JIM RUSSO
MASTER TEACHER
Jim Russo has devoted more than four decades to the study and practice of the Chinese internal arts, developing an approach to Qigong and Tai Chi rooted in both traditional training and personal transformation. Through Zhong Ding Tai Chi Chuan, he teaches Qigong, Tai Chi, Hsing I, I Chuan, and related systems with an emphasis on practical results — helping students feel more grounded, relaxed, resilient, and connected in everyday life.
Jim’s journey into the internal arts began through necessity rather than hobby. For years, he suffered from chronic bronchitis and the physical toll of stress and exhaustion brought on by corporate life. Although already trained in martial arts from a young age, it was poor health that ultimately led him to Tai Chi and Qigong. Inspired early on by the story of Professor Cheng Man-Ching, who famously used Tai Chi to restore his health, Jim discovered in the internal arts a complete system capable of supporting healing, awareness, and martial development simultaneously. He often refers to this lifelong pursuit as “the Big Fight” — learning to live with greater comfort and harmony.
His studies include Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan and classical weapons forms, Hsing Yi Chuan, I Chuan, Pakua Chang (Baguazhang), Taoist Qigong, Tai Chi Ruler, Five Animal Frolics, and Madame Guo Lin’s anti-cancer walking system.
ROOT LINAGE: Many of Jim’s teachers came through the renowned William C.C. Chen school in New York City, where he trained among influential figures in the internal arts community. His primary influences include William C.C. Chen, Dr. Tao Ping-Siang, B.P. Chan, David Pancaracian, Richard Satlow, David Saltman, and Adam Mizner.
Today, Jim teaches with the belief that the deepest principles of the internal arts are often “hidden in plain sight,” and that authentic practice should remain both profound and accessible.
PRACTICE WITH JIM
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
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A Transformational 5-Part Series | Spring & Summer
The 1st of 5 workshops. All workshops will be individually scheduled and priced.Unlock a rare opportunity to study a deeply guarded, traditional Qigong system refined over 30 years of practice. This exclusive 5-part workshop series is designed to pass down precious, time-tested health preservation methods to the next generation of dedicated practitioners.
While you will learn an extensive lineage of traditional sets, the ultimate goal of this series is efficiency: integrating profound depth into a single, powerhouse daily routine that takes less than 30 minutes a day.
What You Will Master
Each of the 5 progressive sessions builds on the last, yielding distinct skills that seamlessly integrate into the cornerstone Eight Brocades practice. Over the course of the series, you will learn to:
Cultivate, Store, & Circulate Qi for vibrant health and longevity.
Lead Qi with Yi (Intention) to direct energy precisely where it is needed.
Harmonize Hand & Eye Movements, bridging physical form with spirit and internal energy.
Experience immediate, palpable shifts in your energy, alignment, and vitality.
The Traditional Curriculum Includes:
Health Preservation Standing Set
The Eight Brocades Standing Set
The 8 Qigong Set
10 Taoist Muscle-Tendon Changing Set
Reverse Breathing Set
3 Dantian Method
Yi Gong / Ligament Set
Because these teachings represent a lifetime of acquisition and are being shared with ultimate openness, intimacy and precision are paramount. *Capacity: Strictly limited to 20 practitioners.
Who it’s for: Dedicated practitioners looking to preserve traditional arts, overcome health challenges, and elevate their energy practice.
Secure your place in the lineage. Honor the past, transform your present, and preserve the future.