Musings of a Babylon Lurker

Off topic : Teaching Tai Chi Chuan.

Sunday, February 15th, 2009 | off topic

I did an exam as a Tai Chi teacher this week end – and passed.

The local master of the art in The Hague has made courses for people who want th teach Tai Chi in his name. This means a 2 year long workshop (a day once a month) with a fair amount of self practise.

Since he wants his teachers to uphold a high level, he is quite demanding of his teachers. The is compensated by him being quite the entertainer – even when he is teaching seriously.

He is now in his mid 50′s and knows that, in order for the knowledge he has to be available, he needs people, other than his family, to continue the tradition.

Since I am recovering from an injured shoulder, the movements do not look perfect, but that is apparently compensated by showing knowledge of the techniques in stead.

The first time the exam was held I had just had the injury, so I could not participate. Now the recovery is good enough to pass the exam.

Actually I have been teaching for a while, unoficially, but now I have become “certified”.

It never ends …

In order to stay ahead of the students, the teacher must learn even more, so I will be somewhat busy learning more Tai Chi still. The first level contains modern forms, and the next will be (older) – more difficult – traditional forms.

So much to learn, so little time…

Tags: Tai Chi

2 Comments to Off topic : Teaching Tai Chi Chuan.

Starstuff
April 26, 2009

That is so cool! I myself never got to do anything like it; the closest I came to any far-east movement-stuff was learning Aikido for a while, but that somehow never led to anything.

Is Tai Chi the thing where you move really slowly in pre-defined movements? If the movements are pre-defined, is it really relaxing or does it take a lot to concentrate?

You’ve got me so curious now, I’ll go and search my iTunes library for the Tai Chi music I know I have there … somewhere …

lurker
April 27, 2009

Well, Tai Chi is most known for the slow movement forms, although forms with fast movements exist – and I have learned some of those, too. After all Tai Chi Chuan – or in the modern spelling Taiji Quan (which is the correct term) is a Martial Art just like Aikido aand all the others. Of the martial arts Tai Chi is using a lot of the same philosophy as Aikido.(or the other way around, since Taichi is the oldest of the two)

If you go to the Fedcon (hope you make it) you may be interested to know that Erin Gray (of Buck Rogers fame) is also an instructor of Tai Chi and has given workshops on many conventions.

Hoping you will have some fun in the coming week end. I know very well what an injury can do to you.

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