What is tai chi chuan?

Visit our introduction page to find out about tai chi chuan and how it developed.

More information can be found at www.taichichuan.co.uk, the site of Practical Tai Chi Chuan, or on other sites from our links page.

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Isn’t tai chi just about moving your arms slowly?

No! While it is true that the hand form, a sequence of stylised movements derived from martial arts applications and performed slowly and carefully, is a distinguishing feature of tai chi, it is only one of many training methods.

The Wudang style tai chi chuan practised in our society’s classes is a Chinese martial art which trains body control and effective self defence. For more information, visit the introduction page.

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What health benefits can I get from doing tai chi?

Practising tai chi can help improve health in many ways; see the introduction page for more information.

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Where are your classes held?

Our classes are held in various locations around Cambridge. See the classes page to for the locations of each class. Our current usual locations are:

Long Room, New Hall

This is located next to the Porter’s Lodge in New Hall - the entrance door is just opposite the porters’ desk. For the location of New Hall, click here.

Lee Hall, Wolfson College

For the location of the room, see the map of Wolfson here. For the location of Wolfson College, click here.

Reddaway Room, Fitzwilliam College

This is located near hall in Fitzwilliam College. Once inside the college, follow the signs for ‘Reddaway’. Note that if you enter the college from Huntingdon Road you will have use the intercom to buzz the Porter’s Lodge (on the other side) to open the door - just say you are there for the tai chi class. For the location of Fitzwilliam College, click here.

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When are your classes held?

Please see our classes page.

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Which classes are suitable for beginners?

We welcome beginners to all of our classes throughout the year, so feel free to come to any of our classes if you want to try tai chi.

At the beginning of the academic year (usually the second Sunday in October) we hold a special free class for beginners. Information about this will be shown on our front page.

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What kind of clothing do you need to wear for the classes?

There are no special clothing requirements for our classes. However, baggy clothes suitable for exercise and free movement are advisible, to allow you to move freely.

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What is taught in your classes?

This depends entirely on the instructor and what they want to teach. However, for examples of the type of things taught, see our typical class page.

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What are the costs involved?

We charge a small amount for our classes, to cover our costs of paying for instructors and rooms. This cost is reduced if you are a member. Insurance is also required if you attend our classes regularly. For more details see our costs page.

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Can I come to the classes if I am not a member of Cambridge University?

Yes, anyone is very welcome to all of our classes - interest and enthusiasm is all that is required!

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Do I have to join the society to attend classes?

No, you perfectly welcome to come to try our classes without joining. However, it is advisable to join if you want to attend more than a few lessons due to the reduced prices for members.

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Where can I learn tai chi chuan if I don’t live near Cambridge?

If you don’t live near Cambridge or are moving away, there are still plenty of places you can learn tai chi. A good list of places can be found at: http://www.taichichuan.co.uk/database/database.html.

Alternatively, feel free to contact us as we may well know about instructors and classes in your area.

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Are there any age restrictions on your classes?

We have no upper limit on age. You will normally need to be able to move about reasonably easily, but if this might be a problem then do get in touch and we may be able to arrange something. Unfortunately we are not able to allow under-18s to join the classes.

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