Yang Family Tai Chi

Yang Family Taijiquan  by Sifu Derek Frearson      Master Ou was born in November 1919 in the famous boxing city of Foshan in Guangdong province South China. He was a sickly child and a doctor made two recommendations that he should drink green tea every morning and also practise Chinese Martial Arts. 

At the age of 11 he joined the Foshan Chin Woo Athletic association to start his martial arts training. His first area of study was to learn the Chin Wu standardised forms from Master Cai Liqu. He then studied Seven Star Mantis style and Eagle Claw Boxing. In 1946 he moved to Guangzhou to study the Yang family Taijiquan from Master Yang Chengfus eldest son Yang Zhenming (Yang Sau Chung) he learnt the Yang Family Fist Form, Broadsword, Straight Sword, Single Spear and Two Person Spear sets and Pushing Hands.

In 1947 Master Huang Baixiang taught him the Six Combinations and Eight Methods Boxing a very rare internal system. In 1952 he began the study of Wu family Taijiquan, Push Hands and Wu Daliu with one of the great masters of Wu style Wu Gongzao.  

After 28 years of study he began to teach in 1958 and his students number in their many thousands including his first foreign student to have learnt the complete Yang Taijiquan system from him Sifu Derek Frearson. He has travelled to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Beijing to demonstrate and exchange experiences with other Masters including Fu Zhongwen and Dong Yingjie.  Foshan city organised a competition in 1957 and Master Ou was the winner of the Taijiquan and Taiji Sword event. He also represented Guangdong Province in a national event and gained third place in the Taijiquan category.      


South Leic Venue: Friday Evenings 7pm - 8pm; 
Please go to the Location page for full details

To start practising Tai Chi with us, please come with loose clothing and flat type shoes or pumps / training shoes.

 Free Tai Chi classes Currently on Town Hall Square May till October  9 am to 10 am Saturday mornings //  From November  we will be in 

4 St James Street Lee Circle Leicester LE1 3RE until May 2024

Tai Chi originally was a Chinese Martial Art, that included self defence.  but it also had its health benefits too.  In modern times its mainly used for gentle exercise; recuperation after Illness and for improving general health.  Tai Chi also helps promote good breathing and posture, through a set of movements designed to balance the whole body. 

Its slow moving exercises are ideal for those that are not able to participate in many sports or fitness regimes, and is ideal for all ages.  

Syllabus:
With Tai Chi everyone learns at their own speed, there is no grading's and no pressure or rush to complete the forms.

We offer the following in Yang Style Tai Chi:
  1. 21 Movement, basic fist form
  2. 41 Movement, intermediate fist form
  3.  Broadsword
  4. Advanced fist form
  5. Fan
  6. Straight sword
  7. Spear