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The popularity of tai chi is rising due to the many benefits it offers. The most basic is the gentle manner in which it can strengthen the body and increase range of motion. No matter your age or physical limitations, you can still do tai chi. Other benefits include lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and improvements in those who suffer from arthritic, pulmonary, circulatory, and even mental well-being such as dizziness and vertigo. Through tai chi, the student learns to breathe and relax properly, and learns to be aware of their bodies.


Each person who walks through the door of Tai Chi Pearl City gets individual attention to make sure they get a good start in tai chi. Beginners are taught the mechanics of the basic stances and "empty stepping." Once they have a general understanding, they are ready to join the rest of the beginning class in learning the long form.


There is always the question of, “Is this a good school?” That’s true, as a novice, how can you tell the difference between a good school and a bad one? Firstly, if you’re searching for a place that’s right for you, go around and sit in a few classes. You want to find an instructor and environment that you can feel comfortable in. Next, look at what’s being taught.
The most important thing to look for is stances. The stances should be long and low with knees always bent. If you see students standing practically straight up with knees straight, the tai chi being taught is next to useless. One of the greatest and most immediate benefits to doing tai chi at all is long and low stances. With the leg muscles constantly and properly engaged throughout the long form, even seniors with physical limitations can gain increased leg strength. If you ever watch world competitions in tai chi, all participants have beautiful long stances. This is the kind of excellence we strive for.




The plague for most seniors is the weakening of the legs which makes them susceptible to falls. Did you know the one of the main reasons most seniors end up in nursing homes is because they lose the use of their legs? Don’t allow age and infirmity to take away your personal freedom, do something about it! Tai chi is gentle enough and at the same time tough enough to strengthen arms and legs, tighten the midsection, and increase range of motion and flexibility. Seniors are constantly asking if they are too old to do the required stances. Absolutely not. In the beginning it's hard because the legs need to be strengthened and developed. It happens very fast if you keep following the basics. Within 3 weeks you will see an incredible difference in your leg strength.

Working with seniors and getting them into long stances is very challenging; along with the physical difficulties, Sifu Paul must also work with a student’s preconceived notion of what they can and cannot do. Yet, he gives every effort to each student so they can achieve their goals because he feels they have entrusted themselves to him in hopes that he can help them have a better quality of life. He says, "I will never give up on a student." Teaching with such dedication takes its toll, but for Sifu Paul the end result is well worth the effort.




Where are you located?
We’re located at the Pearl City Highlands Elementary School cafeteria on Waimano Home Road. For more information:

Call ... Sifu Paul Imada at 456-9407
Email... Sherine at SenseiSherine@skckarate.com
Visit... you can see the actual class in session during the times below

When are the classes held?
Wednesdays 6:45 - 7:45 PM Beginners' Class
7:45 - 8:45PM Advanced Class
Saturdays 8:00 - 9:00 AM Beginners' Class
9:00 - 10:00 AM Advanced Class

How much are the classes?
Once a week classes are $25 per month (Saturdays only OR Wednesdays only). Twice a week classes are $35 per month. New students should pay the day of their first session. Regular students should make payment by the first week of the month. Cash is acceptable, but checks are preferred. Attendance is purely the responsibility of the student so we do not refund or credit for missed classes, regardless of the reason. Please make your checks out to: Paul Imada.

How old are the students?
The ages range from 50-70 years, but we do have students who are younger and older. The youngest is in his mid-20s, the oldest is mid-80s. Because of the patience required, we only accept adults.

What is the proper attire?
Any kind of comfortable clothing is sufficient. Most of our students wear long cotton pants or long shorts (jeans tend to restrict movement) and T-shirts. Athletic shoes are recommended for best support and stability. Some students bring small towels and water because we promise you, after an hour of tai chi, you will sweat!

What are your classes like?
Everyone appreciates Sifu Paul's perseverance with each student. Getting each student on track with a good solid foundation is foremost. Aside from that the form is explained step by step, movement by movement. Each detail is slowly explained as the student does the form. There are moments of intense instructions, moments of continuous movements and moments where everyone is bursting out with laughter. Tai Chi Pearl City has a very "family" atmosphere.

