Ā TESTIMONIALS
"Truly transformative.
Before training with Armand, I felt at times that I could not direct my energy to the things that mattered. Practicing the Chi Kung exercises has built my energy and increased my focus. Combined with Armand's keen observations and questions during the Mastery Mentoring program I now experience more alignment with my purpose.
I use the skills almost on a daily basis: to prepare for demanding meetings, to stay grounded, or just as a form of relaxation. Armand has the rare gift to make these ancient practices accessible and useful in modern life."
Annette van Berge Henegouwen
(Netherlands)Ā
"Whether in martial arts, energy work or my work as a therapist, I always had the feeling that something was missing. You have given me the missing piece of the puzzle and opened the door to many more possibilities. I had never felt the permeability, elasticity and energy flow in my body like this before.
And I would never have dreamed that it would be so easyš.
I am infinitely grateful to you."
Nicole Berger (Switzerland)
"Didi and Armand gave me a new set of practical tools to learn about myself, totally different from what I found so far in my life. I can only imagine where this practice can take me in the long run."Ā
LĆvia Ferrony RibeiroĀ
(Brazil)
"When I first connected with Armand, I was actually looking for one specific Qigong form. What I found instead was an entryway into something much larger. Through his unique combination of Qigong, Elastic Force Qigong, and Hermetics, my training gained a depth and clarity I hadnāt encountered anywhere else.
In a short time, I learned to perceive more subtle layers of Qi, cultivate deeper inner stillness, and strengthen both my physical and energetic foundation.
What makes Armand truly exceptional for me is the way he makes spirituality practical ā his guidance is innovative, authentic, and comes straight from the heart.
His program elevated not only my training, but my life as a whole. I rediscovered old dreams, new direction, and a profound calling to share Qigong more widely as a source of preventive health.
I am deeply grateful to have found him!"
Roger Mooijman
Netherlands
How do I make the abstract concept of āQiā understandable and applicable within healthcare? What exactly is āQiā within a human being?
As a therapist and student of Chinese medicine, I have long sought for a practical answer to these questions. Over the past eight years, I have explored various styles of Qigong, Tai Chi, and other disciplines. However, my most significant personal breakthrough regarding āQiā occurred with Armand and Didi at Chi Skills.
When I started private mentoring with Armand, I initially expected a series of standardized exercises, as I had experienced at other schools. But at Chi Skills, Qigong is more than just movement, breathwork or meditation.
Qigong literally means: becoming skilled in managing one's own life energy. Personally, I prefer the term 'zest for life' (NL: levensvreugde), as it provides a more concrete meaning, feeling, or image for most people instead of 'life energy'. At Chi Skills, Qigong is a methodology that answers the question:
"How can you use focused attention to develop your physical, emotional, and mental skills to fulfill your personal life mission?"
Armand provided me with practical exercises to strengthen this 'zest for life' across three layers: physical, emotional, and mental. This has led me to a more conscious connection with my life mission and driveāessentially, "what wants to move through me or manifest itself?" My personal training consists of building qualities on these three levels that support one another, yet can also unconsciously undermine each other.
Physically, we worked on my posture, alignment, and fascia awareness through stretching and elasticity exercises. This made me aware of unnecessary muscle tension straining my posture. By improving my posture and elasticity, I now stand firm and upright, able to 'ground' myself. I prefer to describe grounding as a relaxed yet powerful, expansion-oriented sensation. For those interested in experiencing the physical sensations of fascia work themselves, I highly recommend their online module.
Through this fascia work, I experience a physically spacious sensation that supports the next step in my training: the power of concentration. I have become more attentive to my reactivity in various situations and the influence of my subconscious emotional patterns and beliefs. It helps me create distance between an event and my ego. This distance, in turn, creates space for mental qualities such as concentration, mindfulness, intuition, and insightāqualities explored and practiced through meditative exercises.
All these qualities build upon each other in a methodical, step-by-step manner, which I personally experience as gaining more 'zest for life.'
