| If you haven't been exposed to martial arts | | | | has DVDs for a program called "Tai Chi for |
| much, it might (or might not) surprise you to | | | | Arthritis. His style of Tai Chi is called Sun |
| know that martial artists are very competitive | | | | (pronounced "soon") and is supposed to be |
| about their styles. Practitioners who spend all their | | | | performed a little more quickly, but is apparently |
| time in one particular style of martial art will | | | | even gentler and especially beneficial for people |
| almost invariably believe their style to be better | | | | with joint problems. |
| than any other. I suspect this is more prevalent | | | | Chen and Wudang Tai Chi are two other styles |
| among younger people - at least I hope so. | | | | that are older and require more athleticism to |
| The more experience (and wisdom) a student | | | | perform since they retain some of the jumps and |
| has, I think, the more willing they may be to see | | | | sudden bursts of movement that are holdovers |
| the strengths in other styles and want to study | | | | from the original Shaolin Kung Fu roots. These |
| them. I know that many martial artists who study | | | | two are also more difficult to locate classes for |
| hard, external styles such as Tae kwan do or | | | | unless you live near a major city. |
| Karate for many years will gravitate toward soft, | | | | There are several other Tai Chi variations the |
| internal styles like Tai Chi to find better balance in | | | | proponents of which consider to be better than all |
| their lives. | | | | the others. However, I'm going to go out on a |
| Bruce Lee was probably the ultimate example of | | | | limb here and tell you a secret the purists might |
| a martial artist who was constantly striving to | | | | not like: |
| expand his knowledge. He started out studying | | | | [spoken in a whisper] . . . it . . . doesn't . . . matter . |
| Wing Chun, a style of Kung Fu (or Gong Fu), but | | | | . . [horrified gasps of shock and awe] |
| eventually found it to be limiting. So he adopted | | | | Unless you have physical issues that require you |
| elements from many other martial arts and | | | | to specifically take one of the gentler forms, or |
| incorporated them into his own style and called it | | | | you are intent on becoming the world's greatest |
| Jeet Kune Do. His notion was of a "style without a | | | | Tai Chi Chuan fighter and you want to take a |
| style" - a martial art that could adapt and change | | | | class specifically geared toward the martial |
| depending on the style of the opponent. | | | | aspects of tai chi. It doesn't matter what style |
| My two younger sons have just begun to study | | | | you study, because what you are looking for is a |
| Wing Chun near their grandparents' house, where | | | | way to handle stress better, clear your mind and |
| they spend much of the summer. This is my | | | | strengthen your body. For that reason, the most |
| youngest (10 years old) son's first true | | | | important thing is just to get out there and do it. |
| experience studying martial arts, while his brother | | | | To that end, you should know that while some |
| (age 14) has studied Seven Star Praying Mantis | | | | lucky people may try a class, fall in love with it |
| Kung Fu for several years along with my oldest | | | | and continue with that form for the rest of their |
| son (age 17). | | | | lives. Others may have to try a class here, try a |
| While I think this teacher is good and competent, | | | | DVD there, and then, with luck and patience, |
| I was a bit taken aback to discover how | | | | discover a teacher or style that works for them. |
| prejudiced he seems to be against all other styles | | | | My mother, before she passed away last year, |
| of martial arts. He seemed to dismiss Seven Star | | | | had some serious problems with balance and leg |
| Praying Mantis as a waste of time and boasted of | | | | strength due to anemia and other physical issues. |
| beating every other style that he has ever come | | | | She decided on her own to try a tai chi class not |
| up against. | | | | far from her apartment in New York City (I live |
| I didn't even bring up the subject of Tai Chi with | | | | near Philadelphia, so I didn't get to see her as |
| him (although I sure think he could benefit from | | | | often as I would have liked). She was not |
| it). I merely mentioned that some of the arm | | | | comfortable and felt very alienated because the |
| movements in one of the Wing Chun forms | | | | teacher seemed to be making no provision for |
| reminded me of Chi Gung (Qigong) and he | | | | integrating her into the class. She told me she |
| seemed insulted. He may be a very good Wing | | | | was intimidated because all the other students |
| Chun martial artist and teacher, but I think he has | | | | were much more advanced than she. |
| a lot of learning to do in life. On the other hand, | | | | When she told me about this during one of my |
| so do I, I hope. | | | | visits I was a bit perturbed. Any experienced tai |
| By way of contrast, my boys' Seven Star | | | | chi instructor should make it a primary focus to |
| Praying Mantis teacher at home has also studied | | | | be sure all his students are comfortable. No one |
| many other disciplines and happily introduces | | | | should ever feel isolated because they are a |
| elements of the other arts into his teachings. | | | | beginner or are in any way infirm. I suggested |
| Between them, I have no way of knowing who is | | | | that she try a new teacher and a new class and |
| the better fighter (and don't really care), but I | | | | keep going until she found the right one, because |
| know who is the wiser man. The one with the | | | | tai chi was exactly the type of activity she |
| more open mind. | | | | needed. I demonstrated some of the form I was |
| This has been a long and rambling introduction, I | | | | working on so she could see how gentle it was, |
| know, but what I've been working up to is this: | | | | and she was very encouraged and excited about |
| Tai Chi teachers are no different from other | | | | the prospect of trying another class. |
| martial arts teachers. There are many different | | | | Sadly, my mother suffered a stroke only a few |
| styles and sub-styles of Tai Chi. Some teachers | | | | days after my visit and never recovered. When I |
| will firmly believe and tell you that theirs is the | | | | was next in her apartment a couple of weeks |
| best Tai Chi. Some may even tell you theirs is the | | | | later, I noticed an entry on her calendar indicating |
| only Tai Chi and may not know there are any | | | | she had indeed signed up for a new class and |
| other styles. The only thing that really matters is | | | | teacher. |
| what is the right Tai Chi for you. | | | | The lesson here for every Tai Chi Student is that |
| Most of the Tai Chi classes being taught are | | | | Tai Chi should be for everybody, regardless of |
| variations of Yang Style Tai Chi. This is a pretty | | | | age or physical condition, but your first class and |
| safe and enjoyable style for most people (sort of | | | | teacher may not be the right ones for you. If |
| the Toyota Camry of Tai Chi) performed at a | | | | you don't feel comfortable in the class or with the |
| slow, smooth pace without any fast movements | | | | teacher, don't give up tai chi - try a different |
| or jumps. | | | | class, and keep going until you find one that |
| Alternatively Dr. Paul Lam teaches seminars and | | | | works for you. |