in motion,” Tai Chi helps cultivate balance, flexibility, inner calm, and body awareness.It is gentle on the body, making it suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Practitioners move through a series of graceful postures, each flowing into the next, promoting physical health and mental clarity.⸻Martial Arts Perspective:Tai Chi Quan is a sophisticated internal martial art from China. Though its movements appear soft and slow, it is rooted in powerful martial principles including yielding, neutralizing, and redirecting force. At its core, it teaches how to generate and control internal energy (qi), enhance structural alignment, and use sensitivity rather than brute strength in combat.⸻Philosophical / Taoist View:Tai Chi Quan reflects the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang — the interplay of opposites. Its practice embodies the Taoist belief in harmony with nature, stillness within motion, and balance between strength and softness. Each posture and transition mirrors cosmic principles of change, unity, and transformation.⸻Health & Wellness View:Modern science has recognized Tai Chi’s benefits for:
• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Improving balance and coordination
• Enhancing joint mobility
• Supporting cardiovascular health
• Boosting mental focus and mindfulness

Bagua Zhang (八卦掌) is a traditional Chinese martial art known for its circular walking, constant movement, and fluid, evasive fighting style. The name means “Eight Trigrams Palm,” referring to concepts from the I Ching (Book of Changes) and its philosophical system of eight fundamental forces or patterns.🥋 OverviewBagua Zhang emphasizes:
• Continuous circular footwork (walking in a circle)
• Open-hand techniques (palms rather than fists)
• Spiral movements and body rotation
• Flexibility, agility, and redirection rather than direct forcePractitioners often “walk the circle” while changing directions and hand techniques, which trains coordination, balance, and internal energy (Qi).🧠 PhilosophyThe art is influenced by Taoist principles:
• Adaptability and change
• Yielding to overcome force
• Using momentum and positioning instead of brute strength
It is considered one of the three major “internal” martial arts of China, alongside Tai Chi and Xing Yi Quan.🧍‍♂️ Founder and LineageBagua Zhang is widely attributed to Dong Haichuan, who lived in the 19th century. He is believed to have synthesized elements of existing martial practices with Taoist circle-walking training methods.Famous early disciples include:
• Yin Fu – known for linear, fast striking methods
• Cheng Tinghua – known for more wrestling and grappling influences🌀 Key Features
• Circle walking (Zou Zhuan): foundational training method
• Palm changes: sequences of techniques performed while moving
• Footwork: agile stepping patterns for evasion and repositioning
• Weapons training: such as the Bagua knife (deer horn knives)🥊 ApplicationBagua Zhang is used for:
• Self-defense (close-range control, redirection)
• Developing internal strength and body awareness
• Health, balance, and coordination
• Advanced martial strategy emphasizing unpredictability