| Depending on where you live, finding a Tai Chi | | | | aspects and health benefits of Tai Chi. |
| class may be as easy as pie or nigh on impossible. | | | | Because Tai Chi is so easy on the joints and |
| If you live in or close to a major city, your odds | | | | doesn't require great athleticism classes can tend |
| of finding a good teacher are certainly better than | | | | to be very mixed when it comes to age and |
| if you live in a small rural area. Even so, with Tai | | | | physical conditioning. Classes can also have a wide |
| Chi gaining in popularity you may still be able to | | | | range of experience levels with more advanced |
| find a local class. If your town has a karate dojo | | | | students assisting the instructor with teaching the |
| or martial arts studio, that may be the first place | | | | beginning and less experienced students. However, |
| to inquire. While they may not give any classes in | | | | not all teachers, regardless of their Tai Chi |
| Tai Chi it's possible they may have connections | | | | experience and education level will be able to |
| with another studio that does or know of | | | | handle a class with multiple skill levels adequately. |
| someone who teaches classes. | | | | My mother, before she passed away in 2007, had |
| Other places that may have classes in Tai Chi or | | | | some serious problems with balance and leg |
| advise you on where to find one may be: | | | | strength due to anemia and other physical issues. |
| -Holistic Wellness Centers | | | | She decided on her own to try a Tai Chi class not |
| -Therapeutic Massage Studios | | | | far from her apartment in New York City (I live |
| -Health Food Stores | | | | near Philadelphia, so I didn't get to see her as |
| -Adult Learning Centers | | | | often as I would have liked). She was not |
| -Churches | | | | comfortable and felt very alienated because the |
| -YMCA/YWCAs | | | | teacher seemed to be making no provision for |
| -Senior Centers (even if you are not a senior the | | | | integrating her into the class. She told me she |
| person whoteaches Tai Chi may teach additional | | | | was intimidated because all the other students |
| classes elsewhere) | | | | were much more advanced than she. |
| -Local or Community College | | | | When she told me about this during one of my |
| -Local high school | | | | visits I was a bit perturbed. A good, experienced |
| -Local dance studio | | | | Tai Chi instructor should make it a primary focus |
| -Bulletin board at your local bookstore or | | | | to be sure all his students are comfortable. No |
| supermarket. | | | | one should ever feel isolated because they are a |
| -Community Center | | | | beginner or are in any way infirm. I suggested |
| Also, searching for tai chi and the name of your | | | | that she try a new teacher and a new class and |
| town on google may come up with something. | | | | keep going until she found the right one, because |
| With diligence and a little luck you may be able to | | | | Tai Chi was exactly the type of activity she |
| find a class not too far from home. | | | | needed. I demonstrated some of the form I was |
| However, in the absence of regular classes, you | | | | working on so she could see how gentle it was, |
| should still be able to start practicing Tai Chi by | | | | and she was very encouraged and excited about |
| working with a DVD or tape. The best videos for | | | | the prospect of trying another class. |
| beginners will have an emphasis on understanding | | | | Sadly, my mother suffered a stroke only a few |
| proper posture and provide ways to self-check to | | | | days after my visit and never recovered. When I |
| be sure you are staying on course. Tai Chi for | | | | was next in her apartment a couple of weeks |
| Busy People, by Dr. Keith Jeffery is one example | | | | later, I noticed an entry on her calendar indicating |
| of a good beginner's DVD. | | | | she had indeed signed up for a new class and |
| Since there is no test or standard rating system | | | | teacher. |
| for Tai Chi instructors there is nothing to show | | | | The lesson here for every Tai Chi Student is that |
| that a given instructor is qualified, or even | | | | Tai Chi should be for everybody, regardless of |
| competent, to teach Tai Chi. Unless there is no | | | | age or physical condition, but your first class and |
| other option available, I would steer clear of a | | | | teacher may not be the right ones for you. If |
| teacher who considers Tai Chi to be just another | | | | you don't feel comfortable in the class or with the |
| exercise like step class or Pilates (This is not to | | | | teacher, don't give up Tai Chi -- try a different |
| put down Pilates, by the way, I actually know a | | | | class, and keep going until you find one that |
| lot about Pilates - I helped write a Pilates book, as | | | | works for you. |
| a matter of fact - and it's a great exercise | | | | I realize this advice may not work for everybody |
| system). | | | | since you may be lucky to find a teacher at all, |
| The best Tai Chi teachers are fully aware of the | | | | but if you can find a video that works well with |
| martial origins of the various postures (whether or | | | | the style and form you are learning, and can |
| not they choose to utilize that information in | | | | supplement your class with learning from the |
| class), along with some of the history - including | | | | video, you may be able to persevere and get |
| the origins of their particular form - along with | | | | through the difficulties You have with the class. |
| information about energy flow and the healing | | | | Good luck in your journey to Tai Chi fulfillment. |