The Tai Chi Notebook
Episodes
Ep 42: Quantum Aikido with Richard Moon
31 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Richard Moon, a lifelong martial artist and performer, shares his journey from playing in a jug band and performing with bands like th...
Ep 41: Teaching Tai Chi as a Martial Art with Nick Walser and Ian Kendall
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 41: Teaching Tai Chi as a Martial Art with Nick Walser and Ian KendallIn this episode I talk to two Wudang Tai Chi teachers from Brighton, UK:...
Ep 40: Benjamin Palmer on Kempo and Xing Yi Quan
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode 40 of the Tai Chi Notebook Podcast! Today we’re joined by my friend Benjamin Palmer. Ben has been running a Xing Yi Quan training...
Ep 39: Graham Barlow and Seymour Yang on their BJJ book launch
07 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
My BJJ book, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Illustrated Guidebook, co-authored with Seymour Yang is now on pre-sale at meerkatsu.com. The first edi...
Ep 38: Ethan Murchie on Living Neijing
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast I talk to internal martial artist Ethan Murchie about this teacher Vince Black from whom he learned xing yi mixed with elements of Suf...
Ep 37: Ancestral movement with Simon Thakur
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Thakur is the founder of Ancestral Movement "An ecological approach to movement and mind-body practice, exploring ancient ancestral pattern...
Ep 36: Tai chi fantasy vs reality with Alan Wycherley
11 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alan Wycherley runs the YouTube channel 'In Defence of the Traditional Martial Arts' and is a tai chi practitioner who is interested in using the art ...
Ep 35: Baguazhang misconceptions with Edward Hines
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Baguazhang misconceptions with Edward Hines My guest for episode 35 is Edward Hines, a long time Baguazhang student of Lou Dexiu. Ed started training...
Ep 34: The five points of control in Tai Chi with Graham Barlow
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of The Tai Chi Notebook podcast is slightly different to a regular episode. There isn't a guest, but that doesn't mean I'm al...
Ep 33: Daoyin and Qigong with Tina Faulkner Elders
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My guest for the latest episode of The Tai Chi Notebook Podcast is Tina Faulkner Elders, chief instructor of the RuYi School of Taijiquan and Qigong i...
Ep 32: Vietnamese martial arts with Augustus John Roe
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In episode 32 of The Tai Chi Notebook Podcast, I’m joined by Augustus John Roe, who is an author and martial artist living and working in Vietnam. I...
Ep 31: Mantis Boxing, BJJ, Self Defence and heresy in martial arts with Randy Brown
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Randy Brown is a Mantis Boxing and BJJ black belt coach teaching in the USA. In this podcast we explore how Randy has reworked his Mantis Boxing to ex...
Ep 30: Chen Tai Chi training with Nabil Ranné
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nabil Ranné is a Chen style teacher living in Berlin who offers classes and online training at CTN Academy https://www.ctn.academy/ Nabil is a studen...
Ep 29: Richard Johnson on Chen Style Practical Method
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month's guest is Richard Johnson a long-time student of Joseph Chen of Chen Style Practical Method. As well as a Tai Chi practitioner and t...
Ep 28: Jess O'Brien on discovering Neijiaquan
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jess O’Brien is the author of the book Neijiaquan and co host of the Neijiaquan podcast, which he runs with Isaac Kamins. Since 1999, Jess has stud...
Ep 27: John Little on the REAL fights of Bruce Lee
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bruce Lee will be no stranger to anybody listening to The Tai Chi Notebook Podcast - even 50 years after his death he remains the most famous martial ...
Ep 26: Rikard Elofsson and Miika Wikberg: A deep dive into Nordic Bajiquan
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bājíquán (八極拳) or shorter just Baji, is commonly known as “the martial art of bodyguards”. It emphasises the use of attacks that close d...
Ep 25: Simon Cox on Zhang Sanfeng and the Wudang connection
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Tai Chi Notebook podcast! My guest today is Simon Cox, who co runs the Okanagan Valley Wudang (https://www...
Ep 24: George Thompson on Tai Chi and Taoism from Wudang mountain
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 24: Tai Chi and Taoism on Wudang Mountain with George Thompson George Thompson is a film maker and Tai Chi teacher who studied on Wudang Moun...
Ep 23: Mike Ash on using Xing Yi Quan for combat
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I catch up with my old Xing Yi training partner Mike Ash who has been doing marital arts for years. We talk about how we met, Mike'...
Ep 22: Graham Barlow on the Tai Chi Classics. Part 1
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode of the Tai Chi Notebook podcast host Graham is left all on his own without a guest, so he’s decided to pick up a book and read...
Ep 21: William Wain Williams on Taiji Mantis, BJJ and travel in Asia
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hello and welcome to the first Tai Chi Notebook podcast of 2023! Happy Year of the Rabbit! My guest for this episode is Will Wain Williams. Will...
Ep 20: Matt Hill on relaxation, breathing and fire ants!
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Hill is the owner of the Systema Academy in Wiltshire, England. Matt has a long history in martial arts, starting with Aikido, training under Mor...
Ep 19: Salvatore Pace on the evolution of Brazilian Jiujitsu
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Salvatore Pace, or Salvo for short is a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu and owner of Gracie Barra Bath, the Head Quarters of Gracie Barra ...
Ep18: Matthew Kreuger on warriorship and martial arts
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
My guest for this episode is Matthew Kreuger who hails all the way from sunny Alaska where he runs a his own podcast called ‘Walking with the Tengu’...
