In case you haven’t seen it yet, here is a video of Master Hao Zhi Hua performing her Tai Chi routine.  Check it out.

Hi, everyone.

Sifu Hao Zhi Hua ( Patti ) has been invited to instruct Tai Chi at the Lucasfilm campus on Thursdays.  It’s very exciting, new, and quite frankly all the employees have been enjoying the class a lot.

I was introduced to Wushu West by a friend who I was training boxing with in another gym. He encouraged me to check out the class, but it took me a full year to finally come around to it. I was stubborn, thinking that the workout I was getting was the best thing for me.  However, I was struggling thru every class. My knees were swelling up with nearly every workout, making training more of a painful chore, than an invigorating experience. Thus, I stumbled into Wushu West as a last ditch effort to strengthen my legs and core, and deal with the  weakness in my knees.

The first class was very challenging to me, even though up until this  time I had been working out 4-5 times a week. I thought that I was in  good shape, but my legs were lacking in strength. After this initial  class, I knew that this was the place where my legs would be forced to  acclimate to the constant pressure of low stances, stretching,  jumping, and sprinting. The emphasis on stretching really stuck out  to me because it helped to ease the pain in my knees. Yet, the  swelling would still come and go depending on what exercises we  performed.  At this point, I talked to Sifu Patti about trying out the Tai Chi class in addition to Wushu. She encouraged me to join, as it would empower my Wushu. As soon as I started training Tai Chi I noticed a dramatic difference in my legs. Suddenly my knees were no longer  swelling! I was extremely relieved that that I had finally found a  discipline which complimented my body’s needs. At the same time, my  stamina and endurance greatly increased with the training of both  internal and external styles.

At this point I’ve been training Wushu for 3 years and Tai Chi for 2.  I feel so thankful and blessed to have found this wonderful school.  Sifu Patti is a simply an incredible teacher and human being. She has  the unique ability to push each individual according to their ability  and experience. There is never a dull moment in class as her depth of  knowledge is so profound. There are always new forms and techniques  to be unveiled, so the classes always feel more like an unfolding  process, instead of a set curriculum. Her teaching style allows the  student to discover themselves by challenging the limitations that we  place on ourselves.

I cannot recommend this class enough. I have more energy than I have  had since I was a teenager. Both my body and mind feel strong and  flexible, and I thank Wushu West for this wonderful gift. Try a  class, you won’t regret it!”

- Steve “Zumbi Zoom”,  Zion-I

- Music Entertainment Artist

Wushu West students training during a Tai Chi and Qi Gong class.

Check out Sifu Hao Zhi Hua ( Patti ) in Aesop Rock’s “ZZZ Top” video with Zumbi Zoom from Zion-I!

Wushu West is not only a martial arts school–it is a community of supportive, encouraging and inspiring people. This is a testament to Sifu Patti’s own teaching style, where she creates a safe and open environment and still pushes you to become your best. I came to Wushu West after 9-10 years of not having any regular workout regimen. The year before coming to Wushu, I had been bedridden and at my weakest point physically in my life. (Imagine how nervous I felt coming to Wushu class!) To my surprise, Sifu Patti and her students were completely welcoming of a newcomer like me and wanted to support my growth at the pace that suited me best. In less than half a year, I was able to do even the splits and more! I was definitely thrilled doing the splits as a 27 year old, because I had never succeeded doing the splits before in my life! I decided to come to Wushu to get my physical power back and to find my center and grounding in a regular practice. But what I found was something more–a supportive community of friends.

My confidence in my physical abilities rose, and that is thanks to the safe learning environment that Sifu Patti creates each class. She cares deeply about her students and their progress, and I can tell because I teach students in academia. When I’m teaching statistical analysis or scientific literature search to international researchers, I use the same principles of creating a safe environment that empowers the students to feel comfortable making natural mistakes and to learn from them with guidance. That in turn helps them reach their goals faster with less effort.

Sifu Patti empowers her students the same way: her teaching style is empowerment of the self, empowerment of the spirit. For the time I’ve been at Wushu West, which is less than a year, Sifu Patti has been my personal role model in countless ways. As a woman, I am inspired by her solidarity, confidence, fun and can-do mindset! She is a veritable powerhouse and inspiring leader. I thank Wushu West for not only giving me my power back, but enriching my life and career beyond the training carpet. Thank you Sifu Patti and thank you Wushu West.

- Amy

- Research Instructor, UCSF