tai chi

TheGoblinRoad

bought a beginner's tai chi dvd and started practicing. No idea if I'll do this on a regular basis. In college I was obsessed with it for a while, practicing several times a day (took actual classes) but for some reason I stopped. Probably laziness-i cant remember.


anyway, wondering who here practices tai chi on a regular basis?

TByrd1325

What do you think of it so far?
This lady in my neighborhood is offering tai chi classes and I'm going to do a drop in class. I've seen it once before on Sunrise Earth. I don't know if I'd have the patience for it.

FireMonkey

There are different forms, from 24 movements to 108 and possibly more. My organization, Taoist Tai Chi, teaches the 108 form. We're having an intensive class coming up for Canadian Thanksgiving weekend where people can learn the form in three days. I don't know if this crash course gets offered in the US but here are the international locations: http://www.taoist.org/content/standard.asp?name=Contacts

Whatever style you prefer, I would suggest to find a class somewhere as it is really helpful to have an instructor who understands both the health benefits and the martial arts applications and can teach the moves properly. Also more fun to learn with others :happy:

TheGoblinRoad

would be great, but there's no classes anywhere near me.

I've always enjoyed tai chi. When i took the class in college I learned the full form. That was over 10 years ago, and I haven't practiced since, so I've forgotten almost all of it.

Livi_Loves_Pink

Oh! I just got a beginner's dvd from the library but I'm scared to try it.

Is it something worth trying even if I can't have actual instruction? (It's not possible for me to take a class.) Or should I not even bother with it?

FireMonkey

It's unlikely to hurt you, even if you don't have instruction. It's just more difficult to learn on your own. But a lot depends on the DVD; it may be a very good teacher who can explain and demonstrate well even without the ability to provide fedback.

Personally I think it's the greatest exercise ever. It is a little bit like yoga but you keep on moving instead of holding poses. It's a martial art but it's not aggressive and the moves are slow - which doesn't necessarily mean easy The main thing is to listen to your body and challenge yourself gently.

Why don't you watch the DVD first and see if this is something you think you can do?

FireMonkey

would be great, but there's no classes anywhere near me.

I've always enjoyed tai chi. When i took the class in college I learned the full form. That was over 10 years ago, and I haven't practiced since, so I've forgotten almost all of it.

It will come back in no time :happy:

Which form/style did you learn?

TheGoblinRoad

Yang style, which is the same as DVD, but I do see differences as well in how the DVD teacher demonstrates the form and how my teacher did.

Following the DVD IS harder than in class, but I think with enough repetition I can get it.