Here are a few of the comments we have received from our Tai Chi students via the feedback sheets we issue when they have been attending classes for a term or so. When asked what benefits they had noticed, this is what they told us:


1. Peace. Asthma has improved.

2. Improvement in general health and body movement. Able to relax more. More self-confidence.

3. Fitness and health.

4. Better balance and posture.

5. Strength and balance in my legs after being immobile for eighteen months.

6. More relaxed. Better health. It has improved me spiritually.

7. Tai Chi has improved my balance, co-ordination and my ability to focus.

8. More energy; improved health.

9. Self-confidence, greater calmness in all aspects of my life.

10. Improved balance, posture and leg muscles. Better stress control.

11. Healthier, more invigorated.

12. Managing stress better.

13. Better balance, supple joints.

14. I have become calmer, more confident, and my balance and co-ordination have improved.

15. My balance has improved.

16. I feel more relaxed and can deal with problems better.

17. More self-confidence, better balance, feel more secure and from that base I can be kinder to others. (The more you have, the more you can give.)

18. I feel calmer.

19. More relaxed and in control. Benefits to health and peacefulness.

20. Very relaxing and helpful.

21. Less stressed.

22. Relaxation.

23. I feel much calmer and relaxed and it certainly helped a great deal when my husband died in January.

24. Calmer person. Less stressed. Think more deeply.

25. I feel the difference the next day. I am a lot calmer.

26. I don’t get breathless and dizzy so often. It’s given me something to look forward to.

27. Lower blood pressure. More stable blood sugar levels. Improved outlook on life with less pressure. Ability to take a wider view on life.

28. Less tension in shoulders, legs and abdominals. Better breathing, easier sleep.

29. More relaxed. Calmer, both mentally and physically. A sense of being part of a community within the larger community.

30. Increase in leg strength. Calmer outlook. Concentrates the mind.

31. Great stress-reliever. Good class interaction. Good class rapport. Enjoyed the sword routines, which I hadn’t expected.

32. Can use the skills to become a lot calmer in difficult situations. New outlook on life. New friends. A sense of achievement.

33. It is a very calming activity. I feel a sense of energy and flowing connectedness straight after class.

34. Didn’t think I’d be interested in martial aspects but now realise how important these are.

35. Have I been satisfied with the classes? Hell Yeah! I mean it is the best thing and I should have been shown it when I was a young boy!

36. Flexibility. Calmness when stress kicks in. A sense of well-being and energy.

37. Very satisfied by the high quality of teaching and all the encouragement I have been given. I have also found the classes fun and have enjoyed the relaxation and meeting new people.

38. Tai Chi reduces stress and grounds you. I’ve gained a sense of inner confidence and I have stopped smoking.

39. More relaxed. Flexible in body and mind.

40. Helps me to be a nicer person. The lessons are brilliant. Many thanks.

41. Lower blood pressure. More relaxed, less stressed, more focussed.

42. I am much calmer, more relaxed, have more self-esteem and a much nicer outlook on life. The other people in the class are wonderful and welcoming, kind and helpful.

43. I feel more co-ordinated and my balance is improving.

44. Balance and focussing the mind. I enjoy watching the beauty of the sequences performed by the experienced students.

45. Calmness, general well-being. Being able to defend myself.

46. My stress coping has improved and my concentration, on days when I practice Tai Chi.

47. More confidence and the ability to defend myself.

48. Ability to relax. Less stressed. An increased feeling of well-being.

49. General health improvements.

50. I had always fancied having a go and was looking for something, but not jumping up and down or gym. Now I have more energy and a more positive, confident outlook on life. I do not get as stressed and I deal with things one at a time.

51. Balance and reflexes better. On the whole, calmer.

52. Much calmer in general. More balanced, physically and mentally.

53. Better health. Improved relaxation and flexibility. Knowledge of self-defence.

54. Less stressed. Blood pressure lowered. Weight loss. More aware of my surroundings.

55. Confidence. Doing better in P.E. at school now. I like learning about martial applications and how to protect myself. (Eight year old student)

56. Relaxation.

57. Improvement in suppleness and long term back problems. Tools to control stress and tension. Support from other class members.