Posts by butterflypatsu

Original Post by amyjo174:

hi everyone! I am so glad to hear that you all are intrested in Tai Chi! I am actually a certified tai chi for arthritis instructor. I work at my local senior center and teach 3 beginning and 1 advanced Tai Chi for arthritis classes there. My seniors LOVE it!!! It is no impact and gives them such great strength training and balance. I don't only have seniors that come people as young as 20 have taken my class. I am 25 and teach it with a passion. I live in Missouri and teach several classes in my area but I am sure that you won't be able to make those :) so I will recommend a DVD that my class uses for practice and was made by the master trainer of the program Dr. Paul Lam. It is a great DVD, you can find it at Taichiproductions.com and the one that I love is the one for arthritis. There are lots of different forms, but this one seems easy enough to learn and still gives such great benefits!!! Hope you enjoy!

 Amyjo,

     I want to thank you soooo much.  I had no idea there were so many forms of Tai Chi!!  I went to the web site and unfortunately there are 2 problems: first I can't afford $25 for a tape and second I only saw CD's & DVD's and I have an old video player so that wouldn't work anyway.  The closest instructor I found is in Vancouver and they were for Diabetics; if I cross the boarder into Portland there were some who were for Arthritis but that is about 80 miles.  Even the ones in Vancouver would be OK for an occational way to check out my form but Vancouver is still about 60 miles.  I might just as well plan on coming to one of your classes.  :)

     I was wondering, however, if any of your students might have an older version of a used video that is left over after they updated to a DVD that I could buy??  Either the one you mentioned (Arthritis) or the one for "Older students" sounded like they would be perfect for me.  I would be happy to pay something + shipping.

     I've only been doing this for about a week and a half (started this summer & wasn't motivated enough I guess) and my balance is much improved already.  I got interested in Tai Chi because a previous boss of mine suggested I look into it.  Her Dr had recommended it for seniors because of the benefits of balance due to the fact that falls are so common in older Americans.  I've always loved dance and when I see scenes of the people standing in a park, a parking lot, or even in a work-place doing the Tai Chi movements I've been so impressed with the beauty and rythym and many times the people in these scenes are elderly so that was incouraging, too.  I'm 65 and waaaaay toooo inactive.  I don't actually have Arthritis but I'm stiff and my joints are inflexable due (I think) to lack of use.  So to start with the tape for Seniors or for Arthritics just makes sense.  Curently I'm using one that I found at the Goodwill.  It is "Tai Chi Workout" with David Carradine.  While I'm in town today I'm going to see if there is one that you mentioned at the library.

Thanks again,

Patsu

   Thank you.  Which video do you have?  Right now the pace of this one is perfect but it would be nice to get another one for when this one gets boring or too easy.  I feel weird if my husband walks in too.  I just try to pretend it's OK. <g> I'm glad I'm not the only one with less than perfect balance.  I quit doing it last summer for that very reason.  However, over the months I wasn't doing it, I would "balance" on one foot whenever I thought of it and other simular activities and was surprised when I started the Tai Chi back up this week that I was better at that part.  I can't quite do the whole tape yet but I'm working on getting it right and relaxing and breathing like he says on the tape.

     My knees aren't bad enough for replacement but they don't allow me to bend like I would like to.  There is only one move that is beyond me because of my knees and that is a BIG improvement over every other excersise video I've tried--even the ones of "seniors" have you getting up & down from the floor!!  I just do that move the best I can--just can't get as low as they do on the tape.  I figure that "ain't" bad for an old gal!!

Thank you again,

Pat