Leon Fan

I’ve been active throughout my life with running, the gym, yoga, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo. It was a good balance to the years I spent working an office IT job. Yoga is the one I kept up longest, and after years of practice I qualified to teach it in 2021.

In February 2023 I started learning tai chi. I’d heard it was similar to yoga, so when a leaflet for night courses came in the post, I signed up for a ten-week course. Honestly, I didn’t like it at first. It was slow, and we kept repeating the same movements over and over again. But I’d paid upfront, so I kept going, and I’m glad I did. I absolutely love it now.

In September 2024 I left IT and moved to London to train full-time. I attend three classes a week, practise every day, and have done over 2,500 hours of tai chi.

What I enjoy about tai chi?
My first teacher often said, “Tai chi is simple but not easy,” and I didn’t realise how true that was. The movements felt awkward at first, but the more I practised, the more natural they became. Tai chi is known as a moving meditation, and the more I do it, the more interesting it gets. There’s always something new to discover, and it has changed my body and mind in ways I never expected.

It’s also very accessible. People of any age can practise it, and if you want more of a challenge, there are natural ways to progress. It’s social too, with partner work, and the people drawn to tai chi are always lovely (I may be biased).

Education
Master Ding Academy (MDA), London HQ: Tai Chi for Health, certified 2025
Four week-long intensive retreats and numerous four-day and weekend workshops (2024–2026)
Qualified yoga teacher, Himalaya Yoga Valley Cork (2021)

Teaching style
I teach Yang style tai chi with an emphasis on health. The focus is on relaxed structure, good alignment and internal awareness, which support mobility and a calmer mind.

Each class has three parts. We start with standing meditation (zhan zhuang), which builds stillness, posture and leg strength. Next come warm-up exercises drawn from the tai chi form, so your body is already learning the movements before we put them together. Then we work through the form itself, step by step. I do every movement with you, and there’s plenty of time for questions.

What inspires me to share it? 
I love seeing students progress. People tell me they’re working on their balance or their coordination, and as the weeks and months pass, they get better. Sometimes it’s slow going, but that’s the nature of tai chi. My teachers also told me the best way to learn is to teach, and I’ve found that to be true.

Tai chi is a lifelong endeavour for me. Maybe it could be for you too.

Find me online:
Website: taichicook.ie