Level 1 Ba Gua Zhang

COURSE DETAILS

Twelve, 90 Minute Classes

Online Course begins Thursday, January 8

This 12 week long class introduces you to the art of Ba Gua Zhang through the keystone exercises – eight outwardly simple exercises that build a strong foundation for learning the entire Ba Gua system in the future. The keystone exercises form a compact but complete and well-rounded training set that allow you to directly experience the principles that form the heart of the art. They are simple to learn and challenging to master. Regular practice will both reveal and transform any imbalances in your posture, movement, and spirit.

Class Dates and Times

Thursdays from 7 -8:30pm EST

1. January 8
2. January 14
3. January 22
4. January 29
5. February 5
6. February 12
7. February 19
8. February 26
9. March 5
10. March 12
11. March 19
12. March 26

All levels of ability and experience are welcome. Over the 12 weeks of the class you will gradually build a sustainable Ba Gua practice in a community of like minded practitioners which can serve you for the rest of your life. The Keystone Exercises will also instill in you the necessary skills and understanding to learn the more advanced Ba Gua material in the future.

Registering for class gives you lifetime access to online recordings of each session following the live class, giving you flexibility to review or catch up on your own time as needed. The class also includes other videos to aid in establishing a skillful practice – both short review videos to support establishing a practice in the midst of a busy life, and more in depth short videos on each of the Keystone exercises.

Since beginning his training in Chinese martial arts as a teenager, Thad’s life has been shaped by the practical application of Daoist principles found throughout Chinese culture. His love of training and teaching gradually led him into the world of Chinese medicine, and together these two traditions have guided his ongoing growth into a more grounded, authentic, and wholehearted human being. These same principles continue to influence how he lives, teaches, and supports others to this day.

Thad excels at giving simple but powerful corrections that consistently guide his students toward a deeper experience of the core principles of the internal arts. Whether studying with him in person or online, students find that his precise feedback creates a satisfying and efficient path to skill development. Progress becomes clear and rapid, allowing each student to embody the wisdom and balance at the foundation of these practices.

Thad’s martial arts journey began in 1993 with the study of Southern Shaolin Kung Fu. He went on to earn a 5th degree black belt in this art and operated the New York CIty Shaolin Center from 2005 to 2011, teaching this lineage to many dedicated students. In 2010, he began studying Ba Gua Zhang and Qi Gong with his current teacher, Tom Bisio, under whom he has since become a senior-level instructor. Thad has also studied Xing Yi Quan with Tom, though he does not teach that art.

His internal martial arts training opened the door to Chinese medicine through the study of Traditional Tui Na and Zang Fu Organ Regulating Tui Na. He completed formal certification in both of these systems under Tom in 2015. He also gained valuable clinical experience through apprenticing at 5th Street Acupuncture from 2012 to 2015. The Tui Na skills that he has developed enable him to directly support his students’ progress in the internal arts with treatments.

Sobriety is another vital part of Thad’s life and work. Since February 2019, he has maintained sobriety through active engagement with the 12 steps. This spiritual framework of recovery has profoundly influenced his approach to teaching and treatment, bringing greater empathy, insight, and clarity to his service.

After decades of practice, what continues to inspire Thad most is witnessing meaningful change in the people that work with him. His aim is to share what he has learned and to help others move toward balance in body, mind, and spirit. When people can let go into that balanced state, they discover a deeper sense of peace and vitality—something Thad strives to embody and pass on in every class and treatment.