| In the last article I discussed some basic attitudes | | | | problems and injuries. A good teacher should be |
| a good Tai Chi instructor should have. In this | | | | able to modify the forms so that they can be |
| article and the next, I will outline more of the | | | | done by an elderly or disabled person who cannot |
| knowledge a Tai Chi instructor should be aware | | | | even get out of a chair. |
| of. | | | | Teachers should be able to teach Wu Chi so that |
| Chi Kung (sometimes written Qi Gong). A good | | | | students can actually feel the flow of Chi. In our |
| instructor should be able to clearly explain what chi | | | | classes, students can feel this in the first two or |
| is without resorting to mystical or occult concepts. | | | | three classes. The student's ability to sense |
| Chi can be explained in a way that makes sense | | | | energy flow is not just for thrills. It is crucial for |
| in terms of western science and physics. Some | | | | achieving the health results that have been |
| teachers use mumbo jumbo either because they | | | | heralded in studies of Tai Chi such as getting |
| think they have something to gain by keeping Chi | | | | results for arthritis. |
| mysterious or simply because the instructor does | | | | Instructors should know a good deal about how |
| not truly understand the concept. However a | | | | to use the body effectively for anatomy and |
| good instructor should be able to explain Chi | | | | physiology. They should be aware of body |
| clearly in terms an educated westerner such as | | | | mechanics and body positioning that is truly based |
| an engineer or a biologist would accept. | | | | in knowledge of skeletal alignment and structure. |
| Capable Tai Chi instructors should know about | | | | This includes how to properly align the spine and |
| Chinese medicine, including yin and yang theory. | | | | how the midsection should be positioned and how |
| They should know about the meridians and | | | | the knees should be aligned to the feet and the |
| pressure points that are used in acupuncture and | | | | foot placement for good knee health that utilizes |
| how Tai Chi stimulates the flow of energy | | | | the musculature of the leg and protects the |
| through them. | | | | tendons and ligaments. |
| Teachers should know about common blockages | | | | A good instructor will also be able to use the |
| of chi and also how to remove them. They should | | | | internal aspects of Tai Chi. This begins with an |
| know the difference between excess and | | | | awareness of how to drop all excess bodily |
| stagnant chi and how to restore balance by using | | | | tension and align the body in ways that create |
| the Tai Chi forms. Tai Chi is not simply a set of | | | | the ability to move very powerfully, but a good |
| forms that are always done in the same way. | | | | instructor will be able to go a lot further. Tai Chi |
| The forms can be modified and individualized to | | | | can greatly increase the ability to sense and |
| the needs of the student to achieve specific | | | | manipulate what is going on inside of their body in |
| health results. A good teacher will be able to | | | | terms of organs, body structure and energy both |
| modify the forms in order to aide in the | | | | in the practitioner's own body and in the bodies of |
| rehabilitation of health problems such as back | | | | others. |