The form is so long, how can I memorize it?
The Yang Style Long form consists of about 108 total moves. Within those moves are other moves so in total there’s about 367 total moves. If you try to memorize the moves you will definitely quit -- it’s too much to memorize. Sifu Paul asks the student to memorize only the first 8 moves of the form because it has elements that compliment most of the moves in the form. Don’t worry about memorizing, just be good copiers.

How long will it take before I can do the entire form?
Sifu Paul devotes the first 1/2 hour before each beginners class to teach new students the basics of the stances. After that you go into the beginners’ class. You can usually do the entire form in the first session.

What’s the most difficult thing about tai chi?
The hardest part of tai chi is getting use to the stances and movements. The first few weeks are crucial to the student because the foundation is being built. If the foundation is built incorrectly then the student will always struggle. If the student is struggling with wrong movements, every time the movement is executed, it is reinforced in the brain. Repeated movements make it hard for the brain to adjust itself again. The most crucial task at this point is for the student to understand the basics of each stance. The hand movements are not difficult because those can be easily changed as you learn.

I'm not sure if Tai Chi is for me, what is your recommendation?
Tai Chi also teaches you determination and perseverance. You cannot achieve these goals with a negative attitude. Commit to taking Tai Chi for at least 3-4 months before you form an opinion. It takes that long to really get a good feel of the program.

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This is the official class we start actually going into the tai chi form. The form is broken down and explained in detail: the proper stepping, technique, breathing and timing. There is a lot of "stop-go" in this class because it would depend on what Sifu feels he needs to correct and also on the needs of the class. If the class is having difficulty in one portion of the form, Sifu will stop and take more time on that portion. The form is not always completed during this class, but it’s a great class to learn the details.

There's no ranking in tai chi and the so-called "advanced class" are students who feel comfortable enough or those who’re just willing to try to do the entire form nonstop. The Yang Style Long Form is done in its entirety to gentle music and can be completed anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour. TCPC's standard time has been a 45-50 minute form and has been known to be called the "workout" class because by the end of the form, all the students are drenched in sweat. Sifu will walk through the class to correct students here and there, give guidance and suggestions, but the entire form is always completed. It’s a really nice class where the students can work their muscles and sweat out their stress, leaving them with a great feeling to end an evening or start a morning.



Tai chi in general can help anyone no matter what their level of health and physical ability. But don't just take it from us, listen to the voices of our real students:
"[I have already gained] strength in my legs. Just jump right in and try new things."
--Gail Koga, 3 weeks

“I have seen and felt an improvement in myself. I notice that my legs are stronger and I think my balance is better too. I would tell a new student… don’t give up. It may seem difficult at first and you may feel a little awkward at times, but it’s only because it’s something new. In a few weeks you’ll feel your body getting stronger, especially your legs. It’s hard work, but it’s fun!
--Trisha Yoshida, 4 mo

“What I like mostly about TCPC is that the instructors stresses heavily on stance. I am a firm believer in maintaining a good stance. By maintaining a good solid stance I'm more likely to move more freely from the hips up.”
--George Ganal, 4 mo

“I enjoy how it relaxes me. I also need to do exercise that do not further hurt my left foot, [and] I believe Tai Chi is one of the reasons that my blood pressure has returned to normal.”
--Christine Asuka, 5 mo

“I have definitely seen an improvement in my personal being. 1) For one thing, I have a permanent numbness on the left side of my face due to an elective surgical procedure that alleviated a nerve pain in my face. When I am in tai chi class, and a few minutes after, I actually don't feel the numbness. I feel like my face has feeling and energy is flowing. 2) Another improvement has been an awareness of my physical posture and balance, and also the importance to stretch my muscles. 3) Still another improvement is my understanding of the art of tai chi, how important it is to be grounded and the appreciation of ‘hara.’ I love Tai Chi Pearl City because you all have given me the opportunity to learn and experience the benefits of tai chi. [There] are excellent instructors and mentors. I gain by repetitiveness, so when the instruction is slow and we repeat the form several times, it helps me to remember.”
--Meredith Omura, 6 mo

