Training during Lockdown
An interview with an Azitaiji student
So, we are two and a half – nearly three – months in to lockdown in London for COVID-19, and training continues online via Zoom. We decided to ask one of our long-term students how she’s been getting on.
How are you finding the online classes?
Even though there is some easing of the lockdown I expect online classes will continue for some time. It is an interesting method of learning Tai Chi. Luckily most of us in my class are reasonably experienced, so our group lesson progress has not been hampered. A few of us have opted for private classes, especially the beginners, but most of us feel the need for the group.
An interesting aspect of training online from the start is that Master Yazi Liu insists on viewing your whole body. Sure… if you have to cut off something then preferably your head!
What are you finding the most challenging about it?
There are so many things to get used to from the start – in normal, face-to-face class we wear shoes. In our homes most of us are bare footed, and sometimes my feet are partly on carpet and partly on the wooden floor which creates an interesting balancing situation.
Most of us during this time have been practising in about two square metres of space if we are lucky. Usually for most it is less, but we still practise our form in movement and we are not static in front of the camera, just moving our arms. The hardest to overcome at the beginning is actually remembering the form, as you constantly change positions so that you remain in front of the camera. This constant re-orientation is difficult when you associate parts of the form with specific directional stances. Another difficulty, for some reason, is that when you view something through a screen you automatically want to mirror the movement. As a result there are frequent confusions as to which hand/arm/leg should be used.
What have you been learning?
I expected online group classes would be general Tai Chi practice. In our classes… No! For the duration of our classes online so far, we have been going over the form in great detail. We are taught so much that it feels like a one to one lesson. Can you fluff your way through it? Yes and no. Yes, if the selection of students Master Liu happens to be focussing on doesn’t include you. If he is watching, he sees everything! So the corrections you get come thick and fast! (Mind you, you also hope that his corrections aren’t aimed at you in particular when shouted at the screen.)
Viewing everyone else (I try to have it on gallery view in Zoom) is a social norm these days. However, as you can see yourself as well, at least for me, you can now see those wonderful mistakes you make and you can kiss goodbye to thinking that your Tai Chi is wonderfully beautiful! My first reaction was: “What? Who’s got that awful lean forwards? Oops!!! That’s me!” Or I would think I had sunk really low in my stance but on looking at the screen I looked as if I was fairly upright.
We have a particular stance which requires us to “lunge” to the side and hold ourselves in a 60/40 proportion. Even though you may feel you are in that proportion (or in 100/0), a glance up to the screen will usually show you otherwise.
Do you get a workout with these classes?
I do! Especially if there are more than a few people in the class, then there is a lot more holding of a stance while Master Liu checks each person out before he lets you relax… strength training!!!
Further Information
- For more information on classes, check out the current time table for online classes via Zoom. Email us for specific class access.
- Master Yazi Liu can be contacted directly for private lessons, online or outdoors, on the following mobile 07818 158886 and you can read more about Master Liu here
- Follow the links for more about Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Martial Applications with us.
Our choice of image for this article is from the London Competition for Tai Chi 2019 as this would be the time when the 2020 competition would have been taking place!
