T'ai Chi Ch'uan

[Catrin]

Part of life is to learn to make lemonade, but I've been interested in this since I gave up Taikwondo in 1999 (when I screwed up my right knee the first time). It will be interesting to see how this works for me, crossing my fingers and toes!

[emily_in_nc]

That's great, Catrin!

DH and I took a Tai Chi class decades ago and did not like it, but it's been so long, I can only vaguely remember why. I think it's because at that time we were young (me 20s, him 30s) and preferred faster, higher impact forms of exercise. We didn't have a lot of physical limitations to work around, and Tai Chi was just too slow and "boring" at that time. I felt the same about yoga then too, and I love it now, so I think our feelings about it were just a function of our ages at the time. I suspect I'd like it if I tried it now! I remember my father-in-law taking a class in it in his 60s and really enjoying it.

I hope this turns out to be a good activity for you. Keep us posted!

[Catrin]

I hope it works, and Fr Guy is teaching us one of the older styles which also is one of original fighting forms. I do like the level of focus that it is already apparent will be required and the symbology behind everything. Very large class, at least in comparison with my KB classes. There were about 20 of us with many ages represented.

[rebeccaC]

glad you found a good class!!!!!

[Catrin]

glad you found a good class!!!!!

Thankfully, as it's the ONLY class I've been able to find

[shootingstar]

To my understanding there are different forms of T'ai Chi. I did take 1 course many years ago...to me, it was memorizing all the movements which I couldn't be bothered. My hang-up.
Different schools of t'ai chi for different purposes/injuries: http://www.taichi.ca/about-what-is-t...en-wu-sun-hao/ Perhaps read their instructors' backgrounds also on how tai chi helped them.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...98ED&FORM=VIRE Only gives a few movements for 5 different types of tai chi.

I practice 2-3 pre-tai chi warm-up exercises (but I don't practice tai chi)..it's intermingled with simple yoga and other stretching exercises. 1 of the exercises is like a half bird pose and I cross over down towards the floor, diagonally on each side several times. Just after my concussion, I couldn't do it. But could after 3 months .. Same for the simple tree yoga pose.

Our body balance is very important and safe stretching..

[Catrin]

Hi Shooting Star - thanks for the link. I had an idea on the main styles but it's nice seeing them summarized as they did the link you provided. I've been wanting to do this for years but there aren't many options in central Indiana.

Is the Chen style best for me? Not if I were actually approaching it from a martial arts perspective, but I'm not. Most of his class members are older, and from what he said yesterday, they just spent a couple of YEARS on a beginner's form from another style. I was struck yesterday about how none of the moments were contraindicated for me and had no ramifications that I can tell. Prior to the class he demonstrated the entire form he just started teaching the class and it was just so beautiful and flowing. There were a couple of movements in it that I may not be able to do - but if I wind up strengthening the right places before we get there that could change.

As this class is my only option south of Chicago, I hope it works out for me. Interestingly enough, a good percentage of the warmup exercises were very much like that we used in our competition kettlebell training - but our KB coach used to teach T'ai Chi as well so that may not be a coincidence.