"I was having lots of arthritic and shoulder discomfort, and I heard that tai chi would help. My knee has gotten stronger, and I feel more energized."
--Lorraine Antonio, 7.5 mo

"I know there are other places that teach tai chi at no fee, but I don't mind paying for learning it correctly, to have Sifu Paul be particular with stances and movement. I like the explanations and the additional exercises that help us understand what tai chi is about. I have seen myself with better posture! I am so grateful for that! My balance has improved and my legs are stronger. As Sifu Paul says, 'Be aware of your own body; know your own body.' I feel stronger!! I also lost a pants size! Mahalo!"
--Janis T. Saiki, 1 yr & 4 mo

"Give tai chi a chance -- stay with the program at least 3 months before deciding what to do. Practice your stances at least 5 minutes a day, listen to instructions by Sifu Paul because he is knowledgeable and experienced, so ask questions. Don't feel you need to know all the steps -- it will take a very long time to master them. Take your time and enjoy the class. The class is very enjoyable and there are always new things to be learned. The explanations are very clear and helpful. The dedication by Sifu Paul towards the improvement for each student is terrific and greatly appreciated. I look forward to each class -- there is a fun, friendly and family feeling."
--Sheila Fukuda, 1 yr, 8mo

"I have better physical and mental condition now. My breathing and movements are more fluid."
--Jimmie Paulino, 6 yrs

"My knee problem has improved and I notice a general sense of well-being. I'm more aware of my body, aware of weak areas/illness. It's relaxing, uplifting, and energizing. Thank you for the diligent and fun teaching. We learn in a positive, non-stressful environment."
--Harriet Carmody, 7 yrs

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  1. Set back foot first before stepping forward in stance.
  2. Weight distribution ratio is front 60% and back 40%.
  3. Shift your weight completely off your back foot.
  4. Turn foot out 45 degrees to where you are facing.
  5. Shift all your weight into the foot.
  6. Bring feet together, making sure you have 4" space between feet.
  7. Step out 2 shoulders long. Keep hips straight when stepping.
  8. Extend stepping foot out without placing weight on it. Keep weight on back foot.
  9. Place stepping foot heel on the ground.
  10. Make sure foot is pointed in. Outside of lead foot straight.
  11. Place weight on lead foot.
  12. Knee should be in like with webbing of the foot.
  13. Check back leg for "big" bend. Should face out to side.
  14. Keep back straight.
  1. Set back foot first before stepping forward in stance Weight distribution ratio is back 70% and front 30%.
  2. Shift your weight completely off your back foot.
  3. Turn foot out 90 degrees to where you are facing.
  4. The outside of foot forms a 90 degree angle to where you are facing.
  5. Shift all your weight into the foot.
  6. Bring feet together, making sure your lead foot is inside of back heel.
  7. Step out 2 shoulders long. Keep hips straight when stepping.
  8. Extend stepping foot out without placing weight on it. Keep weight on back foot.
  9. Place stepping foot heel on the ground.
  10. Make sure foot is pointed in. Outside of lead foot straight.
  11. Place weight on lead foot.
  12. Since all the weight basically is on the back leg, the front knee should face straight to the sky.
  13. Back hip should be back and 45 degrees to front.






  1. Set back foot first before stepping forward in stance Weight distribution ratio is back 90% and front 10%.
  2. Shift your weight completely off your back foot.
  3. Turn foot out 45 degrees to where you are facing.
  4. Shift all your weight into the foot.
  5. Bring feet together, making sure lead foot is inside of back heel.
  6. Place all your weight on back foot.
  7. Extend the lead leg straight out.
  8. Place foot on ground with toes pointed in or outside of foot straight.
  9. Front foot resting only on big toe, in line with knee.
  10. Hips should be 45 degrees.
  1. Weight distribution ratio is 50:50.
  2. Extend leg out to side 2 shoulders wide.
  3. Outside of both feet should be parallel; facing straight.
  4. Drop weight down; head height same as front stance.
  5. Push hips in and back straight.
  6. Open both knees out wide, pressure on outside of thighs.
  7. When standing in this position, your knees will fall inside the feet, should not be in line with feet.

