Can Tai Chi be learned from home?

From a DVD or something. Or is it better to enroll in a live class?





I've never done it you see. But it's something I'm interested in because I suffer from depression, and I've heard that Tai Chi helps with that. |||I have used a combination of classes plus DVDs.





I have been taking Tai Chi (or taiji) for 22 months. I started with the Yang 24 simplified form, and more recently changed to Fu style. I find having a Tai Chi instructor very beneficial because he can comment on my technique.





I have used Dr. Paul Lam's DVD "Tai Chi - The 24 Forms" as well as "Tai Chi For Well Being" with Robin Linde. Of the two, I prefer Robin Linde's DVD.





Some people where I train have used DVDs by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming or YMAA. They liked the DVD, but I cannot comment on it.





My personal recommendation would be to get the classes. A lot of people start Tai Chi and then drop out. It would help you to have the support of a group that the classes would provide. If you are suffering from depression, I would recommend working closely with your doctor and mental health professional in conjunction with this training. I am not implying that you need mental health services because there are different degrees of depression ranging from mild depression to clinical depression.





I am supplementing the tai chi with karate. My family doctor said that almost any physical activity would benefit me by reducing stress and the by the production of endorphins during training. I am not training to be able to fight, although that comes as a byproduct of the training.





Martial arts training brings about remarkable changes in brain chemistry. The concentrations of various neurotransmitters that are responsible for facilitation or inhibition of nerve impulse transmission in the central nervous system -- acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid, endorphins and others -- are changed so that a new balance is attained. The clinical signs and symptoms that ensue are easier to record than the actual neurotransmitter levels, and many studies are in agreement on the emotional, behavioral and physiological changes that accompany martial arts training. A few recent investigations, however, have pinned down the neurochemical changes, as well. Eighty-nine year old Grand Master Yong Woo Lee, founder of JungDoKwan Taekwondo credits his years of martial arts training for his good health and mental sharpness at his age.





Among the early changes seen when individuals engage in a martial arts training program are mood elevation, heightened energy levels, enhanced self-confidence and self-esteem, lower anxiety levels, resistance to depression and improved coping ability. Changes in blood pressure and heart rate, which are, to a large extent, mediated by the central nervous system, occur soon afterward. Heart rate is slowed, and hypertensive blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) is reduced toward normal. Hapkido Grand Master Gary Pointer says: "Martial arts training keeps me going strong with a smile on my face! It is the ultimate mental and physical health program."





These physiological changes are a function of the rebalancing of the sympathetic (fight and flight) and parasympathetic (rest and repair) halves of the autonomic nervous system. Studies by the Inchon Sports College of Korea have found increased parasympathetic tone in martial arts trained subjects, and ascribe the slowing of heart rate and reduction in blood pressure to this increased tone. Others have recorded lower plasma catecholamine levels associated with lower blood pressure following martial arts training. Resting heart rate is largely controlled by the parasympathetic fibers of the tenth cranial nerve (vagus) to the heart's pacemaker (SA node). But blood pressure is much more complex, and more body chemistry, especially hormonal chemistry, is involved. The bottom line is that martial arts training reduces hypertensive blood pressure, and that the response is distance/intensity-graded.





Returning to the neurotransmitter connections with training, higher levels of serotonin and dopamine have been recorded following intense martial arts training. These would account for the mood elevation and antidepressant effects equal to those of regular aerobic exercise. Keep in mind that changes in GABA, endorphins and other neurotransmitters may well contribute to these psychological effects. There have been improvements in the physical capabilities of Parkinson's disease patients following six to eight weeks of martial arts training. (Dopamine levels are commonly low in people with Parkinson's disease.) In one patient, a 69-year-old Korean female, Soo Yong Kim of Shi-Hung City, anti-Parkinson medication was discontinued after martial arts training greatly improved her aerobic capacity while training at the JaeIl JaeYook Kwan school owned by ChungDoKwan Grand Master Jong Song Kim.|||Salutations,


There is a myriad of titles out there. Most of these require a good bit of space, however, there are a couple that are more compact in movement. I will edit this answer tomorrow with an address for you, for the program I most enjoy. Also you are doing an excellent thing, trying to find positive ways out of a depressed state. but toughing it out by yourself can be difficult. Good luck. I would also suggest you look into Chinese Internal Boxing, this can be practiced in conjuction with Tai Chi. Cheers


OK, I am Back. The DVD is called Chen Taijiquan By Master Ren GuangYi It can be obtained through MartialArtsMart.com. I understand this gentleman has a school in New York City, and what I have seen of the DVD, I will probably be going soon to meet him in person. I Recommend this DVD. Again Take care, and Best of luck with your Research. Cheers|||people try to learn yoga from home and hurt there backs very badly what do you think tai chi could do to you if you have some thing wrong|||It is not impossible to learn exclusively from a DVD, but it is not sensible either. If you are willing to invest dozens of hundreds of hours of your time, why not spend a few dozen dollars to get the best possible instruction, and best return on your invested time?





