COREhealth Tai Chi and Chi Kung

Welcome to COREhealth!

Clubs currently run in Dorset & South Somerset although we are always looking for new venues and welcome enquiries from interested groups in East Devon, Dorset, West Witshire & Somerset.

Students are of all ages and from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some come with STRESS & other HEALTH problems, others for RELAXATION & FUN, still others to study for its own rewards and some out of plain curiosity. Maximum size of attendance at any one session is limited to 15, so everyone gets personal attention and can see what is going on!

Youngsters of school age are welcome, and are not required to pay Membership fees, provided that each one is accompanied by a parent or guardian who is a Full Member of the Club. There is no upper age limit and those with limited mobility, or who are wheelchair users, are welcome to attend. At this time, our oldest student is 100 and we have several others in their eighties and nineties; a number of parents bring their children along to sessions and their ages range from 8 to 14+.

PHOTO CREDITS: Those at Sherborne were kindly taken by David Durant, & those at Tintinhull by Simon Champion.

Routines taught may include:

Standard Yang Style Tai Chi -
· 8-Element Form
. 16-Element Form
· 24-Element Form
· ‘Square’ 24-Element Form
· 42-Element Form
· 88-Element Form
· 16-Element Longsword Form
· 32-Element Longsword Form

(In due course we shall introduce the amazing Tai Chi Kung Fu Fan routine - only for the brave-hearted!)

Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong ('BODY MAINTENANCE') -
· General Health Maintenance
· Digestion System
· Diabetes Prevention & Treatment
· Muscles, Bones & Sinews Protection

Other Daoyin routines 'ln the pipeline' include 2 new General Purpose routines, 2 Baton routines and others dealing with Circulation & Respiration.

COREhealth was founded in 1994 by Patrick Harries, the Principal Coach. Patrick was the student of Bao Naijian from 1986 until Bao’s death in 1998 and was accredited by Bao to teach.

Bao Naijian was the first Master of Sport created by the People’s Republic of China. He learned martial arts – including Tai Chi – and Traditional Chinese Medicine from his father & grandfather, but then became a gymnast at age 14, because he found that martial arts were not enough of a challenge!

After winning the Chinese National Gymnastics Championship for 8 years in a row, he became the National Coach, a post which he held until his emigration to Shaftesbury in 1986. His status as a coach was such that he ran International Masterclasses for gymnastics coaches and was invited, at various times, to coach the national teams of Iraq, North Korea, Indonesia & Iceland.

After settling in Shaftesbury, with his wife and fellow Master of Sport, Men Xiaomin, Bao coached at Port Regis School and opened a Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as teaching Tai Chi & Chi Kung. Men also taught Tai Chi and continues to do so, even though she is now over 70!

As well as Bao’s initial accreditation, which he values above all others, Patrick Harries has acquired a number of other qualifications. He is a 'Recognised GP Activity Referral Leader', which means that doctors and other health professionals may refer patients to him for activity advice & practice.

Patrick is also a Level 2 Coach, through the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts, an Advanced Coach recognised by the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain, an Accredited Coach with the English Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong Association and an Instructor Member of the Long Fei Taijiquan Association (GB).


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