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We ask that students memorize the first few moves that we call "until the Single Whip". As the student progresses in tai chi, you’ll see that the Single Whip repeats often during the form.


Tai Chi Begins ... natural stance

Up … hands only
Down … knees bend as hands go downward
Turn … turn right, don’t lift your toe
Grasping Sparrow’s Tail … step left, front stance
Ward Off … bring in right foot, cat stance, step forward into front stance
Roll Back … shift into back stance, extend out the hands
Press … shift info front stance, press the right forearm
Separate … separate the hands, shift back into back stance
Turn and circle … turn 45 degrees, circle as if a big barrel is in front of you
Push … push with the hands, shift into front stance
Shift back, turn left … be sure your right toe is facing left
Relax and scoop … relax the hands, scoop the left hand, start shifting to your right
Chicken Beak … shifted completely into right side, chicken beak with right hand
Single Whip … face left, left palm facing your face, back stance first, then shift front stance, palm facing out

Tai Chi Ends … shift back toes up, relax the hands, and turn facing forward. Scoop both hands and shift left while bringing in your right foot. Cross your hands in front of you, right hand on the outside (your knees are still bent). Swipe the hands downward and uncross the hands, straighten your knees.




Upcoming Events & Changes!
CLASS CANCELED … Wed, JULY 16 (for cafeteria cleaning & waxing)

SCHEDULE CHANGE … Effective Wed, JULY 30. SKC will begin their new karate program for seniors. The addition of this class will have a slight affect on our tai chi schedule. The new times are Wednesdays Beginners 6:45 – 7:45pm, Advanced 7:45 – 8:45pm. Saturdays will be Beginners 8:00 – 9:00am, Advanced 9:00 – 10:00am.

SENIOR KARATE … Wed, JULY 30. Contact us if you know anyone who is interested, we can sign them up earlier and possibly have their gi ready by the first day of class. We should also have an article out in the MidWeek so look for it! For more details, check out the Senior Karate section of this website!

Summer Gasshuku … Sat, AUG 2! SKC will be having their special summer training on this day and will only have 1 combined tai chi class on this day from 8:00am – 9:00am. There will be a short warm up and we’ll go right into the full form. Beginners are totally welcome!! Don’t worry about not knowing the sequence or the techniques, it’s all about just trying it out. It’ll give you a taste of what the full form is like!

(posted 7/13/08)


Senior Karate Success!
We had our Senior Karate session on Saturday, April 26, 2008 and it turned out to be a great time!

We started the morning with a short seiritsu (a line up of students and instructors to formally begin class) and a good warm up.
Sensei Paul started out with the very basic: how to make a fist.

The punching surface of the fist are the first 2 knuckles from your thumb, the easiest way to align them is to point toward your target.
Putting your fists together helps you square your shoulders to properly support your punches and shows you how far to extend.

Sensei Sherine is helping Vivian with the striking surface of her shuto-uke, or knife hand block.
Learning the age-uke (rising block) is one of the more difficult blocks to pick up, but everyone was doing quite well!

We spent quite a lot of time on the age-uke, but we also learned the gedan barai (down block) not shown here.
Sempai Chris is helping Elaine with alternating punches.

Most of our participants are also our tai chi students so stances were pretty easy to teach, it was the walking they weren’t used to!
We learned enough of punching and blocking to try out the first kata taught to all beginners: Heian Shodan (Heian One).

Kata is a set sequence of techniques put together to help the student practice on their own.
Keeping bunkai (practical application) in mind, the student improves his techniques as well as sharpens his focus and speed.

