About This Course

Staff Qigong is a short form that trains essential staff techniques, and is an important foundation for long weapon training.  This course will develop the practitioner’s relationship with the staff through energetics as well as practical understanding.  From the perspective of internal martial arts, practicing weapons assists in training the practitioner to extend the qi, and further connect the body.  The weapon becomes an extension of the body itself, and is trained for harmonization and unification of the body and the weapon.  This helps us grow in awareness, sensitivity, and versatility energetically as well as physically.

Included in this course is a full step-by-step breakdown of the form by Sifu & Mela and a follow along walkthrough video that you can practice with once the course is complete.

This form is ideally practiced along with our empty hand training and it is highly recommended that you complete Qigong Foundation training as well as empty hand form and meditation training covered in our other courses such as: Chen Style Tai Chi Ch'uan, Baguazhang Basics, Dragon Qigong and Snake Qigong before taking this course.  It is highly recommended to include this earlier course work in your daily practice as you incorporate this form.

This course is currently available to purchase as a single course a la carte, or via our Online Resource Membership -- which includes our full library of training resources and lectures.  Please see below for more information about all of our enrollment options. 

Introduction to Staff Qigong

Overview and Demonstration

About Staff Qigong and Tao Style

Tao Style is Sifu Paolillo’s personally developed style of Internal Kung Fu.  Tao Style combines all of Sifu’s fighting skills, traditional training, study, and personal transmissions into a unique set of forms and methods that are incorporated into our curriculum at every level.

Tao Style is the essence of the Tao Institute system.  It features fluid, natural movement with continuous circularity and connected, free flowing techniques.  Tao Style represents Sifu Paolillo’s continued refinement in his creative cultivation of the martial arts, and every form is designed according to the energetic principles of the Tao.  He considers his work to fall under the category of “Martial Qigong” — as it always incorporates detailed and complex fighting application, as well as energetic methods.

Staff Qigong is an important introduction to Staff technique that will help students gain a firm understanding of the staff and weapons training.  The staff is considered the grandfather of all weapons.  As a simple stick, it is one of the most fundamental weapons in all of martial arts, and its technique forms the basis for all long weapon training.

Historically and in present day, staff remains as one of the most practical weapons to understand.  Its simplicity and usefulness for nonviolent defense is an enduring quality of this weapon.


Benefits of the Staff Qigong Form

  • Develops fluid whole body connection
  • Develops mind intent
  • Trains rooting and spiral power work
  • Improves horse stance
  • Strengthens the legs
  • Increases internal power & projection of qi
  • Excellent for health & longevity
  • Increased mental clarity, intuition & creativity
  • Deepens relationship with your spirit and the Tao



Pre-Requisite training

We strongly recommend taking these courses before taking Staff Qigong

Both the Qigong Foundation Course and the 4 Major Weapons of Traditional Kung Fu Lecture are essential before learning the Staff Qigong.  These course will provide all of the basic techniques and exercises required to dive into this form.  Both of these course are included in enrollment to the Online Resource Membership program (Tier 2) of which this Staff Qigong course is a part — so you don’t have to worry about purchasing an additional course if you enroll in the program.  You will have access to all courses on the membership program as long as you are subscribed to the website. 

Whether you join the membership or purchase this course a la carte, it is highly recommended that you also take the the other two courses or you may find this course confusing.

We also strongly suggest to consider taking all of our available empty hand training courses as well, as this will fortify your empty hand foundation, which in turn will strengthen your weapon training.  Those courses are:  Chen Style Tai Chi Ch'uan, Baguazhang Basics, Dragon Qigong and Snake Qigong.

Course curriculum

    1. Introduction to Staff Qigong

    2. Information on Purchasing Weapons

    1. Staff Qigong Lesson 1: Intro the Staff, Staff Exercises & Vertical Flower

    2. Staff Qigong Lesson 2: Instruction with Mela - Horizontal Flower

    3. Staff Qigong Lesson 2: Classroom Instruction with Sifu - Horizontal Flower

    4. Staff Lesson 3: Instruction with Mela - Neck Flower & Horizontal Striking

    5. Staff Lesson 3: Classroom Instruction with Sifu - Neck Flower & Horizontal Striking

    6. Staff Lesson 4 & 5: Instruction with Mela - Around the Neck, Issue Power & Closing

    7. Staff Lesson 4: Classroom Instruction with Sifu - Around the Neck & Issue Power

    8. Staff Lesson 5: Classroom Instruction with Sifu - Closing

    9. Staff Lesson 6: Classroom Instruction with Sifu - Review & Additional Exercises

    10. Staff Lesson 6: Instruction with Mela - Additional Exercises

    1. Staff Qigong Full Form Walkthrough

About this course

  • $188.00
  • 13 lessons
  • 6 hours of video content

Which option is right for me?

Many of our courses & online resources are available to access either through the Online Resource Membership, or as a single course purchase option.  Here is how this works:


Online Resource Membership:

The Online Resource Membership is a monthly subscription that grants you access to the many resources currently available in our online library.  This library continues to expand and grow as time goes on.  Membership includes early access to courses as well as exclusive content that is not available in the "a la carte" section.  Currently there are two Tier options for membership.  Please visit the Online Resource Membership page to learn more.


Purchasing the Course:

Purchasing a course will give you continuous access to a single course.  There is no monthly fee after the initial purchase.  At this time, all courses are only accessible via our website and are not downloadable.

Instructors

Sifu Frank J. Paolillo

Founder & Master Instructor

Sifu Frank J. Paolillo is the Founder and Master Instructor of the Tao Institute. With over fifty years of daily dedication and study in the martial arts, Sifu Paolillo brings a wealth of knowledge and depth of experience to his teaching and creative martial art work. Sifu’s focus is on cultivating the Tao as a way of life through internal martial arts, meditation, and qigong, and imparts to his students a true transmission of Tao through the training of form and formless.

Mela Carreira

Assistant Instructor

Mela is a dedicated student and assistant instructor to Sifu Paolillo. A martial arts practitioner since 2001, Mela was called to the internal arts and Asheville area in 2011, where she first began training at Tao Institute. Over the course of her training, Mela has come to understand, live by and deeply respect the philosophies of the martial arts and Tao in every day life. Mela teaches the entry level classes at Tao Institute and is a main assistant under the direct supervision of Sifu Paolillo in classes throughout the curriculum.