Need to drop some weight...

[RoadRaven]

Do I practice at home, Helen?
Yes, I do... once you have the form in your head, you can do it anywhere (have even been known to do it in the office when it is mostly empty!)

To begin with though, I had to write the names of the different moves down til they became settled in my head... it is brain gym as well - a full body workout - looking forward to hearing how it goes!

[Rakekay]

Because of my health I have decided not to have children, so I know I'm a little disconnected when it comes to understanding 'their' side. I know many of you have a family so I was wondering if you have a different opinion or have any of you ever felt the same way?

I do have children, but I also try to take time for myself and concentrate on both my physical and mental well-being. (Although to be honest, concentrating on mental well-being with happy hours with friends, spa days, naps and the like is often more fun that the physical well-being). I've found that if I'm not happy with who *I* am then it's pretty hard to be a good wife and mother. You have to love yourself first.

So, don't feel guilty for spending time on yourself. Your health comes first. I'm sure a lot of those other moms are actually jealous of you rather than looking down on you. My friends often say, "You're my role model for taking care of yourself." I generally hear this after I tell them about a girls weekend I went on or a spa day, of course, rather than after I tell them about a 65-mile bike ride!

[Bustertb]

Guess I was feeling selfish or self absorbed. Thanks for your reply. Glad to hear you are taking time for yourself. I agree, women need to feel good for themselves so they will be better mothers and wives.

When I've told people I've gone out for a 30 mile ride, just for the fun of it, they look at me like I'm crazy. Of course my idea of a night out isn't Chucky Cheese! Different things for different people

[Rakekay]

Trust me. A 30-mile ride is a hell of a lot more fun than a night at Chuck E. Cheese. (Years ago I told my husband that any trips to Chuck E. Cheese with the girls were his domain. I refuse to go there!)

[Bustertb]

Trust me. A 30-mile ride is a hell of a lot more fun than a night at Chuck E. Cheese. (Years ago I told my husband that any trips to Chuck E. Cheese with the girls were his domain. I refuse to go there!)

Isn't that the demographic for Chuck E. Cheese, small children and men!?

[Helen]

Do I practice at home, Helen?
Yes, I do... once you have the form in your head, you can do it anywhere (have even been known to do it in the office when it is mostly empty!)

How long does it take for a normal person to learn at least one form ?

I remember our trainer saying that we shouldn't come to this course with a goal in mind but I really want to get more flexibile and to strengthen my muscles.

[RoadRaven]

Cristina... I mean brain gym, because Tai Chi is made up of a series of moves... you have to remember each of these moves as patterns, and eventually you fit them together, then you add on... its about memory - what form, what pattern, where to put weight on which foot... its not just bouncing up and down to music like aerobics (which i enjoy and is fun) - there is a huge ammount of focus and concentration involved in tai chi... fantastic...



When I started learning, Helen, I knew nothing, and going once a week for 1 1/2 hours a class was enough, we'd learn something each week, practice at home, and join it to something we knew, or begin something knew the next week

have a go, its great...

[Helen]

When I started learning, Helen, I knew nothing, and going once a week for 1 1/2 hours a class was enough, we'd learn something each week, practice at home, and join it to something we knew, or begin something knew the next week have a go, its great...

I am going twice a week for 2 or 2 1/2 hours a class. How often do you practice at home ? Do you practice all the exercises or just the forms ?

[RoadRaven]

Cristina, my understanding is that there are so many parts to each form because tai chi is a form of meditation.

Are you learning from a master?

S/he should be getting you to ground yourself/focus on your chakras/feel the energy of the earth/ whatever imagery s/he uses...

You should begin by focusing your mind, and then you take your body through these movements and eventually you should flow through them like a river, unthinking, molding yourself into each movement with ease like the river does over the stones and the river-banks.

To begin with, tai chi is brain gym because alot of it is rmembering, but as the movements become part of your muscle memory, then you can really begin to focus on just yourself and it becomes a moving meditation.

Great that you are feeling more flexible already... its an "easier" option for flexibility than yoga, I think. The other thing you should find improving is you balance and awareness of how your body fits and moves and space in your everyday life.

Helen, how often do I practice? - I try and do it every day - and I will work on bits I am unfamiliar with when necessary, but tend to try and do the whole form.

With new parts to the form, you should practice that piece within an hour of finishing your class, again within the 24 hours of finishing your class, and again within 3 days. That just helps to cement the new movements into your muscle memory.

I assume you are both enjoying it? Its not everyones cuppa but I get so much from it.

[Helen]

I assume you are both enjoying it? Its not everyones cuppa but I get so much from it.

Of course I am enjoying it although I would have learned much faster if I had a little more spare time.

[RoadRaven]

LOL... yeah Cristina... being impatient in tai chi defeats some of its purpose...

So its giving you a disposition workouty as well as body and brain!

So pleased you are both enjoying it