There are 5 katas in the Heian series, and there’s a total of 26 official katas under the Shotokan style of karate.
We did Heian Shodan several times and everyone did a great job in following along!
This was a demonstration session, designed to give everyone a taste of what a karate class would be like so a lot was covered. It was quite a challenge, but we were really impressed at how well everyone did! Don’t worry, a real class would go slower with more repetition until the student understands and can reproduce the moves himself. The day was very successful and we’ll keep everyone posted about the details of future classes. Thanks to all our very good natured participants, Sempai Chris Roller for assistant teaching, and to Robert Loui who took all our pictures. (Posted 5/10/08.)
Senior Karate 4/26/08
Were you always interested in martial arts, but you were worried about excessive injuries connected to the activity? If so, this is your opportunity to learn and not get hurt! Shotokan Karate Center (SKC) will be offering a new karate class geared specifically towards seniors. We are looking at those ages 50-years and higher, however, we will accept any adult who is interested. There will be less concern on speed, strength, and tension – there will be more emphasis on proper form, breathing, and strengthening of core muscles. You’ll use enough power to maintain good form, but all movements will be done in an effortless manner. You’ll definitely get a good workout, but without the injuries associated with a usual karate class.

SKC will be holding a free “test class” on Saturday, April 26 between 7:00am – 8:30am. We invite all our current adult students – please feel free to bring your spouses, friends, relatives, etc who you think would be interested. This test class will mostly be for your feedback and for photo opportunities (for our website). Since this is also a new venture for SKC, we welcome honest opinions and suggestions (for those who like to write out their thoughts, we’ll have a questionnaire to fill out). Attire will be T-shirts and comfortable activity pants, no shoes for this session.

Some Light Reading
Light? Well, if you consider the earth light, then it’s light reading; ha ha. Well, seriously speaking, Sifu Paul has mentioned a couple books in class and I thought I’d show you which ones he was talking about. They’re pretty heavy duty and not even I’ve slogged through the whole thing yet. But if you’re brainier than I am, maybe you can read them and explain everything to me! Hey, I’m a student just like all of you! ?

T’ai Chi Classics by Waysun Liao

This one is kind of way out there and I think I only got to page 20-something. It goes into details of chi (internal energy) and jing (power generated by chi energy) along with some general history. The concepts are a bit too “Wha-?” for me, but perhaps you’ll get more out of it than I did. I was trying to practice the “tai chi skeleton” concept for a little while, something I learned from this book. It’s hard to apply, though, but if you’re into the whoosh of tai chi (“whoosh,” as in the sound of concepts flying over my head), this is the tome for you.
Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan by Fu Zhongwen

This one was more palatable and straight-forward, and it breaks down the techniques and how they should be executed. Fu Zhongwen was a disciple of Yang Chenfu (creator the Yang Style) so it’s kind of like getting information straight from the master himself. It’s pretty neat. There’s also easy-to-follow drawings and also pictures of Yang style practitioners (me like pictures) so you get to actually see some of the people Sifu Paul is talking about. I didn’t read it all simply because I’m too lazy, but if you’re a detail type of person, this is the tome for you.
There is a sea of books out there. If you like to read and want to learn more about tai chi in detail, see about picking up these two books since they’re both recommended by Sifu Paul. Maybe you can order them from Borders if it’s not on their shelves, but if not, you can get them both on Amazon. (posted 3/9/08)

Combined Class 2007!
Tai Chi Pearl City combined the first and second classes on Saturday, 12/22/07 so everyone had a chance to do the entire Yang Style Long Form to new age music by Kevin Kern.





We started at 7:30am with a 15 minute stretch session and went right into the form which ran for about 45 minutes. Since we had a lot of beginners in the class, we had the advanced class students on the outer edges so that no matter how you turned, there was always an experienced person to follow. Sifu Paul calls out the techniques so you always know what to do, but it sure helps to watch someone!





All you really need is a general familiarity with tai chi walking and basic techniques, and you can already do the form. It does take some getting used to, but tai chi was meant to be enjoyed as a whole rather than just squinting on the parts all the time. Although this was the first time for most, we hope that this opportunity allowed you to feel some of the fluidity of the techniques, one rolling into the next. Sifu was extremely pleased that everyone did so well and it was a really nice form!







Group Shot!

(Top) Sifu Paul Imada.

From left to right:

(3rd row) Meredith, May, Harriett, Carolyn, Amy, Karen, Dennis, and Tom.

(2nd Row) Linda, George, Joan, Esther, Janice, Lorraine, Leanne, Jolene, and Frances.

