Choosing a Tai Chi Class

Choosing the best Tai Chi class can be pretty daunting for the beginning student, so I thought I would put my two cents in to help. In Chinese arts, the teacher is referred to as Sifu. Many people today are searching out Tai Chi classes to help them with things like their balance, their immune systems, and their stress levels. To me Tai Chi would best be described as an art about balance (physical, mental, and spiritual). Below I have listed a few things that I felt were import in making an informed decision.

1) Relaxed teacher
2) Push Hands classes or application classes
3) Women involved in Push Hands

When picking a school the Sifu is of key importance. My teacher told often told us to search out a teacher who is relaxed. An uptight or nervous teacher could be detrimental to once practice. After all, one of the critical components in Tai Chi is "Song" (a relaxed but alert state).

I find push hands classes or the teaching of push hands to advanced students is another important factor. This is not to say that the school must be training for competitions. But push hands demonstrates the use of the energies be utilized in Tai Chi. Doing the form without push hands or some application work is a lot like getting a drivers license for reading the cars manual without every having driven a car before. It does have health benefits but the full potential will not be realized.

Building on the idea of push hands training, some masters say that the involvement of female students in push hands or application work is a good indicator of the well being of a class or Sifu. When force and competition is the main objective, often the largest strongest people will be the dominate push hands players. And other students will shy away from the practice. But when skill is involved, size and strength mean very little and all players can be successful.

In my own experience I look for teachers with a high level of skill and an eagerness to give you their knowledge. They will often tell you that it takes time and dedication. They will also tell you that there is no magic seminar or class were all the secrets will be revealed. The secrets are hidden in plain site for only the most dedicated of students to discover.