Customer Reviews

T'ai Chi Fundamentals [Import]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My husband bought this DVD for me because I was interested in trying Tai Chi. This is not my first instructional exercise DVD, but it is my first exposure to Tai Chi instruction of any kind.

I find the instructor's method of teaching on this DVD to be very thorough and clear for a beginner like myself. I have been doing this DVD now every day for two weeks, and I find it very easy to be inspired to do it each day. My balance is improving a little even in just this short two weeks that I have been doing it.

The movements on this DVD require no awkward twists of the body and so I think it can be done by people of all ranges of ages and abilities. The movements performed are slow and steady ones.

What you will find on this DVD is a few short chapters explaining the benefits of Tai Chi and a short explanation on how to use the DVD sections. There is then a section that introduces each movement slowly with the instructor along with verbal explanations of each movement and how your body is to be positioned. Immediately following each section, you'll practice what you have learned, and then you can select the next set of movements. Each set of movements is easily selectable by the chapter menu. Once you have spent some time learning each movement and feel you do not need the verbal prompts, the DVD has another section where you can choose to do the movements without the verbal instruction which is a really nice feature! There is yet another section which has no speaking as well and has all of the movements together shown from the front view (face to face with instructor), and another replay with the view of the instructor's back (as if you were standing behind her). These non verbal selections have a very calming instrumental music accompanying them.

I am really pleased with this program and would recommend this DVD and instructor for anyone interested in learning Tai Chi.

Groups the basic patterns and fundamentals so can master a certain stage before proceeding to next, all at your own pace. I recommend to view the entire DVD before starting anything, so you have a better understanding of where you're headed, and what this practice is all about.

Mostly you see the woman doing her Tai Chi, you don't receive much instruction. It is hard to see her feet while she is standing in the grass and in front of mirrors that cut her reflection off just below the knees.

This video production has some merit. For instance, the music throughout is relaxing. The posture and movement review from front and back, presented in a park-like setting is pleasant as well as very clear in demonstrating the various movements. The mirror exercises given are less helpful than they might have been. I would have preferred--as in the DVD's review section--to watch the movements from the front and then separately from the back along with the instructional commentary. But my biggest criticism of this DVD is its overall poor organization. Perhaps I'm too critical, being new to Tai Chi and not being able to anticipate how one posture moves into the next--the transitions--so was looking for a higher level of sequential and logical presentations. The DVD seems somewhat incomplete as a few positions were not presented in the instructional section of the DVD (the mirror work) but were reviewed as if they had been. Confusing to a newbie such as I. The routine demonstrated by the author and instructor also seemed too short (only had a half dozen movements, albeit repeated for the left and right sides, doubling the actual number of positions/movements) and did not seem to be comprehensive or well-rounded in the choices of positions/movements demonstrated. But remember, I'm new to this, so take this with a grain of salt. Intersperced throughout the DVD was some "philosophical" material which was too short, superficial and out of context to be helpful to one new to this discipline.