What I appreciate most about the private mentoring with Armand is his attentiveness to my development goals and his ability to provide insight into my conscious and unconscious stagnations. Each session is tailored to my learning themes, making me increasingly aware of my own processes. Through purposeful exercises, he enables you to find answers, adjustments, or acceptance within yourself.
Since March 2025, I have witnessed a transformation and personal development within myself that I did not foresee. This method of training goes far beyond the traditional image of group Qigong classes. This is true 'Qi-work': the conscious realization and strengthening of your own vitality.
For anyone willing to work seriously and consciously on their mental transformation to gain more 'zest for life', I wholeheartedly recommend Chi Skills.
Thank you for your coaching, Didi and Armand!
Jeffrey Paardekooper
Occupational Therapist / Acupuncturist
"Before working with Armand, I had spent years trying to manage what often felt like my unlimited energy. I pushed myself hard in sports, built strict routines for body, mind and soul. Yet something essential was still missing.
Through the private mentoring, I finally found the missing link: a way to truly contain and direct my energy instead of constantly outrunning it.
Armandās guidance, the depth of our conversations and the way he points me back to cultivating stillness have been profound. From that stillness, answers start to arise on their own.
This journey is changing not only how I train and live, but who I am becoming ā and Iām genuinely curious and excited to see where it will lead.ā
Mark van Aalst
Netherlands
āI joined Armandās Chi Skills mentoring program to refine my Elastic Chi Gong skills and knowledge after taking his online course, and to learn how to better incorporate Hermetics into my practice as both a seeker and a therapist.
Armandās understanding and knowledge of the work is next-level. His way of explaining the finer points of the practice is extraordinary and demonstrates a great depth of insight into Hermetics. Armand has an engaged mentoring style, always focused on my needs and goals while supporting me throughout the process.
Armand has met all my expectations. I have gained greater depth and insight into the Hermetic initiation process and into my relationship with my life-force energy. I carry the knowing I have gained through the mentoring program into my private practice and martial arts training.
I would not hesitate to recommend Armand and Didiās Chi Skills program to anyone who wants to take their spiritual and personal growth to the next level ā and beyond."
Ian WaughĀ
Psychotherapist, Martial Artist and Seeker of the Truth
"In my personal experience Didi and Armand are amazing people. They are super dedicated, very knowledgeable, know how to teach and above all, they are authentic."
Aad HavermansĀ
Breathcoach & Wim Hof instructor
Portugal
"For all those who want to work with energy (martial arts, Qi Gong, Taiji) can benefit greatly from the knowledge and experience of Armand and Didi. For me, this seminar was the best so far, with the highest practical benefit."
OliverĀ Haag
Qi Gong teacher
(Germany)Ā
"When I first joined Armands training, I was looking for something that went beyond martial arts. I wanted a teaching that cultivates and integrates the physical and energetic qualities of the practice into daily life, not something confined to the training on the mat.
Ā Something I could live and embody, not another technique to learn. I also carried a deeper question: how to align internally as a whole person, not only in body or energy, but in the way I move through life.
Training with Armand has become exactly that path. He is a teacher who genuinely acts as a guide toward my best and most authentic development. He reflects back to me on many levels ā with clarity, honesty, and care. He sees both my blind spots and my potential, and he supports me at a pace that feels respectful and sustainable. Over time, he has become a stable pillar in my life, someone who consistently embodies qualities I aspire to cultivate in myself.
Through his training, my awareness has sharpened, my grounding is deeper during the day, and my inner posture is more straight. Thereās clearly more inner strength.
Through his teaching, Iām not just learning techniques, but ways of being. Ways that help me grow as a whole person. Iām deeply grateful for his guidance and wholeheartedly recommend his work to anyone seeking a practice that reaches far beyond the physical."
LauraĀ
Germany
"Taking a course with Armand and Didi means gaining months, even years of practice.
The benefits are immense: unlike many courses I've attended, the fact that there were so few of us meant I could practice continuously and get real-time feedback on any adjustments I needed to make. This is invaluable.
Armand and Didi spare no effort and don't hesitate to practice with the participants to give us the benefit of their feelings, but also of their mastery, in addition to what they perceive when they observe us.
