Senior Master Rod Ferguson– National Chief Instructor Australian Academy of Tai Chi and Qigong

Rod conducts professional Tai Chi and Qigong in Australia and overseas. Rod has won many awards and honours, yet his teaching style is very natural, and inspires students of all levels.

Since 1978, Rod has conducted Tai Chi classes and workshops in Australia and overseas and has been a guest speaker at many functions. His demonstrations are much sought after at numerous Festivals, Seminars and Public Performances. His teaching style is very natural and inspirational.

At the 2008 Annual Queensland Seminar in November, Grandmaster Gary Khor awarded Rod Ferguson the title of “Master”. An official ceremony was later held in April 2009 on the Great Wall in China. “This award is in recognition of the dedication and persistence to the art of Tai Chi, the Academy and for developing his own knowledge and skill. Also for continuously promoting the benefits for all to enjoy, I bestow the title: MASTER Rodney Ferguson” Grandmaster Gary Khor Founder and President.

Under the auspices of AATCQ founder Grandmaster Khor, Master Rod continues to develop his own Tai Chi skills and has competed on an International Level. During 1987 Rod spent six months studying and teaching in the United States of America where he competed in the All US National Competition receiving a bronze medal in the “A” division. In 1998 Rod was awarded another bronze medal in the USA (Taste of China) this time in the open weapons section with his Fan routine. He achieved a Gold Medal for his stunning Fan routine at the Asian Championships in 1990. Rod has travelled to China for further studies on a number of occasions. In 1996 Rod spent six weeks presenting workshops and classes in South Africa.

Rod has been a driving force to ensure that Tai Chi and Qigong has become accessible to many people. From 2001 for approximately two years, he conducted the extremely popular Saturday morning Tai Chi classes at South Bank in Brisbane, usually to groups of 80 or more. Since 2003, Rod has been conducting several weekly classes for the Brisbane City Council Active & Healthy Parks program. His students will happily testify that his knowledge and presentation are superior, and his classes are fun, as well as being instructional and relaxing. Rod also conducts Active & Healthy classes for the Gold Coast City Council and each Monday at 8.30am is drawing crowds of 100 or more at Burleigh Heads by the beach. You can also join Rod for a relaxing Tai Chi and Qigong lesson every Saturday morning at 8.00am beside the river in Brisbane’s beautiful New Farm Park.

Rod has developed programs to cater to people of various special needs groups, proving the fact that Tai Chi and Qigong are indeed suitable for everyone! On numerous occasions he has been invited to present the health care benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong to a variety of medical and health related organisations. This includes demonstrations, workshops and talks at the Annual Australian Medical Association Qld (AMAQ) Health & Lifestyle Festival over a number of years and also for Diabetes Expo.

His busy schedule includes: Instructor training, teaching for seniors and children, presenting workshops and programs for businesses and public classes. He has made presentations to many groups including; AMAQ, Qld Newspapers, AMP, Institute Chartered Accountants, Macquarie Bank, Australia Post, McCullough & Robertson. Veterans Affairs, Vietnam Veterans, Heart Safe Program, MBF, Queensland Health & Fitness Association, Performing Arts Trust, Flight Centre, Hyatt Regency, Laubman & Pank, TAB, Hypertension Association, Cardiac Rehabilitation Conference, Diabetics Association, Parkinson’s Association, Leukaemia Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, Tri Care, Toowong Private Hospital, MLC, National Australia Bank, Palmolive, Qld Childrens Activity Network, South Bank, Royal Pines Resort, Telstra, Unilever, Workcover Qld, Anglicare, Australian National Training Authority, Blue Care, Gold Coast City Council, Brisbane City Council, Dept of Main Roads, Sinnamon Village Therapy Centre, St Johns Mens Home, Villa La Salle Retirement Village & Hostel, the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service, and many more.

Following on from Rods presentation at the Qld Health Annual Falls Forum 2008, several groups have completed further train the trainer instruction programs. The Qld Health Allied Health Workers in Charleville then went on to take Applied Tai Chi for Falls Prevention to their rural communities. Qld Health also conducted a successful pilot study How to implement a successful falls prevention to the community at Stafford on Brisbanes north side. Also, after the successful and popular weekend of workshops Rod held in Cooktown early in 2009, the Cooktown Council then funded another visit in May for further training, totalling four visits to Far North Queensland to date.

In July 2009, Rod was very fortunate to be selected to present a session in the expert Tai Chi Teachers Stream (one of only fifteen chosen throughout the world) as part of the International Tai Chi Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee.

The worlds five Grand Masters of five Tai Chi Styles (Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, Sun) came together with Medicines Top Mind-Body Researchers (from Harvard, the Mayo Clinic, the US National Institute of Health) … with one purpose … to expand the understanding and use of the mind-body science of Tai Chi. They all openly shared their knowledge with the 500 participants from around the world.

“As the United States creates more appropriate health care priorities I hope that our country will look at the success of models such as the one used by Rod Ferguson in Australia. The Tai Chi programs initiated by Rod [Applied Tai Chi] provides Tai Chi activities in partnership with government sponsored wellness programs allowing many more people to experience the benefits of Tai Chi. I am grateful that Rod travelled to the International Symposium to share his success in Australia”. – Dr Sandy Matsuda – Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, University of Missouri Deputy Chair, Academic Steering Committee, International Tai Chi Symposium.

World Tai Chi Day founder Bill Douglas, reporting on the event, published in his international newsletter that: “Master Rod has pioneered working with state and local governments to expand Tai Chi extensively into Australian senior and health care sectors. He’s created an Applied Tai Chi model that can be emulated worldwide”.

At the 2008 Annual Queensland Seminar, Grandmaster Gary Khor awarded Rod Ferguson the title of “Master”

“In recognition of the dedication and persistence to the art of Tai Chi, the Academy and his own knowledge and skill. Also for continuously promoting the benefits for all to enjoy, I bestow the title: MASTER Rodney Ferguson”

Grandmaster Gary Khor

Founder and President

8 Nov 2008

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