The group was established in the mid 1980s by its Chief Instructor John Fowler and quickly grew in popularity through his classes in Torquay, Brixham, Plymouth and Newton Abbot.

John has always been interested in martial arts and started training in first Judo, then Karate at the age of 15.

He is an avid reader, one of his favourite books is called ‘Moving Zen’, where the author recounts watching in fascination a Tai Chi exponent. After reading the book several times John decided that one day he would learn Tai Chi! When years later a Karate friend returned from Malaysia to teach Tai Chi, John joined his class.

In the late 1980s John met Master Nigel Sutton on one of Nigel’s instructor courses in London. He quickly realised that Nigel’s expertise was what he needed to take his classes to a new level, and so the South West branch of the Zhong Ding Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Association was formed.

When John met Nigel’s teacher, Master Tan Ching Ngee, he was invited to become Master Tan’s ‘inside student’. (An inside student has a special relationship with a teacher, being let ‘in the door’.) Master Tan was a student of the 37 posture form’s founder, Grandmaster Cheng Man Ching.

John was chosen to represent Great Britain at the first Chung Hua Cup International Tournament which was held in Taiwan in 1990. John was also invited to become an inside student of another of Master Sutton’s teachers, Master Lau Kim Hong.

John was diagnosed in his mid twenties with a form of arthritis of the spine. He feels that his mobility is mostly down to his daily practice of Tai Chi. ‘Tai Chi has helped me in so many ways’ he said, ‘ posture, balance, mobility to name a few, I am so thankful that I read that book all those years ago!’

As well as teaching Tai Chi, John is also a landscape photographer.

In 2014 he was awarded the grade of 7th Duan Master Instructor, recognised by the Malaysian Association of Grand Masters of Martial Arts, a very rare honour.

John has over 35 years teaching experience in Tai Chi.