Steadier on your feet, easier in your joints, and a calm hour in good company. Our small tai chi and qi gong classes welcome beginners in their fifties, sixties, seventies and beyond, with a seated option for every movement.
Tai chi trains the things that matter most as we get older: balance, leg strength, joint movement and confidence on your feet. Its slow weight shifts teach the body to stay upright, which is why it is one of the best studied activities for reducing falls in older adults. Read the evidence on tai chi for balance and falls.
The NHS advises adults aged 65 and over to do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least two days a week, and lists tai chi among them. Our two weekly classes make that easy to reach.
It is also gentle on painful joints. The evidence is strongest for knee osteoarthritis, where tai chi eases pain and stiffness and improves function. See tai chi for arthritis.
If you have a Freedom Pass or a 60+ London Oyster photocard, you can usually travel to Turnham Green by District line or bus without paying a fare. The Wednesday 9:30am class starts after the morning rush, and the Friday 1:30pm class suits anyone who prefers a later start.
Coming with a friend or partner makes it easier to keep going week after week. Two people booking together simply let us know when you enquire.
Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons. Tell us about any health conditions when you enquire and your teacher will plan for you before you arrive.
Prefer to talk first? Call 020 4515 0000 or message us on WhatsApp. Want to learn on your own first? Book a one-to-one session, £50.
Save your place in a group class
£15 a class, beginners welcome. Send your details and we will call you to confirm the next class and save you a place.
Prefer to message? Send us a WhatsApp and we will reply with the next class time.
Message us on WhatsAppPractise between classes, or read more about what tai chi can do.
Nothing is rushed. You can sit down whenever you like, and nobody expects you to remember the movements at first.
Wear loose clothing and flat shoes. No equipment is needed. Read what happens in a tai chi class for more detail.
Classes are led by two of our doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine, so movements are adapted with real knowledge of joints, balance and common health conditions.
Wu-style tai chi and qi gong
Trained at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a member of the British Acupuncture Council. Teaches Wu-style tai chi with a focus on posture, breath and steady weight shifts.
Tai chi and qi gong since 1994
Has practised and taught tai chi and qi gong since 1994, and trained in both clinical medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine in China.
Short journeys from across West London.
Omnia Lifestyle is at 8 to 9 Bedford Corner, The Avenue, Chiswick W4 1LZ, close to Turnham Green station, on bus routes 94, E3 and 272. Limited parking is available on request when booking. Open in Google Maps.
No. Trials showing fewer falls recruited people in their sixties, seventies and eighties who had never practised before. You can start at any age.
Yes. Every movement has a seated version, and you can sit for part or all of the class.
In most cases, yes. Stances are made higher and smaller for painful or replaced joints. If you have had surgery recently, check with your surgeon or GP first.
Speak to your GP first if you have had a fall in the last year or have unexplained dizziness. A balance assessment at our clinic can also look for treatable causes such as BPPV.
The same as everyone else: £15 per group class, paid per class. One-to-one sessions are £50.
Yes. Let us know when you enquire and we will save two places.
Send your details and we will call you to talk through your first class, or call us directly. Group classes are £15.
Our classes are held at our clinic: see tai chi classes in Chiswick for the full details. Tai chi near you: Hammersmith, Ealing, Acton, Richmond and Kew, West London. Also: tai chi classes in London, qigong classes in London.
Tai chi is gentle exercise, not a medical treatment. If you have had a recent fall, unexplained dizziness, chest pain or recent surgery, speak to your GP before starting. Call 999 in an emergency.
