Tai Chi Lessons Online
Choose a Section
We are currently working on a new online curriculum. But for the time being, we offer instruction in the following sections.- Tai Chi Basics
- Tai Chi Forms
- Tai Chi Push Hands (Tuishou)
- Self Defence
- Sport
Tai Chi Basics
It's not about what you do. It's about how you do it. Lessons on principles of alignment, breath, movement, and connecting the mind to the body.
Tai Chi Forms
"Forms or "routines" are the most recognizeable part of tai chi training. Many people think that the form is all that there is to tai chi. Practiced with the basic principles in mind, forms can develop balance, fitness, flexibility, strength, stamina, peace of mind, and overall health.
Tai Chi Tuishou (Pushing Hands)
Tai chi for two people. Tuishou teaches the use of softness and effortlessness to overcome an opponent's force. But the training is quite gentle and cooperative. Key to proper tuishou is the develpment of awareness, timing, sensitivity, proper structure, internal power, and softness. These qualities are cultivated with the cooperation of a training partner who is developing the same skills.
Self Defence
Most the people who practise tai chi throughout the world do so without any thought of the art's usefulness in self defence. But even they are practising self defence without knowing it. For the first step in learning self defence is improving the thing you wish to defend. That is your own health and balance. If you don't have any health and balance to defend, there is not much point in trying to defend it.
Having said that there is, in the tai chi curriculum, a great resource of techniques and methods for overcoming a bigger, stronger attacker. The history of tai chi is filled with stories of old people using tai chi to successfully defend themselves against bigger and stronger attackers.
Sport
How surprised are you to learn that tai chi is a sport?
About Tai Chi Central's Online Tai Chi Lessons
Video Instruction
Over time, I will be using this section of the website for presentations of reference videos for various tai chi routines, as well as detailed instruction in the specific choreography of traditional and mondern routines (forms).
I will also be presenting tuishou instruction and martial applications of the various routines, and tai chi fighting strategies.
Of particular importance will be the section on tai chi basics and core principles. This section will be very important for all students, whether they are practising tai chi purely for health or also as a martial art.
This section is meant to be an aid to teachers as well as students. Books and videos cannot replace qualified personal instruction. But they can provide good reference material for students. This in turn can make it easier for teachers to get to the "meat and potatoes" of the art. Traditional martial arts training involved hours of daily instruction and practice with a teacher. But modern classes run only one or two hours at a time, once or twice per week. If students are unable to practise on their own, it can be difficult for a teacher to get students who are capable of learning the complete transmission.
I relish the opportunity to share what knowledge I have. And students who follow my instruction should relish any corrections and contradictions they receive from their own teachers.
As my many teachers will surely tell you, I am not the final authority. I do not presume to have the sole, standard, correct, or ultimate understanding of what I teach. If you learn from me, you can expect to be corrected by other teachers. They, in turn, may be contradicted by other teachers.
With each new point of view, a student gains the opportunity to develop new insight into the true essence of the art. Eventually, he or she will end up with something that is uniquely theirs. They will own the style that they practise, whether they continue to name it the same way or not.
I will endeavour to present the art in as true a "standard" as I can. But I will make no guarrantees that I will not go off on a tangent every once in a while. I have learned from many sources, and each of these has encouraged the free investigation of new ideas as well as old ones. In fact, this investigation is a requirement of both the art and the science of tai chi.
Within each style of Tai chi are many variations in technique, philosophy, strategy, and pedagogy. This disparity has created truly furtile grounds for sharing and cultivation of the art in ways that the early generations might not have imagined.
I do not, therefore, mind if other teachers or students think that some what I am doing might be incorrect. I am, in fact, certain that I will make mistakes. I leave it to the students and their teachers to correct my errors.
I must repeat that online instruction cannot replace hands-on instruction with a qualified teacher. But by sharing certain ideas, concepts and choreography, I hope to demonstrate some of the depth and potention of the art of tai chi. But I would also encourage students to search for a qualified teacher and get personal instruction. The benefit of learning with others cannot be over stated.
These videos are not meant to replace a qualified instructor. But they will hopefully be useful supplement to your training. When studying with a teacher in person, please follow the teacher's instructions. Please avoid saying, "But Ian Sinclair teaches it differently at TaiChiCentral.com ." There are many teaching methods, and certain variations in choreography are acceptable. Some teachers do not stick to the standard choreography. There are many reasons for this. One of those reasons that teachers do things differently from me is simply that they are better and know more than I do.
- Ian Sinclair