Both Grandmasters have been studying under Great Grandmasters Wang Fu Lai and Hoang Su Chun for the past 30 years and are Directors of Cheng Ming in Australia.
Skill-Based Tai Chi Martial Art Training in Bairnsdale
Refine your body mechanics, build fluid internal power, and master whole-body coordination through authentic Cheng Ming Tai Chi.
For people who enjoy moving well, Tai Chi is a sophisticated martial art designed to train physical intelligence, precise structure and effortless power.
Train a Martial Art with Real Structure and Method
Tai Chi at 4 Health Tai Chi is not a generic wellness stretch. It is a traditional martial system that demands focus, physical precision, and continuous refinement.
We teach authentic Cheng Ming Tai Chi—a lineage renowned for its clear movement principles, structural integrity, and practical body mechanics. Every class focuses on how force moves through the body, training you to generate fluid strength with absolute control.
Whether you have a background in martial arts, yoga, Pilates, strength training, or sport, this practice provides a deep, rewarding physical challenge that directly improves how you move in everyday life.
What You’ll Train: Precision Biomechanics & Internal Power
Our curriculum breaks down complex physical coordination into systematic, trainable skills:
Rooting & Stance Work: Build deep leg strength, foot structure, and unbreakable balance by learning to direct force into the ground.
Precise Weight Transfer: Eliminate wasted movement. Master smooth, deliberate weight shifts that keep your center of mass under control at all times.
Whole-Body Alignment: Link your ankles, knees, hips, spine, and shoulders into a single, kinetic chain.
Internal Power & Leverage: Develop physical force generated by timing, structural alignment, and rotational momentum—not tension or brute muscular exertion.
Breathing & Qigong Mechanics: develop diaphragm breathing with physical extension to increase stamina and core stability.
Weaponry (Tai Chi Sword): Advanced coordination training that extends your spatial awareness and structural control through an implement.
Measurable Progression: Earn Every Step
Real skill acquisition requires feedback and clear milestones. At 4 Health Tai Chi, you don’t just attend classes—you progress through a structured coloured sash grading system.
Demonstrated Competence: Advance by proving your mastery of movement mechanics, posture, and form sequences.
Clear Roadmap: Know exactly what skills, forms, and principles you are working toward at every stage.
The Satisfaction of Mastery: Experience the quiet, earned satisfaction of refining a complex skill week after week.
Carry-Over into Sport, Training, and Daily Life
Improved Movement Performance
When you train your body to move with efficiency and structural integrity, every other physical activity improves:
Strength & Functional Training: Better foot rooting and hip drive transfer directly into heavier, safer lifts.
Running & Hiking: Improved weight transfer and joint alignment reduce wear on knees and ankles over long distances.
Martial Arts, Yoga & Dance: Heightened spatial awareness, balance, and core rotation give you sharper precision in complex movement patterns.
Secondary Performance & Health Outcomes
Because you are training sound body mechanics, your body adapts naturally:
Stronger, more resilient legs and stabilising joints
Expanded functional range of motion and mobility
Increased physical energy through efficient movement
Sharper spatial awareness and instinctual balance under pressure
Laoshi Bruce
Authentic Lineage
Classes are led by Bruce Stafford (Laoshi Bruce), an internationally qualified instructor teaching the authentic Cheng Ming Tai Chi lineage.
Bruce brings a clear, methodical teaching style focused on practical movement application, structural alignment, and genuine skill acquisition—ensuring you learn Tai Chi as a true martial discipline.
For People Who Want to Train Skill, Refine Movement, and Progress
If you value body control, physical challenge, and the satisfaction of getting measurably better at a complex physical discipline, we invite you to step onto the floor.
Experience the movement, meet the class, and feel the structure for yourself.
Internationally Recognised Cheng Ming System
- Cheng Ming has schools in many countries including Taiwan, Japan, Europe, USA, New Zealand and Australia.
- It is authentic Tai Chi Chuan taught by Great Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai and Great Grandmaster Hoang Su Chun of Taiwan.
- Laoshi Bruce is a direct student of Grandmaster David Zarb and Grandmaster Amelia Zarb who are direct students of Great Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai and Great Grandmaster Hoang Su Chun.
- The syllabus consists of the 100 movement Tai Chi Form, 52 movement Tai Chi Sword Form, Nei Gung (Stand Form), Tai Chi Walking and push hands.
- The movements, intent and focus is on developing strong Chi and good health.
- Cheng Ming is an authentic martial art with strong lineage and can be learned by anyone.
About the Masters
Founder: Great Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Chin (1905-1981)
Great Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Chin studied Tai Chi, Hsing-I and Ba Gua from the masters originating from the Zhong Nan mountains in central china. One of the great Masters of all time and founder of Cheng Ming.
Great Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai
The head of Cheng Ming today. He started training with Wang Shu Chin when he was 14 and has dedicated his life to spreading this great system around the world. An amazing man and Martial Artist Great Grandmaster Wang travels the world teaching Kung Fu.
Great Grandmaster Hoang Su Chun
Alongside Great Grandmaster Master Wang Fu Lai is Great Grandmaster Hoang Su Chun travels the world teaching the Cheng Ming system. She too was taught by Great Great GrandMaster Wang Su Chin and was for many years his carer in his later life. Both Masters are absolute in the systems of Tai Chi Chuan, Hsing I and Ba Gua Zhang.
Grandmasters David Zarb & Amelia Zarb
We are very lucky to have such expert coaches guiding and training us in the style of Cheng Ming Internal Kung Fu. Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai and Master Hoang Su Chun have both visited and trained in Australia a number of times.
