Master Peter Wu Balance Martial Art Tai Chi · Qigong · San Diego
Rancho Bernardo · San Diego

Slow down.
Stand taller.

Tai Chi taught the traditional way — small classes, patient hands-on correction, and a lineage that traces directly to the Chen family village. Whether you come for balance, strength, or a quieter mind, you start exactly where you are.

See class times Meet Master Peter Wu
Mon & ThuEvening group classes
$20Per class, pay at the door
5Senior communities, weekly
Master Peter Wu practicing balance training standing on wooden stakes on Mount Song, China, hands pressed together
Master Peter Wu — balance training on wooden posts on Mount Song, China
Chen-family lineageDisciple of Grandmaster Chen Xiao Xing, 19th-generation Chen family
ICMAC gold medalistInternational Chinese Martial Arts Championship — Tai Chi hand form & push hands
Certified coach & refereeCertified international Tai Chi Quan coach and referee
All levels welcomeBeginners through advanced students, seniors included
Why Tai Chi

Gentle on the joints.
Serious about balance.

Tai Chi is a centuries-old Chinese martial art practiced today as slow, flowing movement. Students in Peter's classes most often come looking for one of these — and stay because the practice delivers all four.

Balance & confidence on your feet

Slow weight-shifting trains the legs, ankles, and core to catch you before a stumble becomes a fall — a big reason so many older adults take up Tai Chi.

Strength without impact

No jumping, no heavy weights. Deep stances and controlled movement build leg strength and flexibility in a way knees and backs can tolerate.

A calmer, clearer mind

Breath-led movement and short meditation settle the nervous system. Students regularly tell Peter they sleep better on class nights.

Posture & breath

Qigong breathing and Tai Chi walking retrain how you stand, step, and breathe through the day — not just during class.

Classes

Small group. Every student gets seen.

Peter keeps his public group small on purpose — so everyone can follow clear demonstrations and learn one layer at a time. No one gets overlooked; Peter sees where each person is and helps from there. No experience needed.

Evening Group Class

Ed Brown Center · Rancho Bernardo Community Park — just minutes from I-15, with easy parking next to the tennis courts.

Monday5:30 – 6:30 PM
Thursday6:30 – 7:30 PM
Finding your next class…
  • Qigong & meditation to warm up and settle in
  • Tai Chi walking — balance, stepping, and weight transfer
  • Yang-style 24 form, taught step by step at group pace
  • Guided practice — clear demonstrations and plain-language explanations
$20per class · pay Peter at the start of class · no membership, no contract

Private Lessons

One-on-one instruction tailored to your level and goals — faster form correction, push-hands fundamentals, or a personal practice plan. By appointment in the Rancho Bernardo / North San Diego area.

Ask about private lessons

For Senior Communities

Peter teaches weekly on-site Tai Chi at five San Diego senior communities (next section). Activity directors: if your residents would benefit from a balance-focused weekly class, Peter is glad to talk about bringing a program to your community.

Start the conversation

What to bring

Flat, comfortable shoes and clothes you can move in. A water bottle is recommended, especially on warmer days. That's it.

Master Peter Wu smiling in a white Tai Chi uniform
Master teacherGrandmaster Chen Xiao Xing — 19th-generation Chen family lineage holder
Also studied withGrandmaster Chen Xiao Wang, his elder brother
Earlier trainingKung Fu with Shaolin monks — hand forms, weapons, Qigong, meditation
Teaching nowSan Diego, California — group, private & community classes
About Peter

Trained in the Chen family tradition.
Teaching in your neighborhood.

Peter Wu is a certified Tai Chi instructor and a disciple of Grandmaster Chen Xiao Xing, the direct lineage holder of the 19th generation of the Chen family. He studied authentic Chen-style Tai Chi Quan with Grandmaster Chen Xiao Xing and with the Grandmaster's brother, Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang, and he also trained in Kung Fu with Shaolin monks — hand forms, weapons, Qigong, and meditation.

Peter competed at ICMAC, the International Chinese Martial Arts Championship, and took gold in both the Tai Chi hand form and push hands divisions. San Diego Oasis, where he has also taught, lists him as a certified international Tai Chi Quan coach and referee.

Medals aside, students describe Peter's teaching in simpler words: calm, patient, and precise. He demonstrates each movement as many times as you need, explains it in plain language, and corrects you only when you're ready for the next layer — never pushing you past what your body can absorb that day. It's one reason his classes work equally well for a 35-year-old beginner and for residents in their eighties and nineties at the senior communities where he teaches every week.

