How to Find a Good Tai Chi Teacher

Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese energy art, is gaining in popularity in the U.S. along with its close cousin Qigong. Tai Chi is considered to be an excellent means of preventive medicine and offers many of the same health benefits conferred by the regular practice of Yoga. Although Tai Chi is considered t be a martial art, it can also be practiced non-combatively as a health and/or meditation practice. However unlike other martial arts practices such as Karate, there is no formal ranking system in place to determine the degree of a teacher's skill or knowledge about Tai Chi. This makes finding a good teacher a bit challenging.

Instructions

• 1

  Search for Tai Chi schools in your geographical area. The Tai Chi Network is a good place to get started. Typically there will be many more schools available in urban areas, but good instructors can be found in many regions of the country.

• 2

  Study the website for each school in the search list and do some comparison shopping. Items to be evaluated include what style of Tai Chi is taught at each school; whether there is an adequate number of course levels if you decide to advance in the art and the credentials, background and lineage of each teacher. Yang and Wu styles are the most popular; either one is suitable for beginners.

  Lineage is especially important, and relates to who taught the teacher and whether the teaching line can be traced back to the originators of Tai Chi in China. Tai Chi is passed on from teacher to teacher once permission is granted by the first teacher.

• 3

  Visit the schools that have the most promise based on these criteria and observe an entry level Tai Chi class. Most schools will allow this and some even allow you to attend a free class. Find out if whoever is teaching that class also teaches more advanced levels.

• 4

  Pay attention to the teacher's style while attending or observing a class . Evaluate the environment of the class. Assess if the class is relaxed and positive and whether teachers and management are responsive to your questions and concerns.

• 5

  Register for a beginner level class in the school of your choosing. At the end of the class, you can decide whether you want to continue or instead try another school on your list. Don't be afraid to try classes at several schools before you settle on the one you want.