Ep 17: Paul Bowman on Martial Arts Studies, BJJ and The Sublime
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is an interview with my old friend Professor Paul Bowman of Cardiff University who is something of a mover and shaker in the academi...
Ep 16: Tim Cartmell on keeping it real in martial arts
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
My guest in this episode will need no introduction to anybody who trains in the Chinese styles of Xing Yi and Baguazhang, especially in the United Sta...
Ep 15: Centre the Dragon: Tai Chi Talk with Ken Gullette and Graham Barlow
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I’m teaming up with Ken Gullette, to answer the kind of questions that Tai Chi teachers get asked all the time. Ken is an all-round ...
Ep 14 The power of Buk Sing Choy Li Fut with Phil Duffy
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode my guest is Phil Duffy, a senior student of Sifu Wan Kei-Ho from Hong Kong, who carries on a lineage of Northern Shaolin and Buk Sing ...
Ep 13: Seymour Yang (Meerkatsu) on the Art of Brazilian Jiujitsu
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode my guest is Seymour Yang, a long time acquaintance of mine who is also something of a legend in the BJJ world, where he goes by the na...
Ep 12: Michael Babin on teaching Tai Chi in the 90s
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
My guest in this episode is Michael Babin a Tai Chi practitioner from Ottawa, Canada who has been teaching Tai Chi since the 1980s. He’s primarily a...
Ep 11: Arlene Faulk on Tai Chi for Multiple Sclerosis
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Arlene Faulk is the author of Walking on Pins and Needles, her memoir of living with multiple sclerosis without a diagnosis for many years, spending t...
Ep 10: David Rogers on Tai Chi, Hap Gar and MMA
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the first Tai Chi Notebook Podcast of 2022. Happy new year of the tiger and I hope you are in good health. In this episode my guest i...
Ep 9: Stephan Kesting on the martial arts life.
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode I’m talking to the man, the legend, that is Stephan Kesting, Stephan has taught thousands of people martial arts through his famous we...
Ep 8: From Tai Chi to Systema with Rob Poyton
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this episode is Rob Poyton a veteran of the UK Tai Chi and martial arts scene. These days Rob is a teacher of the Russian martial art of Syst...
BONUS EPISODE 7! Brad and Joe from The Fight Bible on Brad's upcoming fight with D.K.Yoo Dec. 4th
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hello and welcome to a special bonus edition of the Tai Chi Notebook. This time I’m interviewing Joe and Brad from The Fight Bible, a popular YouTub...
Ep 6: Internal Body Mechanics with Ken Gullette
06 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Tai Chi Notebook podcast my guest is Ken Gullette, a native of Illinois, USA, where he trains in all three of the main internal ...
Ep 5: Priit Mihkelson - Meet the BJJ Turtle Master
13 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
My guest in this episode is my first from the world of Brazilian Jiujitsu. He’s Estonian Jiujitsu coach Priit Mihkelson. For over 15 years now...
Ep 4: Damon Smith on the link between Shamanism and martial arts
25 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is Shamanism? And how does it relate to martial arts? In this episode I catch up with my old, friend and teacher Damon Smith to answer some of th...
Ep3: Paul Bowman on Bruce Lee, martial arts studies and martial arts comedy
04 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Bowman is a professor of cultural studies at Cardiff University. He’s the author of multiple books on martial arts, including several about Bru...
Ep 2: Byron Jacobs on Beijing martial arts
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Byron Jacobs is a teacher of Xing Yi and Bagua based in Beijing, China. He’s a student of the famous Shifu Di Guoyong and is heavily involved in the...
Ep 1: Daniel Mroz on defining Chinese martial arts
31 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 1: Daniel Mroz on defining Chinese martial arts. What is the relationship between Chinese martial arts and Chinese theatre, religion, mime, seriou...
Is Xing Yi a nature-based martial art any longer?
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Which came first in Xing Yi, the 5 elements or the 12 animals? This episode is also available as a blog post: http://thetaichinotebook.com/2021/06/29/...
Pressure point striking is back!
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dim mak, pressure points, high kicks and nerve strikes! This episode is also available as a blog post: http://thetaichinotebook.com/2021/05/25/pressur...
Lineage Queens
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Does lineage reallt matter in Chinese marital arts? This episode is also available as a blog post: http://thetaichinotebook.com/2021/05/18/does-it-wor...
Suspended from above. Bringing a sense of lightness to your Tai Chi.
23 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One admonition from Yang Cheng Fu’s 10 important points, that has become something of a law in Tai Chi Chuan, is to ‘keep the head suspended, as i...
Don’t put power into the form, let it naturally arise from the form
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some advice on how to stop trying so much in Tai Chi and learn to go with the flow. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://thetaichinot...
How much water should you drink a day?
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you hydrated? How do you know? Should you be drinking a certain amount of water a day? Find out in this episode of The Tai Chi Notebook. This epis...
Tai Chi is still too deadly for the cage
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I’m going to have a bit of a rant today about Tai Chi people who still think that their art is too deadly for the ring, so please bear with me. This...
The three timings in Xing Yi and Jeet Kune Do
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A look at the concept of timing in martial arts and a way to practice it that comes from Xing Yi. This episode is also available as a blog post: http:...
Review: Introduction to Baguazhang by Kent Howard
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A review of Introduction to Baguazhang, by Kent Howard. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://thetaichinotebook.com/2021/05/18/review-...