Tai chi--a sophisticated system for training body, mind and spirit--has gained popularity in recent years for its health benefits. If you wish to learn tai chi, you’ll want to start by finding a class in your area that offers lessons for beginners. Before you go into any beginner tai chi class, arm yourself with information and a list of questions to ask your prospective teacher.
History
Tem Horwitz and Susan Kimmelman, authors of “Tai Chi Ch’uan: The Technique of Power," relate the legend of tai chi’s origin. Somewhere between the 12th and 14th centuries, Taoist monk Chang San-feng observed a bird and snake fighting each other. The animals inspired him to rework the fighting practice forms of the Shao-Lin monks with an emphasis on softness, thus creating tai chi.
Types
There are as many different types of tai chi as there are tai chi schools. When you’re looking for a class, the most important thing to understand is that different teachers emphasize different training goals. The North West T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association’s website notes that while some classes work toward competition, others train for self defense or health benefits. A good teacher will not mind you asking about the aims of her class. Choose a class that matches your tai chi training goals.
Considerations
Look for a class that has a low student-to-instructor ratio. If there are 30 students in your beginner class and no assistant instructors, you are not likely to receive the individual attention so crucial to a beginning student. While some teachers demand formal discipline and respect from their students, others are more casual. Most instructors will allow you to sit in and observe a class before you decide to join.
Any good tai chi teacher takes regular lessons from a master teacher. Learning tai chi is a life-long pursuit. If your teacher has stopped taking instruction, unless he’s incredibly advanced, chances are the teachings he offers will be very limited. Ask about your tai chi group’s lineage. A tai chi class that has origins in one of the major Chinese tai chi families or the temple system will have more to offer.
Before You Start
Inform the teacher of any health issues you have before you begin. Many classes offer workouts for people who have serious or chronic illnesses. If you are taking tai chi to help you recover from illness, ask your teacher if he offers a class dedicated to this goal.
Benefits
According to MayoClinic.com, research on the benefits of tai chi shows that it improves flexibility and strength, relieves anxiety and depression, reduces falls by improving balance and increases overall well-being. Many beginners report feeling calm, energized and happier at the end of a tai chi workout.
What to Expect
A typical workout for beginners involves instruction in basic tai chi movement and an introduction to one or two steps from the tai chi form, or set. Tai chi sets vary in length. There are 24 movements in the simplified Yang style, but the Taoist tai chi set has 108 moves. Most teachers will take months or years to teach the entire set.
Yuko Miyahara, a tai chi instructor at Shakti’s Elements in Santa Monica and writer of the website Great Tai Chi, advises that beginners should keep an open mind and remember that many tai chi students experience frustration in the beginning. She also suggests that beginners stock up on Epsom salts to ease any sore muscles after the first few workouts.
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