If you’ve seen people doing tai chi in your local park or on television, you might have been impressed by this exercise that resembles a slow-motion dance. As tai chi students at the University of California at Davis observe, tai chi is moving meditation, and can help clear your mind, refresh your body and allow you to focus on what’s important. With a wide variety of books and videos available, learning more about tai chi has never been easier. Because the nuances of tai chi can only be learned through experience, however, your best bet is to find a good class and practice as often as you can.
If You Are Not Currently Enrolled in a Class
Step 1
Search online for “tai chi classes” plus the name of your city or town to find classes in your area. Add the name of your state if you need to distinguish your town from others with the same name.
Step 2
Look for classes offered through your local community center, college student center or senior center. These venues often offer limited-term classes at a discounted rate.
Step 3
Call or email the instructor—contact information generally is listed online—to find out more information before you join. Choose a class that offers an introduction to the first few moves of the tai chi set alongside some individual instruction.
Step 4
Attend class regularly and follow the instructor’s directions. Be patient with yourself as you experience tai chi.
If You Are Already Practicing
Step 1
Explore your public library’s selection of books on tai chi. Read as many as you can. Books on chi kung (or “qigong”), such as Scott Shaw’s “Chi Kung for Beginners,” will help you to understand the theories of energy underlying tai chi practice.
Step 2
Search free online video resources like YouTube for videos of people doing tai chi. Watching other practitioners gives you insight into different styles, and can teach you to distinguish between good tai chi and mere arm waving.
Step 3
Practice tai chi as often as possible. Keep an open mind about whether you are doing the movements correctly. As your practice improves, your idea of what tai chi is will deepen.
Step 4
Learn about the medical and philosophical theories that drive tai chi in order to build a more complete understanding of it. As Margaret Caudill, pain management expert and Harvard research fellow, writes in her Foreward to Ted J. Kaptchuk’s book “The Web That Has No Weaver,” considering any Chinese energy practice separately from its underlying traditions and culture leads to incomplete understanding.
Tips and Warnings
- You can’t learn tai chi in a short time. According William C. Phillips, instructor with the Patience T’ai Chi Association who has been studying tai chi since 1965, even after the first three or four years of practice, a typical tai chi student needs regular instruction. For the dedicated student, learning is a lifelong prospect.
- Learning tai chi from a book or video is not something you should attempt. A good instructor can show you how to avoid injury. Before trying tai chi, consult your doctor.
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