T'ai Chi Ch'uan

[Catrin]

Thanks have changed since this discussion in early November. My concussion forced me to slow down with no exercise for a bit, which enabled me to do further research. While the Chen Old Form style being taught in the free class I mentioned earlier is spectacular - Sun style is better for me in both my age and my various broken bits. I've found a highly rated set of DVD's by Dr Paul Lam who focuses in Tai Chi for health rather than more of a martial arts focus - and also have found a local class taught by several women accredited by and who teach the same modified Sun style from Dr Lam.

I find his teaching style quite good, he breaks movements down to their smallest parts and goes over them multiple times - both front and back. He also has other intermediate and advanced non-modified DVD series of different styles (including Chen and Yang) and has a very kind and gentle manner on the DVDs. I'm mentioning it in case others might be interested. I'm working through the "Tai Chi for Arthritis" series (slightly modified Sun style), he does have a "Tai Chi for Beginners" (Yang style).

On a side note, Dr Lam's history is interesting. He wound up trapped in China due to politics (originally from Vietnam), survived a plague, and was finally allowed to go to family in Australia. He has had arthritis since his teens - which is what put him on this path. Highly recommended by both the CDC and the Arthritis Foundation.

I'm finding it most enjoyable and, at least at MY level, I can work on it every day without having to worry about over-doing things. I only do one actual lesson a week, and keep going over the same material that week to really instill it in my muscle memory. It's amazing how difficult it can be to do quite basic movements properly, slowly, and smoothly all at the same time I know I will go back to the beginning when I start the once-a-week class in mid-January - but that's ok. No doubt I will need some correction at that point. They will teach the exact same form that I'm currently learning on my own.

[Crankin]

Sounds wonderful, Catrin. Now you have my interest up.

[Catrin]

Sounds wonderful, Catrin. Now you have my interest up.

Here is a direct link to his Tai Chi for Arthritis series (there is a 35% discount until 12/31 for ALL DVDs, coupon code required but it's right there in the product description.) He has another site that focuses on related information, finding certified instructors, workshops (only 1 workshop per year in the US and Australia). Code only applies to actual DVD purchases, not the downloadable version. This is why I bought both Arthritis DVDs along with the intermediate 73 Sun Form DVD so I have something more challenging to move to once I've the first set of lessons down. Learning Tai Chi well, any style, isn't a fast process - which I like very much.

Amazon doesn't have the sales available through Dr Lam's TaiChi Productions site - and you can't even purchase his video lessons through Amazon, only the DVDs. How often is it more cost effective to NOT go through Amazon? I'm actually glad to see this as I prefer direct purchases if I can afford it whenever possible.

[emily_in_nc]

So glad it is working out for you, Catrin. You've really been through a lot trying to find exercise styles that you can do with your various issues, and your persistence has paid off.

Enjoy!

[Catrin]

So glad it is working out for you, Catrin. You've really been through a lot trying to find exercise styles that you can do with your various issues, and your persistence has paid off.

Enjoy!

Thanks Emily - and I hope that continues -there aren't many options left! There is also QiGong, similar but different. I will eventually add that to my practice, though Sun style does include some of that. One of the more interesting things about Sun Style is this. It's newish (created by a Tai Chi master in the early 20th century by taking elements from other styles - but that isn't the most interesting part. He was the first to defy tradition and teach Tai Chi to women - which was apparently almost unheard of at that time. I'm sure it happened prior to that but not as a matter of normal practice.

[Catrin]

It's been going well....AND I realized today that it's been a few weeks since I've been dizzy from orthostatic blood pressure! It's been happening for years and...suddenly...soon after starting Tai Chi it's stopped. Perhaps a coincidence, perhaps not. I will take it either way!

[Catrin]

Still enjoying TaiChi, usually 6 days out of 7. My body seems to really like it - though one movement tweaks my shoulder with the torn biceps tendon and rotator cuff tear (yeah yeah, I know, eventually it will need repairing but not yet). It's really only one move that does this and I'm figuring out how to modify it so I can do the movement without pain - I can't blame Tai Chi for that, after all the shoulder HAS been torn for some time. As they say, visualization serves an important role in this as well so I utilize that as well. I am very glad that I chose to learn Sun style, it really does seem to be the style best suited to start with when there are various physical...issues. It's known for having the most upright position out of the main styles, among other things.

[emily_in_nc]

So great to heat that you're enjoying the Tai Chi, and nothing wrong with modifying a movement to avoid pain. People do this in yoga all the time as well.

[Catrin]

So great to heat that you're enjoying the Tai Chi, and nothing wrong with modifying a movement to avoid pain. People do this in yoga all the time as well.

It's actually close to a miracle that I am choosing to do this before I do further damage to the shoulder. MODIFY? MEEEEE????? Noooooooo

Right now I'm trying to figure out just what it is about the movement that pisses my biceps tendon off. I think it's either an angle I need to change as I turn 180 degrees with my feet while my arms are doing various things, or I should be further around in the turn before my right arm does something. I THINK I have it about worked out, taking the night off tonight to allow my shoulder to rest from last night and will put in a nice long practice session tomorrow.

[Pax]

I can't get over how moving an appendage a couple of degrees can lessen or stop pain. After all my surgeries I've really gotten the hang of it, so now it's the first thing I attempt when I feel pain.

[Catrin]

Agreed. With a longtitudly split biceps tendon that subluxes it's about figuring out which part of the movement makes it sublux - which causes the pain. It isn't bad, am used to it, but of course its better to modify. All in all the Taichi DOES make everything feel much better, just this one little movement needs adjusting.

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[Pax]

Agreed. With a longtitudly split biceps tendon that subluxes it's about figuring out which part of the movement makes it sublux - which causes the pain. It isn't bad, am used to it, but of course its better to modify. All in all the Taichi DOES make everything feel much better, just this one little movement needs adjusting.

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It really is an awesome form of exercise, wish the class here was still going on. There are others but taught by someone who appears to have watched a video as their form of teacher training.

I will try the sunrise taichi on the beach when get back to FL, seems like the perfect setting.

[Catrin]

I've learned mainly from an awesome DVD series (Dr Paul Lam's TaiChi for Arthritis 1 & 2). I did take a class on the first part when I was almost through the series but observed that I had already learned the form properly from the DVD. I am not ordinarily a fan of instructional DVDs, but Dr Lam is an exception. There is a reason why the CDC and both American and Australian Arthritis Foundations support and recommend his programs. I would have continued with the class for the next part but I seemed to be the only student who really wanted to do the second, more advanced part. I wasn't about to pay another $70 to learn Part 1 which I can almost do with my eyes closed (literally).

Of course, it probably helps that he is a medical doctor, and has had arthritis since his teens. He has certainly overcome a lot (including a famine in China when his family went there from Vietnam back in the day). I swear, it's like he can see what I'm doing when I follow his DVD for my weekly new lesson and knows when I need a tip on posture or focus. Here is a link to all of his DVDs if any are interested. If you can't find a local instructor, this is a fine alternative. I already have the intermediate Sun 73 DVD, eventually will start working on that form.

The advantage of Sun style (which the Arthritis series is), especially for those with arthritis - is it has the most upright stances than both Yang and Chen, with quick stepping and flowing movements AND it has incorporated quite lot of QiGong. The creator of Sun Style was an older General and martial arts master - I suspect he may have been starting to feel his age :-) Yang is less upright and Chen is a combination of slow and explosive. Once I've learned Sun 73 I will probably add the Yang 24, but that won't be any time soon. There is much in Sun Style to keep me engaged and interested.

[Pax]

Thanks, Catrin, I'll look into those.