Furthermore, joining a group of like-minded individuals may help cure your depression, faster than spending that time in front of the television.|||As another answerer said, its best to combine the two, however Tai Chi by itself isn't a good fitness system. Now, as far as being the "ultimate cooldown," no argument there.





Generally the fitness regiment I follow, has the following steps;





1) High kicks to stretch the legs, 5 times each.


2) Hand stand, held for 5 deep breaths.


3) From the hand stand the "child" position in Yoga.


4) 18 brockade chi kung (if that's what its called....) that is designed to promote muscular health.


5) Then, I warm up each muscle group isotonically using simple calisthenics, 5 reps each, the one exception being the obliques; for those I do 10 "side kick" stretches, and I hold it for 2 deep breaths on the last "kick."


6) Then I do Charles Atlas isometrics work, 10 reps per muscle group, done in a circuit style, every single muscle group, head to toe. I breath in as I tense, breathe out as I release.


7) After the isometric work, I work my abs, obliques, and lower back muscles 20 reps each.


8) I allow myself to just plop down on the floor for about 5 minutes, after which time I get up, drink water and...


9) Proceed to stance training; I hold each stance from the "25 Shotokan Kata" book for 5 deep breaths, on the exhaling breathe I visualize I am breathing out coal black smog. It is a meditation exercise; I assume I am pure evil, that I need to breathe out "black smog" that is the evil that resides in my person, and I do that as a mental/stance training exercise while holding every stance, on both sides left and right, for 5 deep breaths each. That training method I borrowed from Master Yang Lu Chan, founder of the Yang form; before he taught anyone Tai Chi, he would have people hold the 13 basic postures for 10 breaths each, and have them repeat the process over a period of 4 hours.


10) I then do "universe" meditation, that "tree hugger" posture many Tai Chi practitioners do; no "black smoke" exhaling, just simple deep breathing, relaxing and blanking out the mind.


11) After that, basics; starting with blocks, 20 reps each, followed by attacks, 10 reps each.


12) After that, I do the Heian and Tekki series, followed by Empi and Gankaku, in succession, no rest.


13) I allow myself to plop down on the floor for another 5 minutes, I get up, and then go drink water.


14) I then do the Yang Long form of Tai Chi, and it takes me between 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how focused I am. Ultra focused on a "good day," I can do it in as much as 20 minutes.


15) I do the kick outs, hand stance and then child, followed by chi kung and after that


16) A complete body stretch, combining elements of stretches outlined in the book "Dynamic Strength," and "Yoga; For Men Only," in addition to laughable attempts at the eagle posture. After all stand up stretching is complete, I drop to splits and I'm almost there now, then I do side to side.





All that stuff takes me roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes when I am zen like, 2 hours and 20 minutes if I'm screwing around. I do all that, 6 days a week now, and on Sunday I do 2 hours of lotus position meditation, followed by a couple of sessions of Tai Chi to relieve my sleepy legs.





Yes, you can learn Tai Chi from home but it takes for freaking ever, just join a club, and even if you learn you still have to do other things on the side, such as strength training and "hard" cardio. The best and most convenient method, is easily the Atlas system; take it from me, I have been on a friend's bowflex, I have lifted weights, I have done military style cals, and I have even tried traditional isometrics, and none of it, works as well as Charles Atlas dynamic tension. Not to say weight training and cals aren't effective; the one draw back with CADT is that you can not measure progress at all. Okay you see noticeable drops in bodyfat levels but you can't measure how fit you are by how much you can lift because your body provides the resistance. The method I use is hand stands; for hand stands to be done properly, every single muscle has to be well developed. If a single muscle group is underdeveloped, and the body lacks some degree of strength symetry, a hand stand is almost impossible to do. In other words, tough to swallow as this may be, how well a person does hand stands is an excellent way to gauge how fit they are. A fit person will do it easily, but, an unfit, unbalanced one, even if they look fit, will struggle with it.





Good luck man, and look into what I've said.|||any martial art is best learned from a master directly, but things can be somewhat learned at home =)|||yes taichi can be learned from books and cd's but it is still best to consult someone who is knowledgeable about it especially a master...i have been a practitioner for 7 years now and i know the difficulty of beginning the practice of taichi....if ever u have found someone to teach u....always be patient,humble and persevere and respect your teacher...goodluck..