Which tai chi should i learn

This athletic style combines fluid fast and slow movements, as well as jumping and foot stamping. Stance is low but upright. Chen style is useful for learning martial arts principles as well as for getting a total body workout. A simplified, less athletic style, Yen focuses on large, sweeping movements performed at a slow, even pace. Stance is somewhat leaning. An even simpler form of Yen style, the 24 Form, provides health benefits, but teachers of this style may neglect traditional Tai Chi principles, according to experts from the U.

Taiji Qigong Foundation. The Yen style might be right for you if you are looking for simple, gentle exercise. An upright stance, small arm movements and short steps characterize this style. Movements flow backward and forward. Our teachers have all received rigorous training in the movements and principles of the art and the TCF teaching method.

And they continue to train and develop their skills as tai chi practitioners and teachers for as long as they teach. All TCF instructors teach under the auspices and supervision of the Foundation. Tuition rates are set by each teaching location. Nothing replaces learning tai chi in person, body to body from a teacher. Videos or books can serve as reminders of what you are working on in class and can also provide fascinating and inspiring additional background to the history, philosophy, and principles of tai chi chuan.

For help finding TCF instructors near you, check our list of locations. After studying for several years, you may become interested in learning to teach tai chi. Speak with your teachers about your interest in participating in our teacher training program.

Our teacher training program is an intensive, long-term commitment to training and participating in the TCF. Certification to teach is provided only through our teacher training program. Visit our Certification page for more information and how to apply. You are here Home » Frequently Asked Questions. Frequently Asked Questions What is tai chi chuan? How do I learn tai chi chuan? What are the health benefits of tai chi?

What if I have health problems or disabilities? How long does it take to learn the tai chi form? What comes after the Beginning Level course? Which tai chi form do you teach? Who are your instructors and what are the costs? Can tai chi videos or books help? It has three main variations with strong stylistic differences that derived from the founder, Chuan You, his son, Wu Jien Chuan, and his grandchildren.

The Wu style was created directly from the Yang and, as such, is the largest variant of the Yang style. However, unlike most traditions in the Yang style, most Wu schools emphasize small, compact movements over large and medium-sized ones. The Yang and Wu, with all their variations, encompass the vast majority 80 percent or more of all tai chi practitioners. Chen Style tai chi, originating from the Chen village, is the original style of tai chi from which the Yang style was created.

It is relatively hard to find Chen style teachers and adherents account for about one percent of tai chi practitioners. The Chen style alternates slow-motion movements with short, fast, explosive ones. It demands more physical coordination and may strain the lower back and knees more than other styles; consequently, it is difficult for the elderly or injured to learn. The complexity of its movements, which include fast releases combined with jumping kicks and stamping actions, makes it more athletic and physically difficult than most other tai chi styles and, as such, is often more appealing to young people or martial artists.

Hao style tai chi is exceedingly rare in China and almost non-existent in the West. Its small-frame movements are extremely small. As such, it is considered an advanced style that is hard to appreciate for practitioners without significant background knowledge of tai chi. Combination styles are the third-most popular styles after the Yang and Wu. These styles freely mix and match movements from the four other tai chi styles as well as movements from other internal martial arts styles such as bagua and hsing-i.

The combination styles you are most likely to find in teh West include the Sun style, which combined Hao tai chi with ba gua and hsing-i; and the Chen Pan Ling style, which combines Yang, Wu and Chen tai chi with ba gua, hsing-i, and Shaolin kung fu. If a style is naturally more comfortable and easier for you to learn and remember, you are more likely to finish learning it, remember the order of the moves and practice it on your own.

That said, the following points should be considered when choosing a style:. The slow-motion, short-form styles are generally best for people over the age of 50 since they are initially easier to learn.