Expert in internal martial arts and energy channelling techniques.
Professional teacher since 1986,
state qualified from several federations.
Trainer and director of courses in France and abroad.
Multiple champion of Europe
Petite rétro
At 14, inspired by Bruce Lee’s films, he trains as an "amateur" with his friend Joachim Piedade
(on the left of the photo):
punchbag in a barn, books, nunchakus...
A year later, he joins the karate club in Gourdon, directed by Pascal Signat
(at the center on the photo),
a champion member of the French team.
Thierry joins the Aquitaine regional team and wins several medals for combat
at the French championship.
In 1985, during his professional training course, he follows intensively
Bernard Sautarel,
(on the front of the photo)
’s classes, an expert in martial arts who offers an internal approach to karate and full-contact.
These are his first steps in Taiji Quan and Qi Gong.
He’ll carry on following these courses for several years.
In 1986, he becomes a member of the French team of karate fighting
at the European championship.
He joins the Centre de Formation Marine d’Hourtin (vast Sports Centre).
His encounter with the second master (military grade) Szimonick
(his back on the photo),
2nd dan and great technician, arouses in him a new interest for the katas shotokan.
Working intensely for a year, he integrates all the katas of the style.
He wins a bronze medal at the senior military championship of France (combat).
After his military service, he becomes director of the karate club of Gourdon,
taking over from Eric Lalande, the assistant of Pascal Signat,
who taught him to appreciate the "pure and beautiful" technique.
Soon after, he sets up various karate sections in the Lot and the Dordogne counties
as well as full-contact classes
with two friends: Patrick Thocaven and Jean-Jacques Boyer
(on the left of the photo).
He wins a silver medal with the French team of full-contact at the European championship in Italy.
In 1989, he opens a health and fitness centre
for children and adults that offers stretching classes, weights,
aerobics, martial arts and combat sports.
A few years later he starts Taiji Quan and Qi Gong lessons.
He meets Georges Saby
(barbu au centre de la photo ci-dessous),
an expert in Taiji and Qi Gong and, interested in his work, he joins his school: the UART.
There, he discovers the Yang form, known as the old form, the explosive forms...
and passionate students like Fabrice Hohn
and many others.
Between 1998 and 2002, he wins several international medals in Taiji Quan
(armed, unarmed forms and with Jean-Luc Chastanet, his partner and path-companion).
He participates,
with Luce Condamine, in the world tournament of Yong Nian ,
celebrating the bi-centenary of Yang Luchan and finishes 6th in sword.
He wins the English tournament of sanda in 2000.
He becomes technical director of the UARTT
and starts giving training courses in France and abroad,
in particular prompted by his Dutch friend Michiel Van Den Berg.
(on the right of the photo).
With Independance Prod,
he produces his first didactic videos that achieve an immediate success.
Between 1999 and 2003, he is coordinator for martial arts,
combat sports and energy channelling techniques at Gourdon in an Arts Centre.
He currently gives regular classes in the Lot county and directs many courses in France,
Belgium, Holland and Germany.
He founded TAO Prod.,
a small production company of Taiji and Qi Gong didactic videos.
In 2004, he organizes,
with the help of the
Entente Fautaise,
the first International Summer Course at La Faute-sur-Mer:
two weeks to practise several disciplines
(Taiji Quan, Qi Gong, Ba Gua Zhang, Tui Shou, Ba Ji Quan, M.R.T...)
lead by a team of teachers.
In 2005, he furthers his training in the
Manual Techniques of Relaxation.
His website is improved.
In 2006, he creates the Amicale Nationale du TAO, an association
enabling, among other things, to bring together other practising friends in France to participate at Europa Taiji.
At the end of that same year, his own practice room opens at his base.
He creates the "école TAO", adding a structure to his lessons and training courses
with a system of 5 degrees.
Since 2007, he continues to direct his
lessons and numerous courses in Europe.
Last update: summer 2008
