8 Step (Yang Style) Tai Chi Form
(Approved by the International Wushu Federation)

Introduction

In the 1950s, the Chinese government promoted Yang Style Taijiquan as a health exercise. It has since become the most popular style to be practiced world-wide.

The 8 Step (Yang Style) is the first of the new Taijiquan forms training syllabus, developed in Beijing, China in 1998, and approved by the International Wushu Federation (IWuF) Technical Committee.

Instructor for this course - Peter Warr

Peter Warr has been training in and teaching Chinese Martial Arts for 38 years. Peter's Chinese father-in-law, with whom he studied the family systems of Kung Fu and Taijiquan for 16 years, introduced Peter to the arts. In 1980 Peter formed his own Federation, the Wu Kung Federation.

Peter joined the Governing Body, the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts (BCCMA), in the early-1980's. Peter was elected to the role of Treasurer of the BCCMA in 1986, to Vice-Chairman in 1995 and to Director of Taolu in 1999. Peter has recently been re-elected to the role of BCCMA Vice-Chairman.

In 1985 Peter met Master Jifu Huang. Peter's role in Chinese Martial Arts was enhanced after training with Master Huang. In 1987 Master Huang introduced Peter to his Master, Grand Master Chen Yuhe, from the famous Nanjing Academy in China. Grand Master Chen Yuhe accepted Peter as his disciple (his adopted son).

In 1988 Grand Master Chen Yuhe asked Peter to study in China with his older brothers. Whilst in China, Peter also studied at the Shanghai Physical Education Institute, where a Judges Course had been organised by the Chinese Wushu Association, under the auspices of the International Wushu Federation (IWUF). Peter passed all the examinations and was the first European to qualify and achieve an IWUF Judge's Degree. Since then Peter has officiated at all European and World Championships.

In 1995 the World Congress, which represents 83 countries worldwide, elected Peter to the prestigious position of Vice-Chairman of the IWUF Technical Committee. This is the highest position to which a Westerner may be elected; the Chairman will always be Chinese.

In 1999 Peter was re-elected to the post of Vice-Chairman of the IWUF Technical Committee for another four-year term, in recognition of his hard work and dedication to Chinese Martial Arts. As Vice-Chairman, Peter has the opportunity to work with the Chinese Wushu Research Institute and all the Chinese Masters who are based there.

Peter also received his 8^th Degree Master in China in 1999; this level is equivalent to Professor of Chinese Martial Arts. The highest grade achievable is 9^th grade (10^th grade is awarded posthumously, something Peter is a long way off from achieving!).

The IWUF Technical Committee is responsible for formulating a progressive education programme for Chinese Martial Arts (Wushu), for setting the rules and standards for all IWUF-recognised Championships throughout the world.

In order raise the international standards of Wushu, Peter Warr and the IWUF Technical Committee's top eight Professors of Chinese Martial Arts in Beijing developed a new international teaching and training syllabus in 1998 for the 10 competition disciplines (Taolu), which includes Taijiquan and Taijijian (Tai Ji Sword).

The International Wushu Federation has now been recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Peter is Secretary of the European Wushu Federation (EWF) Technical Committee. His responsibilities have included training all 24 European member countries' Judges and working as Technical Director at all EWF-recognised Championships.

In 1999 Peter was recognised by a major martial arts magazine, Combat, for his commitment and devotion to Chinese Martial Arts. Peter's name was placed in the Combat Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

As well as working hard to promote Chinese Martial Arts in the UK, Europe and internationally, Peter and his wife, Lavinia, are the proprietors of Morningside Health Workshop, a complementary healthcare clinic offering a range of treatments, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Homeopathy and Massage. Peter and Lavinia now have 9 Practitioners and over 7000 patients registered with the Clinic.

Peter Warr's Achievements

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Access to lessons within this course is only available to members, but you may wish to check out some of the free lessons available in the 10 Step and Huang Jifu Simplified Taiji Form courses.

10 Step Simplified Taiji Form
Huang Jifu Simplified Taiji Form