Tai Chi is a centuries-old martial art that is well-suited to calming the mind in today’s hectic world. It is also a powerful form of exercise that can enhance recovery from injury or poor health and help to slow the deteriorating aspects of illness.

David Ip is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, practising in Regina and Lumsden since 2002. He was inspired to change to a career in health care by his teacher, Master Moy Lin-shin, who founded international organizations to spread his knowledge of the Taoist healing arts for health. David has practiced Tai Chi since 1987 and trained in the internal arts for health including Tai Chi, Liu He Ba Fa, Xing Yi, and Tai Chi Sword and Sabre. He has taught Tai Chi and its related arts for over 20 years in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, and NWT, He has lived in the Qu’Appelle Valley since 2005. It was also through Tai Chi that he and his wife met and thus he came to live in Saskatchewan.

In his work, David applies his knowledge from the Taoist arts for health in diagnosing and treating patients, and he has been asked countless times over the years to teach Tai Chi again.

At the invitation of Chris Kistner of Lumsden Shindo Self-Defence Center, we have scheduled a trial run of Beginner and Regular Tai Chi classes for 12 weeks. If there is enough interest, we hope to set up ongoing sessions.

1. Tai Chi style
   • There are many styles around the world. We will teach the Yang style form of Master Moy Lin-Shin. It focuses predominantly on health and is substantially different than standardized Yang forms. There will be no competition aspect in these sessions.
   • The Beginner class will be sufficient to join in with people who practice the same form if you should wish to join other groups.
2. Location:
   • Lumsden Shindo Self-Defence Center, 140-1 River St., Lumsden.
   • Warning: Google Maps & Apple Maps location of River St. is imprecise. Search “Retro Food Bar” or “Retro Food Catering” and go to the building around the corner from it. 
3. Registration
   
   • Beginner classes:
     • Thursdays 7-8:30 pm, April 16-July 2, 2026
     • Sundays 2:30-4:00 pm, April 12-June 28, 2026
   • Regular class:
     • Sundays 12:45-2:15 pm, April 12-June 28, 2026
   • Maximum 40 persons per session.
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   • To register, contact David Ip at 306-790-9378 (West Lake Clinic) or davidip@westlakeclinic.ca
4. Fees
   
   • $121.25 per 12 weeks.
   • There is no difference for Regular sessions vs Beginner. If you learned the set before, you are welcome to use the Beginner session to refresh your memory but we encourage you to join the Regular session as soon as possible. It comes back quickly!
   • David is volunteering his time to lead the sessions. The fees basically cover the administrative and facility costs. The fee schedule may change over time depending on numbers and costs.
5. Session structure
   
   • Beginner session: 12 weeks. Objective: introduce the set of 108 steps and some basic principles and exercises. By the end of the session, a participant can do the set by following along in a group.
   • Regular session: no set time terms; for persons who have completed the Beginner session; minimal structure. Objective: improve health through understanding of the Tai Chi movements, modify for individual health conditions.
   • Advanced session: often specific periods, e.g., 1-2 day workshop, or a series of dedicated sessions. Objective: specialty forms and techniques, such as Tai Chi Sword, Liu He Ba Fa, training instructors, etc. This forum may be used for fundraising or a special event.
6. What to wear
   
   • Comfortable loose clothes, such as sweat pants, sweatshirt, loose T shirt.
   • Indoor-only shoes please. The floor is covered with tatami mats for the jiujitsu classes. Outdoor footwear is not permitted on the mats. You are welcome to purchase special shoes if you wish, but these are absolutely not a requirement. Whatever you would wear to other indoor exercise activities should be adequate.
7. Health
   
   • People with an extremely wide range of health concerns have learned this form of Tai Chi, and often found noticeable improvement in their health. It is a low impact activity with gentle stretches, slow steps, moderate balancing, and weight shifting. The moves are often adapted for persons with limited range of motion or movement restrictions. Please consult your health provider if you have any specific health concerns.
8. Additional notes
   
   • Sitting class: Unfortunately, at this time we don’t have the resources to accommodate special needs such as sitting classes.
   • Video or picture recording: please respect everyone’s privacy – do not take pictures or videos without consent. If you want to be able to watch the form in video, please ask.
   • “Tai Chi Walking”: We have no idea what this social media trend is and we have no plans to investigate it.
   • This information is subject to change without notice.