Tai chi chuan for begginers

Studying meditation on the internet I found this video on Tai chi chuan. I consider this as an active meditation, and a good way to exercise. For people who study these Eastern traditions I invite them to speak, because they also want to learn.
Below is a link with 9 classes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlHGjYHyjmM&list=PL6C980A5917DCBFB6

I hope this will also help

Thank you for posting that. Tai Chi is something of interest for me and where I am rather limited on time, this really helps.

I wouldn't suggest learning Tai Chi from videos, personally. Finding a good teacher is hard, but so beneficial.

I learned it from a book and made a video in my mind and then watched it when needed. I think spent about $20 total to learn tai chi

TheDude wrote: I wouldn't suggest learning Tai Chi from videos, personally. Finding a good teacher is hard, but so beneficial.

Where it live has been difficult to find a good teacher. But you're right. :laugh:

MrBruno wrote:

TheDude wrote: I wouldn't suggest learning Tai Chi from videos, personally. Finding a good teacher is hard, but so beneficial.

Where it live has been difficult to find a good teacher. But you're right. :laugh:

Finding a teacher isn't always the right answer. There is nothing wrong from learning from books and videos in your home as long as you properly do your research, be smart about it, exercise respect and responsibility for your own body (Don't do something you know you can't do) And consider the advice of your health/medical advisers. People give themselves far too little credit, show a bit of courage and confidence in your own ability to learn without the cookie cutter methods of others.



My opinions are just that. Opinions. Take it with a grain of salt and do whatever you want. You will anyways

Kitsu Tails wrote:

MrBruno wrote:

TheDude wrote: I wouldn't suggest learning Tai Chi from videos, personally. Finding a good teacher is hard, but so beneficial.

Where it live has been difficult to find a good teacher. But you're right. :laugh:

Finding a teacher isn't always the right answer. There is nothing wrong from learning from books and videos in your home as long as you properly do your research, be smart about it, exercise respect and responsibility for your own body (Don't do something you know you can't do) And consider the advice of your health/medical advisers. People give themselves far too little credit, show a bit of courage and confidence in your own ability to learn without the cookie cutter methods of others.



My opinions are just that. Opinions. Take it with a grain of salt and do whatever you want. You will anyways

I agree with you both a bit...

If there are no teachers available, then, a video or book is better than sitting on our duff, saying "I cant because...."

A teacher should always be a first choice, but, second would be an interactive online/video course, third, maybe a book...

Ive seen video 'Martial Arts Classes', where you watch a video, and send in videos of your own for 'grading and critiquing'...

Something, is better than nothing...

That's just the way it is with most things really, learning it from someone who knows it is a little better then trying to figure it out from a description or representation. But, as Jestor said, doing something is better than doing nothing ...

Screw all that "if you want it bad enough you'll find a way" horse-poo : in our current socio-economic tundra, many just don't have the means to go register and pay for courses. The instructional videos are probably the next-best thing.

Besides, learning from a teacher can't really be the only way ... After all, who did the first one(s) learn it from ? (probably not YouTube, but still ! :laugh: )

The first T'ai Chi players adapted what they learned from teachers to a new style of movement. A book or a video will never replace a good teacher. Half a loaf of bread is better than none, sure, but you really do need a person there. Especially in a body art, there are things you will need to feel by receiving movement from another person. Your dvd can't push you.

That said, if you have a solid T'ai Chi background, videos make for a reasonably good supplement.

There are many books, here's the one I used to learn the positions:
http://www.amazon.com/Tai-Chi-Ten-Minutes-Health/dp/091636030X/ref=sr_1_73?ie=UTF8&qid=1439923510&sr=8-73&keywords=tai+chi+wu

It takes about 10min per day and if you learn a new position each day you can master it in 80 days.

After I learned that, I went into more advanced theory through this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Inner-Structure-Tai-Chi-Mastering/dp/1594770581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439923803&sr=8-1&keywords=inner+structure+of+tai+chi

Between those 2 books and some youtube videos, you would be indestructible.

But how do you know you've mastered it? What if you went to somebody who knows it and they were like: "you've learned this all wrong!" ?

