Surrey and Hants Tai Chi and Qigong

Tai Chi Instructors near Aldershot Farnborough Farnham Camberley Hook Sandhurst Woking Fleet 

Instructor Profile

Surrey & Hants Tai Chi Founder & Instructor 

Cherry Collins

"Hi! My name is Cherry Collins. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to make a living from teaching something I love. Tai Chi & Qigong are my free-time passion as well as being my full-time job"

 About Cherry

Cherry has an Intermediate Taijiquan Instructor's qualification awarded by her teacher, 3 Times China National Champion, Master Wang Hai Jun. Cherry also has a 3rd Duan Wei Qualification, awarded by the Chinese Wushu Association and is a qualified Health Qigong Instructor.

In the Summer of 2013 Cherry visited China with her teacher, Master Wang Hai Jun and entered the Jiaozuo International Tai Chi competition - an event which is held every two years and attracts approximately 3800 entrants from over 20 counties. At this event Cherry won the gold medal for the Women's Traditional Chen Tai Chi Hand Form and a Silver Medal for her Chen Style Sword Form. 

   Cherry's personal philosophy is 'Gai Shan' -to be continually better at whatever she does.  Cherry has studied Chen Taijiquan for over 10 years, under one of the most accomplished and respected Chen Style Tai Chi Masters in the UK, Master Wang, Hai Jun. (See his bio below) Cherry has also undertaken residential training trips to China in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2016 for up to 9 months at a time.

 Above: Master Wang Haijun and Cherry at the end of a Chen Taiji Spear Training Camp

Below: Cherry's Certificate of completion of Chen Taiji Spear form 

Cherry holds full public liability insurance for her classes as well as Health & Safety at Work qualifications and a current First Aid certificate.  All of Cherry's  venues are regularly risk-assessed and she upholds the SHTC customer care charter, all of which means that you will receive the best learning experience we can provide in a safe, secure environment. 

Cherry talks about her previous training in UK & China 

 I began my training in 2008 in a  local Tai Chi class - perhaps a bit like you - looking for a class to join now! In 2009 following a redundancy from my 'proper' job i set off for China and stayed for 6 months at a Traditional Chinese Martial Arts School in Shandong province where I trained for 6 hours a day 5 days a week, in Chen Taiji, Beijing 24 Tai Chi and Qigong. I returned to the school just over a year later for another 4 months, and a further 2 visits after  that.   In 2013 I spent three weeks travelling and training in China with Master Wang Haijun, winning gold and silver medals for my forms in the  Jiaozuo International Competition.  

MY QIGONG TRAINING & AWARDS

 I have completed my Health Qigong Teacher Training with the British Health Qigong Association and I am qualified to teach many Health Qigong Sets. I keep my qualifications updated with training seminars and re-validation exams at regular intervals.

In 2009 I trained with the Chinese Health Qigong Association in Beijing. In 2010, 2012, 2015, 2018 & 2019 I attended UK training seminars taught by masters of the Chinese Health Qigong Association and since Covid came along, have continued to train regularly with them via Zoom seminars  

In Spring 2012 I helped help lead 300 participants in a record- breaking Chinese Health Qigong display, where we performed three sets of Health Qigong: Six Healing Sounds, Yi Jin Jing & Ba Duan Jin. That's me in blue, below, taken at the end of the performance.  

I studied Shaolin Yi Jin Jing Qigong, Shaolin Luohan 13 Hands Qigong, Ba Duan Jin and 5 Animals Qigong and Shaolin Da Li Jin Gang Zhuan in Shandong province over four training visits totalling over 1500 training hours.

In 2012 I also studied Wudang Tai Chi and Yang Sheng Gong during a residential training stay on Wudang Mountain and  Studied Shaolin Stick Qigong and Wudang 13 Yang Sheng Gong in Beijing in 2013

Some of my Qualifications

Pics above:  Intermediate Teacher's Certificate from Master Wang Hai Jun, Level 3 Duan Wei certificate awarded by the Chinese Wushu Association in China, First place certificate for my form in the Jiaozuo International Taiji Competition in China, First Aid at work certificate 

A little more about me 

My first period of study in China came about as a result of a redundancy from my full time job of 10 years. Initially, upon receiving news of the redundancy, my  Western train of thought caused me to feel upset and anxious about the future. Family, mortgage, lifestyle etc - what would happen now?  But after reading a verse about change in the Tao Te Ching, I suddenly realised that I was not being handed a 'half empty' cup, but a 'half full' one.  A chance to break away from my repetitive 9am-6pm existence and make a fresh start - doing something I loved.

As I had been studying Chinese Martial Arts for a little while in the UK, I decided to use my unexpected free time to embark on a journey of discovery and so I enrolled for a period of study at a traditional Chinese martial arts school in Shandong Province. Life & training in China taught me more than just forms and applications: My focus, determination and self-awareness improved and I found myself looking at life from a completely different angle and with this came tremendous liberation.

After living at the school in China for a couple of months, I was given my 'Chinese Name' by my teacher: It is "Yang, Mulan". Hua Mulan is an historic female Chinese figure, loved by the nation, as she took her ailing father's place in the army, posing as a man, and was promoted over the years to the rank of General, leading thousands into battle to protect the Emperor and the nation, but at the end of 12 years service refused any reward and simply returned home to serve her family! Wow, quite a lot to live up to!! They gave me the name Mulan after observing what they called my 'fighting spirit and perseverance'. Receiving my Chinese name was quite an emotional moment for me and I felt greatly honoured to be called after such a prominent Chinese folk heroine! The surname 'Yang' means one coming from outside (of China).

I have found that Martial Arts practice, including Tai Chi and Qigong meditation, are excellent tools for grounding oneself and bringing life into perspective. The practice of these arts strengthen and heal the body, calm and focus the mind and elevate the human spirit. 

 Hua Mulan - Chinese Folklore Heroine

To anyone thinking of taking up Tai Chi or Qigong, I encourage you go for it wholeheartedly. Don't worry that you are too old or too unfit (or too good at finding excuses!) I never imagined when I started training in Tai Chi in my late 40's that I would be teaching full time or would have travelled to China many times to learn the authentic arts at their source.

It's never too late to bring about the changes you want to see in your life.  Just believe in yourself and work hard towards your goal and you will without doubt you will see your dreams come to fruition. 

If I can - so can you! 

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The term 'Kung Fu' /Gong Fu translates as  (results obtained from )  sustained effort over a period of time'

The more effort you put in, the more rewards you will reap

Shaolin 3-Section staff training, one of the unexpected new skills I learnt in China during my first trip to China in 2009 - along with quick reflexes, improved focus and clarity under pressure and getting back up again when you get knocked down - all useful life skills!