Practising continuously with a partner has given me a much finer and more precise sense of the corrections I need to make in my posture - a few degrees of inclination, for example, can make a big difference to solidity, rootedness, elasticity, etc... And there are many more.
Focusing on the fascia develops the body's elasticity to an impressive degree in just 5 days. The work based on the intention placed on each Dan Tian allows you to feel different levels of practice, and clearly makes me want to come back to deepen this work.
I'd also like to add that the state of mind during the course was extremely benevolent and cooperative.
Last but not least: the food is exquisite and contributes greatly to raising the body's energy level.
Ā In short: to be repeated!"
Benjamin Roy
(France)
"I contacted Chi Skills, because I needed Ā more understanding and control Ā over the intrinsic energies I work with. After being in the mentoring program for 6 months I am amazed how swift Armand has taken me from basic understanding to mastery of the different energies. He is not only an exceptional practitioner, he is also a gifted teacher who knows how to adapt to the needs of the student.
What would have taken me a few years to figure out on my own, thanks to Chi Skills I mastered in half a year. Working with Chi Skills has given a boost to my personal practise Ā for which I am grateful."
Philip Maes
(Belgium)
"I joined the Chi Skills Private Mentoring Program because I felt a strong need for personal guidance to deepen my existing qigong practice. I was looking for more than just the surface-level movements. I wanted to truly understand the "whys" behind the practice rather than just the "hows."
Working with Armand has been a transformative experience. He is a wise and experienced teacher who places tremendous emphasis on the fundamentals and focuses on correct form, chi principles, and cultivating the right state of mind. Thanks to his mentorship, I have a solid, tangible qigong foundation and energy awareness which I can use to layer deeper topics. I highly recommend Sifu Armand if you are seeking depth in your qigong practice."
Vivek L, USA
"Before I was fortunate enough to meet Armand and Didi (and their greyhound Nathan), I had only practiced Chi Kung alone at home. Whilst I was able to follow Armand's videos, I wasn't sure, if I was doing it the 'right' way as I had no direct feedback.
TheĀ workshop itself leaves you with a strong grasp on the fundamental Chi Kung concepts, with enough room for you to ask deeper questions on any topic. There's plenty of hands-on practice in the nearby park and most days Didi prepares a DELICIOUS healthy meal for lunch which keeps you energised throughout the afternoon session. Armand is very patient and has a lot of time for his students to make sure they are holding correct posture and engaging their chi throughout the movements. This is exactly what I needed to have confidence in knowing I was doing the right thing when I went back to training at home.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time training with Armand and Didi, they are two of the nicest and most authentic people that I have met and clearly have a wealth of knowledge on many topics. I highly recommend signing up for this workshop. :)"
Alex Poulin
(New Zealand)
āInternal arts always looked like magic to me, believing in it but not believing in my ability to to achieve that level.
For a long time, I couldnāt find an accessible teacher until I ran into CHI SKILLS.Ā It finally looked like something on my level of understanding. Something achievable. Down to earth explanations, basic practice, partner work and my eyes started to open to the capabilities hidden there.āĀ
Ori
(Israel)
"For me working with Chi SkillsĀ was a true blessing. Defining blessing: something good that comes into our lives, that stays and that can be multiplied into more ā into something even better!āĀ
Carlos Martins
(Portugal)Ā
"My experience at the summer workshop was truly memorable. The sessions were meticulously planned and moved at a brisk pace, keeping us fully engaged. Armand and Didi, our instructors, were not only knowledgeable, but also incredibly engaging. They imparted the foundational principles for higher-level skills in Tai Chi, which are often overlooked by many teachers.
Amidst our dedicated practice, the highlight of each day was undoubtedly Didi's delectable vegetarian lunches, which added a delightful touch to our learning experience. The opportunity to engage in partner work with fellow attendees was equally rewarding. We had numerous 'aha' moments, making profound connections and revelations that left a lasting impact.
Reflecting on the workshop, I couldn't help but wish I had attended it 30 years ago. The insights gained would have undoubtedly propelled me much further along my path. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone seeking a transformative and enlightening experience in Tai Chi."
Matt Iles
(China)