Hi Everyone,
I too have started learning Tai Chi. I started about six weeks ago and love it. I first thought about it a year ago and placed my name
on the waiting list for a place (how popular is that!). Then I read an article in the NRAS mag about the value of Tai Chi for RA patients, and
guess what - a week after that I got a phone call to say there was a place for me on the course - fate or what!
Tai Chi is highly recommended for all arthritis patients, I have bought the Paul Lam book Tai Chi for Arthritis sufferer's and it's a great read.
The style of Tai Chi I do is 'Sun Form 73', and also Qi Gong (pronounced Chi Kong), the warm up sessions are Shibashi which I think is another name for
Qi Gong.
My only proviso would be to find a class that's beginners only, I am in a group where there are multiple abilities some having been going for over six years,
this has a hampering effect as they can 'perform' much more effectively then me and unfortunately being a mixed class means it's guided by the best and not
the worst so I may have to look for another group or consider some private tuition for a few months - but that's about £40 per hour!!!
When you read up about the value to your health of Tai Chi it will make you wonder why you didn't start it years ago, after all they have been doing it
for thousands of years in China so they must have assessed the benefits by now.
I have been to China more than once and early every morning all residents come out onto the streets and parks and go through a Tai Chi programme
before going to work. They also bring their caged birds out, hang them on the trees (which already contain hooks for the purpose) so they can tweet to one
another as the Chinese believe all creatures need to communicate with their fellow creatures to remain calm, rested and in communication with life.
There is also Tai Chi for those confined to a wheelchair, it's an amazing programme and I'm looking forward to the day I can do just a little without falling
over my own feet!!
Gogs