Laoshi Bruce trains with Grandmaster David Zarb regularly and has also visited Great Grandmasters Wang Fu Lai & Hoang Su Chun in their school in Taiwan.
Class Details & Training Schedule
We train at Lucknow Memorial Hall in Bairnsdale.
Class Times (the first three weeks of every month):
Mondays at 6:00 PM
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
Fridays at 9:00 AM
Location: Lucknow Memorial Hall, Bairnsdale / East Gippsland
Your Trial Lesson is FREE: You are invited to visit us for a free trial lesson so you can see for yourself (if you decide to become a student after this, the training fee is $65/month)
- What to Wear: Comfortable athletic clothing and flat-soled indoor shoes or socks.
Step onto the floor, test your structure, and experience authentic, skill-based Tai Chi firsthand. Your first session at Lucknow Memorial Hall is completely free—no commitment, just real training.
For your free trial lesson, simply attend any of the classes.
Taiwan Training Trip 2024 – March 29th to April 5th by Maree Day
Training
Every day we would train in the Hotel car park from at 8.30am to 9.30am then walk up to the Dojo by 10am. We would sit down for green tea and a chat before training started at 10.30am on the dot, not a minute later. The morning session would run until 12 noon then a short walk to restaurant for lunch. After lunch we would have a rest time until we returned to the Dojo by 3pm. Again, we would sit down for Green tea and a chat then start the afternoon training session at 3.30pm on the dot, not a minute later. We would finish training at 6pm then walk to the restaurant for Dinner.
This was the training routine every day, we would start with Dong Zwang – walking stand form, then Tway So – push hands and finish with Ba Gua.
Our daily routine was: Eat, Train, Drink green tea, Train, Eat, Rest, Drink green tea, Train, Eat and Sleep.
There was a lot of training, but also plenty of rest time.
Inner Door Ceremony
Early in the week, the formal ceremonies for Inner Door were held. It’s a ceremony where you pledge to practice well and to honour the Cheng Ming system and your Laoshi. Although held entirely in Mandarin, we had an interpreter who advised us what to do. Dawn, Christina and I did our Inner Door ceremony at the same time with Laoshi Bruce being in attendance along with Grandmasters David and Amelia and Great Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai. As an Inner Door student, more of the Cheng Ming syllabus opens up to us.
Laoshi Bruce did his Inner Room Ceremony – something not many students around the world have done. It was a very special night!
Local School Students
Tuesday night we did an extra training session after dinner with the local school students, this was a very advanced class of Bagua and Weaponry. It isn’t something we have yet learnt, I tried to follow but could not keep up, it was very fast paced and amazing to watch the skill level.
Before the class started I had an amazing experience of doing the full Tai chi sword form with one of the local students, even the bit I hadn’t learnt. Her technique was amazing, she told me I did it too fast!!
Food
The food was amazing. I was a little worried when I was told that we would be eating vegetarian for the time we were away but I was very surprised how delicious it all was. Breakfast was at 8am every morning in the carpark of the Hotel. Most morning we had Fan tuan’s, a rice ball with a fried donut/cruller (known as you tiao) inside with warm soy milk or a very, very strong black tea.
Lunch and Dinner was at a couple of different restaurants that we could walk too, every place had very nice food and A LOT of it, we never went hungry. One restaurant that we went to the most we named the “Red 8” It didn’t matter if it was lunch or dinner we always received a bowl of rice, then followed 7 different dishes and finished with a bowl of dessert/drink, total 8 dishes!
Memorial Hill Visit
On Sunday we went for a short drive up the mountain to the memorial space of Great Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Chin, the founder of Cheng Ming.
The mountain had a very steep and winding road. At the top was the amazing dragon pole and the very colourful Nantou nineteen long Zhu Taoist temple.
A short walk around the corner from the temple was Great Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Chin memorial.
It was a very spiritual and respectful experience. The space was cleaned of leaves, we lined up in the highest rank to lowest, starting with the Grandmasters, inner room Students then the inner door students as flowers were offered to Great Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Chin by Grandmaster Amelia and Master Paolo from Europe Cheng Ming. After the offering one by one we went up the stairs to the burial spot of Great, Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Chin to bow and pay our respects.
Great Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai
Great Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai was amazing to watch when he was doing any of the forms. He makes it look so easy. He speaks very little to no English but can count to 5 when he is training us and tell us “slower” or “lower”
He shows us a few moves then sits back on the stone seats and watches us while we practice. You don’t think that Great Grandmaster is watching but he sees every move. If it’s done wrong, he would jump up and come to correct us.
When Great Grandmaster was happy that we remembered that move he would add the next move for us to learn and we would practice, practice and practice.
There are so many amazing take-outs from this trip, but the one thing that will always stay with me is what Great Grandmaster Wang fu Lai said to us, “Believe what our Grandmaster and Laoshi teach us, it is the real stuff and practice 30 minutes a day. Everyone is at different stages of their training, don’t stop training, manage your training, don’t miss because of an early meeting, just get up earlier.
It is important to remember that there is always something to learn no matter how much you think you know. And sometimes different Great Grandmasters, Grandmasters, Laoshi or other teachers will show you different ways and that’s ok, it’s how they have remembered it. Always ask your Laoshi if you are unsure, they will ask their Laoshi and up the chain it goes. Even the Grandmasters are being picked up on hand positions, twisting at waist etc.”
I cannot say how grateful and honoured I am to have been trained by the Great grandmasters. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding experience.