(1st row) Chris, Sherine, Sheila, Gail, and Nancy.



Goofy Picture!

(Hey, not everyone is being goofy, but ah well, at least everyone is smiling!! Jee, who’s the biggest weirdo at the top???)

Thank you to everyone who participated! (Posted 1/13/08)

Schedule Change for 12/22/07
SKC will be having a special winter training for karate so tai chi classes will be combined on this day. For this day only, the schedule will be as follows: Pre-Beginner Class 7:00am – 7:30am, Combined Class 7:30am – 8:30am. Like the regular “advanced class,” we will be doing the entire form non-stop – it’ll probably be a 40-45 minute form with Sifu Paul calling out the sequence. Some of our students skip this combined session because they’re scared or embarrassed, but don’t be! Just come and try, no one is judging you because we’re all students and we’re all learning the same thing. This is also a good opportunity for beginners to experience the whole form. So no worry, beef curry; just come and have fun! (Posted 11/24/07)

A Balancing Act.
Gaining better balance, believe it or not, is simply a matter of practice. And it really is simple. Stand next to a sturdy chair or wall, bend your right knee and lift your left foot 1 inch off the ground. Hold this position for about 5 seconds (you can either count slowly to 5 or use a timer). Avoid holding on to anything as much as possible and try not to let your foot touch the floor during your set. Of course grab on to something if you’re really falling over, but the idea is to teach your body to maintain balance even if you’re wobbling a little. Repeat this same thing on the other leg, that’s one set. Try to do anywhere between 3-5 sets daily, and as you can see, it won’t even take 5 minutes of your time. It’s easy to do after your evening walk or just watching TV. Just try it for a couple of weeks and I think you’ll be surprised at how much this little bit will help you a long way.

If 5 seconds is too easy for you, you can increase the difficulty level. You can do increments of 10, 15, or 30 seconds on each leg. You can also lift your foot higher off the ground – using your foundation leg as a guide, lift your other foot to either ankle, mid calf, knee, or thigh level. When you do this, make sure your lifted foot is lightly touching your foundation leg, but don’t rest your foot on your leg. Whatever you decide to do, just make sure you do both legs because you don’t want one side to be weaker than the other. Also, please do this on a dry flat surface! (Posted 9/16/07)

Memorizing the Form.
It never fails, in every batch of new students we get, someone invariably asks for an outline of the entire form … and we almost never give it out. Why? Because to a new student, looking at the form on paper, the length seems daunting and the tai chi terms doesn’t mean very much. It’s actually more discouraging than helpful. But it occurs to me that a student with a few months tucked firmly behind their belt would like it for reference. I still think the original is junk (I mean … a challenge) because I couldn’t follow it to save my life. So with Sifu Paul’s blessing, I decided to redo the whole sh’bang to match how he teaches it in class. Keep in mind that this is NOT meant to be instructional, it’s purely a sequence of techniques, but it should be more helpful than the original. Remember, we don’t require anyone to memorize the form, but if you’d like to remember the little sets within the whole form, that would probably be helpful to you in the long run. So back by popular demand, a new and improved outline of the Yang Style Long Form. (Posted 8/25/07)

Class Cancelled 7/11/07.
The school called us suddenly and informed us they will be stripping and waxing the floor on July 10-11. Unfortunately, we will have to cancel class on Wed, 7/11/07. We will resume classes as normal on Saturday, 7/14/07. (Posted 7/5/07)

July 2007 Class Cancellations.
I just want to remind everyone that class will be cancelled on July 4 (Independence Day) and July 28 (SKC Summer Training). For your information, TCPC is closed for federal holidays (posted 6/24/07).

Old Newsletters.
I started writing newsletters for both karate and tai chi at the end of 2004. I can’t believe it’s been so long already! That’s around the same time Sifu Paul started offering Wednesday night tai chi (February 2005). I thought he was nuts, but well, he does a lot of things I think is nuts. The classes started out pretty small and I could only make a couple Wednesdays a month. Well, things certainly changed since then! But I digress – for those interested in old editions of my newsletter, please click here. Enjoy. (posted 6/24/07)


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