Highland Taijiquan

For the Spring Residential this year, we have the pleasure of welcoming Luigi Zanini to introduce us to some of the basics of Baguazhang. The Spring Residential is one of two annual residentials hosted by Highland Taijiquan in the spectacular setting of the North West Highlands. The weekends are aimed at both beginners and experienced practitioners of Taijiquan, and are a way to introduce ideas and practices that would not otherwise be covered within normal classes.

Luigi Zanini

Luigi Zanini has been teaching Baguazhang and Qigong since 1990. He has a Ph. D. in Foreign Languages, is a journalist and Tuina operator with the Nanjing Academy of TCM (China), he has studied Chinese Martial Arts (Shaolin, Tam Tuei, Tang Lang, Baguazhang) since his youth, with special attention to Internal Systems.He was a Italian Championship winner in forms and weapons in 1988, and he has been a  judge at international competitions, a self-defence expert in the army and co-author of two martial arts books. In the last twenty years he continued his practice with Chinese and Western masters, practicing Chinese Internal Systems (Mostly Baguazhang, but also Xingyiquan, Yiquan and others) and giving classes during international events (Jasnières, Caledonia, Tai Chi Tcho and more).

His approach is very hands on and has  a kind of minimalist approach to practice  (the less, the best), which gives more time to growth. His teaching encompasses also Meditation and Personal Coaching.

Introduction to Baguazhang

The Eight Trigrams Palm is an art of change based on walking the circle and using evasion as the first reaction to an attack. The use of body, legs and arms is focused on creating harmony and a strong connection between all the parts in order to get the most effective result in movement.

The most obvious Baguazhang features are the horizontal, side to side, high and low evasion skills, but the core of development in Baguazhang is also found in the attacking skills, using centrifugal and centripetal forces; all directions, all “weapons”, all situations, all the time. Baguazhang consists of a wide range of two-person tools for understanding and developing fighting skills.

At Torridon we will go through the study of the Yin part (evasion, use of body, stepping and moving), of the Yang part (penetrating palm, animal palms, exchanging side, body usage) and through the dialectic of Roushou, “kneading hands”, in order to see the richness of the system. Although the method requires some time to be understood, the benefits in the body movement quality are quite quick to be recognised, and can help the development of a better Taijiquan practice.

The Weekend

The Residential Weekend starts on the evening of Friday the 11th March. Training commences on the Saturday morning and is completed on Sunday evening. The weekend will finish on the morning of Monday the 14th. However, for those wishing to enjoy being in one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, there may be an option of an additional non-training day which will consist of a tour of the area, and a seafood-based meal in the beautiful West Coast village of Applecross, one of the most remote villages in the UK.

Accommodation is in Torridon Youth Hostel, and training will take place in the Village Hall.The weekend will cost £150, which includes accommodation from Friday evening until Monday morning, food and tuition. Non refundable deposits of £50 will be accepted until the 31st Dec, with the balance due from everyone by Feb 6th. After this date, the cost of the weekend will go up to £200.

This will be a popular weekend, so let me know if you are interested :
douglas@highlandtaichi.co.uk