In fact I think that this is doing well for me, great, this path I will follow. I have the same problem with Buddhism; if I could not learn in books or videos, so I do not know almost nothing but still looking for a teacher who can help me.

Thank you very much for this link.

Connor L. wrote: But how do you know you've mastered it? What if you went to somebody who knows it and they were like: "you've learned this all wrong!" ?

Unfortunately I think I run the risk of learning some things wrong, but the search for a good teacher continues. Unfortunately many things here in Brazil are limited and if not for this material or many others that we have here in the temple, maybe I had not already learned much of what I learned and made a difference in my life. The difference is that here I am counting on good teachers. :lol:

its pretty much impossible as a beginner to know if youre doing something wrong without feedback from someone who can tell you

you wont know youve mastered it
not by the standards of those who practice it formally
so i think the first understanding a solo practitioner needs is that everything is up for review at any time

that being said
i think that anyone who has excitement to learn and especially the willingness to do the work of learning should go ahead and do it even if you dont have access to a teacher
the benefits of learning on ones own initiative are ALMOST always are far greater than the non benefits of not learning on ones lack of initiative

so, GO FOR IT

there are tons of reference sources online to learn from - this is a bit of a quagmire for someone new to any field because again you wont have the experience to identify right from wrong right away

master wong, the guy in this video, is OK

he isnt great
he isnt bad

i have seen him BS his way through conversations in other videos and that is always a flag to me, but he is a source and sources should be explored

i dont mean to be critical towards the OP
i am sharing my observation because i think its important

he does these "wing chun in real fights / wing chun vs mma / wing chun vs boxer" ect ect and ive seen quite a few of his vids

i think he is a legit source to learn from, all things considered, but i also think that in the absence of one really good teacher your best bet is to scour the internet for as much content as possible and do your best to sift through the lessers until you find the ones of the best quality and most appropriately suited for you

heres a few more vids to check out as you feel like it, and hopefully these may lead to others and so on and so on

i wish you the best in your growth


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35AxiihzD4M

(thanks to YOU WHO POSTED THIS in the JEDI WARRIOR thread)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gDsXbMTBd8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4w_62WX9Rk&list=PLrlqhq0d1qB_NOaedTR4hxIuQ4sbWr0lB

A relatively good documentary on Tai Chi as a martial discipline, although it suffers the flaws of all such travel dairy type martial arts documentaries:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA4rrFkhCqQ

Do not expect too much in the way of technical learning, but it might open one's eyes up to more possibilities, and general principles.

As a resource on Tai Chi Chuan; I have found the work of the late Joanna Zorya invaluable; http://www.martialtaichi.co.uk/index.html

One can also find information on the disciplines of Baguazhang & Xingyiquan, which are excellent arts for developing a strong foundation for advanced Tai Chi combat principles.

As an exercise alone, I favour simplifies Yang-style, as it is hard to go wrong with it compared to the more traditional styles and their longer forms.

What I would say of video training, or potentially getting things wrong; every step on a path is a potential misstep, but every journey starts with a single step. Better to be making the journey, and learning, even against adversity, than it is to have never tried. Yes, finding a teacher would be best, but kudos for training, and making the effort, and good luck.

The video of Taiji is an example in point there are some fundimental errors in following taiji first principles,
if you follow the classic chinese medical model then these errors will lead to blocked qi at best
the western medical model will lead to knee pain and patela misalinement long term painfull knees are not muck fun and the replacements are not that good .

shifu wrote: The video of Taiji is an example in point there are some fundimental errors in following taiji first principles,
if you follow the classic chinese medical model then these errors will lead to blocked qi at best
the western medical model will lead to knee pain and patela misalinement long term painfull knees are not muck fun and the replacements are not that good .

Yes, there is not much focus on breath and no rounding of the back, and the knees are overextended at some points and at awkward angles for much of the video. But there are tons of different styles of Tai Chi Chuan (even within Yang style) and many traditional Chinese teachers do teach it this way, including some who are very devout in their study and practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

That's actually a really good video to learn from. It's what i used/ing to learn from