Riding Two Horses: Tradition vs. Modern Tai Chi

In 1971, Ian Cameron joined the army with one goal in mind—to get posted to Hong Kong and train in Tai Chi under a master. That’s the level of commitment it took back then. There were no online courses, no weekend workshops, no local instructors. If you wanted to learn, you had to go where the knowledge was—no shortcuts, no easy entry points.

That level of dedication shaped the Five Winds Tai Chi system that Ian brought back to the UK. It’s a complete, traditional system, taught the way it had been passed down for generations.

But here’s the reality we face today: how many people would make that kind of commitment now?

How many people, with work, family, and the endless distractions of modern life, would hear,

“This will take years to learn” and still stick around?

The answer? Almost none.

And that’s the problem we need to solve.

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The Conflict: Traditional Tai Chi in a Modern World

Tai Chi, in its full form, is never-ending. You can train for a lifetime and still uncover new layers. That’s what makes it so valuable—but also so difficult to introduce to new people.

Most Tai Chi instructors today either:

1️⃣ Stick to tradition and only attract students willing to dedicate years to the practice.

2️⃣ Water it down into a vague wellness class that loses the depth of the art.

Neither of these approaches is working. The first limits Tai Chi to an aging, shrinking group of traditionalists, while the second turns it into something that barely resembles a martial art at all.

So where does that leave us?

It leaves us riding two horses at once—holding onto the depth and integrity of Tai Chi, while making it accessible enough that people actually start.

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The Solution: Just Enough Tai Chi

This is where Just Enough Tai Chi comes in.

It’s not about replacing the full system. It’s about opening the door so more people can step inside.

Here’s how it works:

✅ The 8-week course teaches a complete, standalone Tai Chi practice.

• You’re not “half-learning” something—you’re learning a full, structured routine that works on its own.

• You don’t need to commit to years of training just to feel the benefits.

✅ But it also serves as the first step to the full system.

• If you love Tai Chi and want more, the full syllabus is there waiting for you.

• You don’t have to learn everything at once—you can take it as far as you want.

This is the balance:

🔹 It’s not a shortcut—it’s a clear first step.

🔹 It’s not the full system—but it gives you real Tai Chi, properly taught.

🔹 It’s not abandoning tradition—it’s making sure tradition survives by bringing new people in.

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Why This Hasn’t Been Done Before

Ian, Cheng Tin Hung, and the masters before them never needed to do this. They lived in a time where people expected learning to take time, where martial arts schools had built-in commitment, and where students were willing to follow the system from day one.

But today, if we don’t adapt, Tai Chi risks fading into the background.

We live in a world where people expect results in weeks, not years.

We live in a world where people need a reason to commit before they invest time.

We live in a world where most people will never walk into a traditional Tai Chi school—because they don’t even know why they should.

That’s what Just Enough Tai Chi is solving. It’s giving people the first step—not just for them, but for the survival of the art itself.

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The New Path: Accessible, Without Losing Integrity

If Ian went to Hong Kong in 1971 to bring Tai Chi to the UK, then what we’re doing now is the next step in that journey.

🔹 It’s still Five Winds Tai Chi.

🔹 It’s still taught properly.

🔹 It’s still real Tai Chi.

But instead of asking people to commit for life on Day 1, we’re saying:

“Take 8 weeks. Learn something real. And if you want to go further, we’ll be here.”

This isn’t watering down Tai Chi.

This is giving it a future.

🚀 Welcome to the next evolution of Tai Chi.