Baguazhang is the sister art of tai chi, and focuses upon stepping and change.
The training involves:

1. 8 mother palms
2. Circle walking
3. Direction changes
4. 8 palm changes
5. Partner work
6. Freeform self defence

Students are encouraged to move, flow, adapt, respond - spontaneously and calmly.

Baguazhang is particularly effective for applying chin na and shuai jiao.

Chinese grappling/wrestling is called 'shuai jiao'.
It is an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of approaches.

Shuai jiao is not to be confused with Western styles of wrestling.

Yang Cheng Fu and the other famous historical tai chi instructors did not collect forms and styles.
They trained one form and focussed on that.

Form collecting is a modern habit which arises when a student is unwilling to commit the necessary practice to mastering a form.
In short, the student gets bored.

A form is a complete record and repository of the system.
It contains every strategy, skill, movement required to gain a good sense of the art.

Your opponent is also utilising the three dimensions. They have no choice in the matter.

If they swing their right shoulder, rotate their waist, shift their weight into the right foot - in an attempt to hit your jaw - they are employing two dimensions.
They are using the horizontal axis, and moving forwards.

Your response must be applied relative to these dimensions.

If you attempt to oppose the incoming force by using an outward-moving 'block' with your left arm, you are going to meet the full force of their delivery.
This is not tai chi.

Learning internal kung fu is different to attending a night school course or a keep fit class.
The mandate is far broader.

With a keep fit class you can attend intermittently, and train as much or as little as you like.
It makes no real difference.
The student is just a number in the register.

When learning kung fu you are expected to have a different attitude.
There is a detailed syllabus offering a clear pathway of progression, and a specific code of conduct.
Students are asked to train between classes and attend regularly.

There are 5 levels of Tai Chi Instructor in the UK these days:

1. Health-only Tai Chi Teacher
   - 5 years experience
   - these are the majority
   
2. Tai Chi Chuan Instructor
   - equivalent of 3rd dan black belt in any martial art
   - 5 years experience
   - these people are less common
   
3. Tai Chi Expert
   - 15 years experience
   - 10,000 hours tai chi chuan practice
   - 10 years teaching experience
   - fewer to be found
   
4. Tai Chi Master
   - 25 years experience
   - 30,000 hours tai chi chuan practice
   - 20 years teaching experience
   - pretty rare
   
5. Tai Chi Grandmaster
   - extremely rare

Peter Southwood has graded Sifu Waller as being a Tai Chi Expert based upon his practice quality and experience.

Qigong operate on two levels simultaneously; they encourage the healthy flow of energy and they strengthen the structure of the body.

This process of building strength is seen by many people to arise from the energy flow alone but this is rather misleading.
Qi does not move the bones, muscles do. Nerves direct the muscles and energy fuels the entire system.
Without energy, nothing would happen, but without muscles there would be no strength.
Muscles turn energy into motion.

This is not to be confused with gym work or weight training. The degree of muscle usage in qigong must be minimal.
The aim is to employ the tendons, ligaments and fasciae for increased strength and support.

You must only use the degree of muscle strength necessary to hold the limb in place; and this is always far less than you first realise.

Start your quest for internal power by standing still; qigong is the foundation of tai chi.

It involves static postures and slow-motion movements that are easy to perform.
The static postures are held for lengthy periods, often up to an hour.
The moving sets are small groups of exercises, with about 10 repetitions each.

The danger with internal power is that beginners often think they are using it, but are simply using external strength instead.
The ability to throw around body weight is no reflection of internal skill.

Internal power is real and tangible. It can be tested, explored and practiced.
But it has to be soft.

Most neigong are quite convoluted and esoteric.
They are like zen koan; becoming more fascinating as your understanding deepens and you are capable of seeing more.

Be patient. Be discerning. Watch your own practice carefully and address the means, the how.

It is important not to mistake the menu for the food. An exercise or action designed to cultivate a neigong is not the neigong.

It is only when no doing occurs and the effect is present that the neigong can be said to exist.
A person with a neigong has the effect all the time.
It does not come and go. It is part of their everyday movement.

This is why it is considered to be internal power. Neigong is inherent. It remains. It is a part of you.

Modern culture encourages the individual to parade themselves publicly, to broadcast their skills and draw attention.
This is not what The Art of War and The 36 Strategies recommend.
It is not good to be noticed.

Anonymity is a common taoist theme.
By remaining humble and quiet, unremarkable and unnoticed, a person can proceed through life freely.
Drawing attention is perceived as being unwise because you cannot determine whether the attention is good or bad.

When you lack composure, you are easily startled.
This leads to hurrying. And anxiety.

Instead of patiently waiting to see what unravels, you dither, hesitate and anticipate.

Rushing indicates a lack of competence.
It is obvious that the student has not put in the practice.

When you rush, you force.
Forcing causes your opponent's nervous system to inadvertently tense-up in reaction to your urgency.
This alerts them to your intention and makes them harder to manipulate.