I have been a member of Body and Brain Yoga for 15 years. I joined because a medical doctor…read morerecommended yoga for stress relief, and the practice guided me to much better ways of handling stress. My stress related illness subsided and my awareness of good mental habits improved greatly. I am delighted with the results, and highly recommend this yoga to anyone looking for more awareness of how their body and mind can work together to create health, happiness and peace.

Body and Brain Yoga and Tai Chi in Huntsman Square, Springfield has been a great experience!…read more I've been a member for a few years now. The classes remain fun, dynamic, and top notch. The Center Manager and her staff are caring and knowledgeable. They listen to you and your particular needs and work with you for opportunities to address and improve. Over the past few years my health has improved significantly, I have a deeper understanding of myself, and feel more energetic and positive!

I initially looked into Tai-Chi at the recommendation of my doctor of osteopathy to help with back…read moreand joint issues (at a point where normal doctors had completely failed, not just to address, but even to identify what my issues were). After only a couple months, I was seeing signs of relief, not just in the affected areas, but in many other areas. My lower back opened up, I gained flexibility, and found increased vitality and stamina. It's important to note that I didn't just experience relief from pain or the ability to manage pain, but have gained some actual healing and strength. It hasn't been an instant-fix miracle: the process has been gradual, but that's the Tai-Chi way: taking the time to build real strength, to re-orient your body to move through the world in a healthy manner, not just masking symptoms. I'm feeling healthier than I have in years, and am so grateful to have stumbled upon this school. Be careful going with your run-of-the-mill, community-center, inauthentic Tai-chi programs. The old Chen style, taught in this way with a blend of Eastern and Western teaching styles, is the real deal.

This is one of the best excercise, martial arts and overall physical practice to take with Stephan…read more He's a true teacher and expert in Tai Chi. Highly recommend it.

I found Kris Brinker's Just Breathe Tai Chi classes through an online search at the beginning of…read morethe pandemic. Her demo of the Cheng Man Ching form was easy to follow and beautifully choreographed. Kris was responsive and friendly when I contacted her, and I am now completing my third live online course with her, along with subscribing to her recorded "on demand" classes that are available. These classes have made a difference for me, and I will continue!

Kris' style of teaching is easy to follow and advancement is quite rapid with each class building…read moreon the prior lesson. The class is centred around the Cheng Man Ching 37, which turns out to have 60 plus movements--the 37 refers to the number of unique movements and some repeat throughout the form. Kris also has some great relationships with other instructors who occasionally make a guest appearance and provide demonstrations. Classes are held weekly, with 14-15 classes to a session, which is sufficient time to learn the basics of approximately one-third of the form (with some practice at home). Students are also given access to videos to help their practice between classes, which helps enormously! Personally, I have found Tai Chi both rewarding and challenging. It takes some physical and mental stamina to master the moves--which is a great distraction from the rigors of an otherwise busy life. The amount of effort expended is up to the individual, students range from 13 to 83 years of age all advancing at their own rate. Tai Chi has improved my own balance and core strength which has positively impacted other sports such as skiing and cycling. I like it, and would recommend that everyone tries it!

Jorge is an excellent instructor and has a very welcoming and helpful group of dedicated students…read more His classes are good for beginning to very experienced practitioners. The tone of the class is serious and respectful. I highly recommend for anyone interested in learning or practicing Tai Chi.

Wonderful human and instructor. Highly knowledgeable and goes the extra mile. He teaches beginners…read moreand advanced students.

The focus is on personal development. Leg strength and balance are important but the mental aspect…read moreof study is emphasized. Meditation and breathing, recognizing your body's signals, learning to relax the body and mind, are part of the curriculum. There is no competition with others, just improvement of yourself which I find very important.

From the owner: Tai Chi classes since 1975.read more

Since living abroad in China, I always harbored the secret dream of waking up early one morning to…read moredo Taiji in the park with a bunch of randos. I would know all of the moves, be in sync with my fellow Taiji-ers and feel at one with the Universe. It took me quite a long time to start making this dream a reality. I additionally had entered a period of my life where yoga was no longer an option to help me find "balance" in this crazy world. Thankfully, I had a DC friend who practiced Taiji and encouraged me to join a beginner's class at his school, Great River Taoist Center. I have now been a student at Great River for 7 months and have since realized there is a lot more to Taiji than learning some pretty "moves" to do in the park. Don't expect to pick this up overnight - this practice takes time, patience and determination (i.e. it takes an entire year just to learn the sequence). Taiji is not only a martial art, it is also a way of life - one that requires full awareness of your body, mind and the present moment. Great River is not for the faint of heart, but it has woken me up to the fact that I need to work on my breathing, my body alignment, my mindfulness and my inability to "let go." Plus, if you want to learn from the best, Rodell lao shi is the best.

