Tai chi, one of the popular martial arts and meditation practices to emerge from China in the 20th century, focuses on releasing tension in the muscles and tendons, opening the joints, and stretching the spine. Combined with a strong mental focus, tai chi exercises leave the practitioner relaxed, energized, mentally alert and emotionally balanced. Because of its complexity, it's best to learn tai chi from a teacher rather than a book or video.
The Basics
Bruce Frantzis, master of qigong, bagua, tai chi, meditation and author of "The Power of Internal Martial Arts," says that tai chi practice involves three intertwined areas of discipline: martial arts, healing and meditation. Many people in the West approach tai chi for its therapeutic physical effects of relaxation, stress relief, and joint and tendon stretching. However, tai chi can also help you achieve greater peace of mind and mental focus through meditation. Even if you've never thought about studying martial arts, a good teacher can show you how to apply tai chi moves for self-defense. While different schools may emphasize one area of study over another, your teacher should offer some instruction in all three.
Core Practice
The main focus of most tai chi practice is the tai chi set, a flowing series of anywhere from 24 to 108 movements. Tai chi master Wong Kiew Kit notes that when people say they know tai chi, what they usually mean is that they know how to do a tai chi set. Different schools have different versions of the set, but each set is designed to move qi or vital life energy through all the internal organs. The key to good tai chi practice isn't merely going through the motions of the set, Wong advises -- it's how you do the set. Ideal tai chi practice is elegant, flowing and focused.
Training Methods
A typical tai chi teacher will discuss and demonstrate a single concept or a particular move in class, usually giving you time to practice. Often she will return to that concept or move the next time in order to refine, correct individual student errors and add to the lesson. Be advised that you will stall your own progress if you rely exclusively on class time for your practice, says Robert Chuckrow, tai chi teacher in Westchester, New York, and author of "The Tai Chi Book: Refining and Enjoying a Lifetime of Practice." While setting aside a few minutes a day for solo practice isn't absolutely necessary, it will help you to integrate tai chi into your muscle memory and your life much faster.
Finding a Class
Look for a tai chi class at your local community center or martial arts studio. Feel free to shop around. If possible, try to visit more than one tai chi class and talk with each instructor about his teaching philosophy and the focus of the class. If your goals are to learn how to spar and to train with younger people who are more physically fit, your best bet probably isn't a class for seniors or people who are working on health recovery. The website Tai Chi Central maintains a World Tai Chi School Directory that you can use to search for a tai chi class near you.
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