“I just wanted to thank you for the Tai Chi Bang Workshop. I had a repetitive strain injury in my right arm that had been giving me pain every day. I had to wear a brace on it to perform everyday activities and use the computer mouse with my left hand. The day after the workshop, my arm was pain free for the first time. Since then it has steadily improved with daily practice and now I can use it freely for all activities including computer work and I haven’t had to use the brace for at least a month.
The workshop also improved the flexibility in my back and legs so now I can easily bend down to pick things up and perform household cleaning and gardening easily.
I highly recommend the Tai Chi Bang Workshop.”
- Susan, TAFE Teacher
“Within two weeks of completing the Tai Chi Bang workshop, I was amazed at the improvement in my hand and wrist strength. Furthermore, I no longer experience wrist pain after extended periods in front of the computer.
A number of the movements have also helped me gain a better feel for how certain parts of my body move, and this, along with the strength improvements, is proving useful in my martial arts practice.”
- Andrew, PhD Student
“I’m writing to tell of my experience with the Tai Chi Bang. I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis compounded by a Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) in my right wrist. I’ve been practising for 2 years now and the practice has led to a total recovery of the injury as well as strengthening both hands and wrists.”
- Alice
“Over the years, I have spent a lot of time working on computers and have suffered pain in my arms as a result. In particular, I experience a deep pain in my right shoulder every time I type or use a computer mouse. Practising the Tai Chi Bang for 15 minutes a day has stopped this pain almost completely. The effects have been dramatic and immediate. I noticed a difference after just one week of daily practice. I can now spend a couple of hours on a computer without experiencing any pain in my arm. This would have been impossible before. The exercises have also made my arms and back, and even my legs, feel stronger. The practice has a very calming effect and is enjoyable to do. I would recommend it to anyone.”
- Leonie, Art Teacher
“During the workshop where we learnt the four sets of Bang (Stick) exercises, Fontane spoke of the benefits people had experienced in their everyday lives. At the time, I thought that these folk were gilding the lily a little.
After a very short time of regular practice (no large space required for this one!), I found a significant change in my arms and hands particularly.
For some years, I had trouble with a couple of fingers on my right hand. The GP said it was arthritis and I accepted that as part of the ageing process. To my surprise, it was only a matter of weeks and I found that the fingers were not curled as I awoke each morning. If it was arthritis, it has been frightened away.
Jokingly, I told my wife that I would have no trouble opening those difficult jars for her. The joke became a reality. There was an almost dramatic increase in the strength in the fingers and those jars open with a twist these days.
Just a couple of the benefits (and almost immediate) from my association with the Tai Chi Bang.”
- Bryan, “Life Enthusiast”
“At the 4 week stage, there has been a 10% increase in my grip strength in both hands. This has come about from practising one set of 9 repetitions of each exercise 5 to 6 times per week. After 8 weeks, there was an 18% improvement in my left (nondominant) hand and 12% in my right (dominant) hand.”
- Greg, Sports Physician
“Fontane, thanks for the Tai Chi Bang. It is the best training for RSI and shoulder related problems that I see in general practice. A lot of my patients have weak hands, sore shoulders without significant illnesses or disease and they just need some sort of exercise to strengthen their arms. Tai Chi Bang is the best I have seen and I can see many uses in this area already.”
- David, GP
“The Bang (Stick) is an excellent way to ‘flex’ those tight muscles between the shoulder blades, the neck and along the spine. I’m still working on perfecting the technique of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g. One thing for sure is that you can consider the Stick as an excellent tool for a workout and a good friend.”
- Grace, Administrator / Massage Therapist
“Practising the Tai Chi Bang is lots of fun – the simple moves are easy to learn and apply. By accurately performing the movements, the Bang training gives your body a thorough and energising workout, while at the same time being low-impact. The improvement to your flexibility and strength are immediate and measurable. While undertaking a routine medical examination a few weeks after initially learning to train with the Bang I completed a grip test. While I usually measured around the average grip strength for a woman (27kg), I was pleasantly surprised to see my grip had improved to the average of a man (44kg).”
- Lyndal, Analyst
“As a result of practising the Tai Chi Bang, I am now able to play the guitar with a degree of competency that delights me. I have noticed increased flexibility in my wrist and a greater facility for controlling and ‘working’ my little finger. Also, the gentle twisting action of the Tai Chi Bang has helped me to relax my hands further. General increased overall strength in my arms has enabled me to take my playing to a level where I can play pieces I thought I would never master.
Fontane, even though I’m probably not doing the movements as perfectly as you showed me, something is working! Thank you for teaching me.”
- Felicia, Public Servant
” I found that while practising the Tai Chi Bang, I give my shoulders, arms and wrists a really hard workout. It has helped me overcome a problem I was having with my shoulder, helped with my martial arts training and makes riding my motorbike easier.”
- Kylie, Network Officer
“Last year I broke my wrist badly and several months later it still remained very weak and stiff. My doctor gave me strengthening exercises to do but I found that they made my wrist painful and I was reluctant to do them. I then found out about the Tai Chi Bang, and thought this might be the answer. I attended the workshop, and although it went for over three hours, my wrist was not at all sore the next day.
I have now been practising the Bang for just over a month and have noticed a significant improvement in both the strength and flexibility of my wrist. I can’t say exactly why, but I really enjoy the exercises themselves and the coordination I have learnt through them. I have also learned to engage my back more, which I find helpful to my Tai Chi practice. Like Tai Chi, using the Stick is very relaxing, and I am very pleased that I have learned another skill for life.”
- Jocelyn, Lawyer
“Since I have been practising Tai Chi Bang, I can feel that my wrist, arm and shoulder strength is much stronger now. I would recommend it to everyone.”
- John, Retiree
“Doing the Tai Chi Bang for the first time was quite an experience. I treasure my Bang very much and practise on a daily basis. It has helped improve movements in my form and given me flexibility, increased hand, leg and arm strength.”
- George, Retired
“Practising Tai Chi Bang gives me a real sense of accomplishment and achievement. It is a very different set of movements, using the Bang (or Stick) instead of just yourself, but you can feel the strength increasing in your wrists. The different movements allow for a change of pace which is quite enjoyable. My advice – give it a go, as you will really enjoy it.”
- Jenny, Public Servant
“I have found the Tai Chi Bang training to be very beneficial. It has helped to improve my coordination and body awareness, and develop greater hand and wrist strength and flexibility. When I grip it has made me become much more aware of how each finger is working and of how to use strength without generating tension. It is certainly a useful adjunct to my Wu Dao Gong training and I think anyone would benefit from the techniques.”
- Murli, Veterinarian
“When I learned how to train with the Bang, I was surprised that my back was so involved in the process. It always feels great the next day and the training has also helped the arthritis in my hands. I am impressed with the improvement in my grip and have become aware of changes in my elbows. They are slowly gaining flexibility and are no longer another source of arthritis.”
- Dave, Carer, Environmental Consultant
“I learned the Tai Chi Bang movements in a recent workshop. Since then I have found that my hand and wrist strength have improved just as Fontane said they would. In order to judge our progress, we were asked to shake the hands of other class members when we first started practising with the Bang. Well I can testify to the fact that in a month, my class mates have definitely developed much stronger grips! The practice is very enjoyable and doesn’t take long to do. It is easy to feel it working the back, arms and legs.”
- Chris, IT Support
“I have found the Bang (Stick) exercises particularly beneficial. You can literally feel your body responding to these simple routines. It’s a great way to exercise and de-stress.”
- Charles, recently retired