Peter Wu receiving hands-on posture correction from his teacher during training
Receiving hands-on correction during his own training — the same teaching style he brings to his students.
Peter Wu wearing his gold medal at the International Chinese Martial Arts Championship
Gold medalist, ICMAC International Chinese Martial Arts Championship.
Hundreds of practitioners performing Chen-style Tai Chi together outdoors
Chen-style Tai Chi is still practiced the way it was taught — together, outdoors, one slow movement at a time.
Weekly Community Programs

Trusted by five San Diego senior communities

Every week, Peter teaches on-site Tai Chi for residents at these communities. These classes are for residents and their guests — public students join us in Rancho Bernardo instead.

Vi at La Jolla Village

La Jolla

Weekly resident Tai Chi with the community's lifestyle program.

Tuesdays & Saturdays

The Glen

Scripps Ranch

Twice-weekly balance and movement classes for residents.

Tuesdays & Fridays

Belmont Village

La Jolla · Nobel Drive

Weekly resident Tai Chi focused on balance and gentle strength.

Tuesdays

Casa Aldea

UTC · University City

Midweek resident Tai Chi in the community's activities program.

Wednesdays

Wesley Palm

Pacific Beach

Weekend resident Tai Chi to close out the week.

Saturdays

Your community here?

Peter partners with high-quality senior communities across North San Diego. If you run an activities program, he'd welcome a conversation.

Student Stories

Patient. Precise. Never rushed.

Excerpts from student reviews on Yelp — lightly trimmed with … where shown, words unchanged.

This school has helped my back immensely in the 3.5 months I've been here! ... My 'good days' used to mean mild pain; now they mean no pain.
★★★★★
John S. · Yelp ★★★★★
If you want to learn tai chi from an expert who truly cares about his students, look no further. Sifu Peter embodies so many of the qualities associated with this martial art: calm, patience, humility, fluidity and strength.
★★★★★
Laurent C. · Yelp ★★★★★
I have been taking lessons for a month and have learned so much. Peter is so calm and patient. He is a great teacher. I am 68 and love it
★★★★★
Judy T. · Yelp ★★★★★
What makes a class good is the instructor! Peter is dedicated, patient and has an energetic & peaceful demeanor. He pays attention to make minor adjustments to get the most out of my stance, stretch & posture.
★★★★★
Elaine B. · Yelp ★★★★
Peter only corrects your position when you're ready for it, and never pushes you past what you can handle that day. He explains, then shows the movement again and again until it clicks — the most patient instructor I've had.
Amy L. · Private student
Good to Know

Before your first class

I've never done Tai Chi. Can I really just show up?

Yes. All levels are welcome, and most people in the group started as complete beginners. Email Peter ahead of time if you'd like, or simply come a few minutes early, introduce yourself, and stand wherever you're comfortable. Peter will place you where you can see clearly and will check in on you through the class.

What if I can't keep up, or my balance isn't great?

That's exactly who the class is built for. Movements are slow and low-impact, and Peter teaches in layers — you'll do a simpler version well before anyone expects the full form. Chairs are nearby if you need to sit for part of the class.

Where exactly is the class, and where do I park?

Ed Brown Center is inside Rancho Bernardo Community Park, 18448 W Bernardo Dr, San Diego, CA 92127. Park in the community park lot next to the tennis courts — easy parking, and the group meets at Ed Brown Center on Monday and Thursday evenings.

How much does it cost, and how do I pay?

$20 per class, paid to Peter at the beginning of class. No membership, no prepayment packages, no contract — come when you can.

Can Peter teach at our senior community or workplace?

Yes — weekly or twice-weekly on-site programs are a big part of Peter's teaching. Email balancemartialart@gmail.com with your community's name and neighborhood, and Peter will follow up about scheduling.

Do you offer private lessons?

Yes, one-on-one instruction by appointment, tailored to your level — form refinement, push-hands basics, or building a home practice. Email Peter to arrange a time.

Get Started

Your first class is this week.

Emailbalancemartialart@gmail.comThe fastest way to reach Peter — he replies personally.
Phone(858) 205-8797Call or text about classes, private lessons, and community programs.
New studentsJust come a few minutes earlyMonday 5:30 PM or Thursday 6:30 PM — introduce yourself and Peter will get you set up.
Group class locationEd Brown Center, Rancho Bernardo Community Park18448 W Bernardo Dr, San Diego, CA 92127 · inside Rancho Bernardo Community Park

Two ways to start

Just come. Pick a Monday (5:30 PM) or Thursday (6:30 PM), bring flat shoes and $20, and stand with us for an hour. Or say hello first — Peter is glad to answer questions and let you know what to expect.

Email Peter Call (858) 205-8797 See class schedule

Warmest regards — and
See you at class.