From the owner: Yang style taichi chuan (tai chi, taijiquan)- The complete martial system including forms, push…read morehands, free fighting (san shou), spear, and sword. From beginners to accomplished martial artists, Great River offers classes for all levels and experience.

If your looking for quality Tai Chi training in the Fairfax area I highly recommend checking out…read moreStill Water Tai Chi Center! After 26 years of training I still walk away in awe of Sifu Gilmer every time I train with him! Patrick Bast, 4th Dan DKI Ryukyu Kempo, 4th Dan Tomiki Aikido, 2nd Dan Kenkojuko Shotokan Karate

I took Still Water's Women's Defense Class with my 13 year old daughter. I highly recommend this…read moreclass, without reservation. Dante and his team taught the important life skills of developing awareness, examples of potentially dangerous situation, and how to get out of them. It was not only extremely informative, but also fun, and we left much more confident about how to deal if ever faced with such a situation. All girls/women from Middle School, High School, College, and adults should take this class. We plan to repeat at least annually to reinforce what has already been learned.

My wife & I were gifted a Groupon for classes in 2020 and we've been going ever since. Informal &…read morefriendly, which is perfect for us. The teacher & student teachers are patient & accommodating and we enjoy ourselves & are glad to have widened our circle of friends. Still going strong...

Excellent Instruction Very thorough and patient instructor…read more I highly recommend Full Circle and Sifu Mike

Still a great endeavour ! Enjoyable and helpful for balance flexibility and golf (runnong &…read moreswimming too) Alas, no early morning classes ... yet.

This is an excellent martial arts school, they offer so much to their students, such as Tai Chi,…read moreQigong and Northern Shaolin Kung fu. Master (Sifu) Billy Greer is a very knowledgeable teacher who over sees all the classes first hand. They have a very large training hall, There's plenty of space to have more than one class at the same time. Sifu Billy also gives back to the community with fund raising(s). So I highly recommend their school to try. Plus they offer free classes as well.

Took my 5- and 8-year-old to Six Blades Jiu Jitsu Nova for a free trial. The environment is…read moreno-nonsense and clearly built around serious training-- which as an Army veteran is something I personally respect and felt at home in, especially given the military-style banter. That said, I didn't find the tone ideal for younger kids. There was language and phrasing ("kick his ass!") that I didn't feel was appropriate for children, and I was disappointed by comments made toward boys being beaten by girls ("You'll walk home if you lose to a girl")--not exactly the message I want either of my kids internalizing. The instructors are absolutely skilled and committed, but they treat the kids like mini adults, which may work for some families, but not ours. We ended up going with another gym that's more youth-focused, closer to home, and offers more affordable memberships with military and family discounts. I think Six Blades would be great for adult students or older teens looking for high-level instruction, but it just wasn't the right fit for our young kids. Edited for further context: For further context, what the owner describes as "jovial" banter included quotes from coaches during the kids' training session: * "Kick his ass!" * "Whoop his ass!" * "You better not lose to a girl!" * "If you lose to a girl, you're walking home!" * "Pay attention, dammit!" "Banter" implies the kids could respond with witty comebacks--but what would they realistically say to grown men in a position of authority? They simply complied. That said, I truly appreciate the owner's openness to constructive feedback. It makes me feel more confident in my decision as a parent. For now, we'll stick with the more "budget" and kid-friendly option -- at least until my children are old enough to clap back at demeaning and misogynistic comments with confidence and humor that comes with maturity.

My son has been training at Six Blades three times a week for seven months. He's had the best…read moreexperience! The instructors are extremely skilled at jiu-jitsu and are natural teachers. The kids children's classes are full of super sweet kids and friendly parents. The community is very welcoming and I'm so grateful to have found it.