In the last article I discussed some basic attitudes a good Tai Chi instructor should have.
In this article and the next, I will outline more of the knowledge a Tai Chi instructor should be aware of.
Chi Kung (sometimes written Qi Gong).
A good instructor should be able to clearly explain what chi is without resorting to mystical or occult concepts.
Chi can be explained in a way that makes sense in terms of western science and physics.
Some teachers use mumbo jumbo either because they think they have something to gain by keeping Chi mysterious or simply because the instructor does not truly understand the concept.
However a good instructor should be able to explain Chi clearly in terms an educated westerner such as an engineer or a biologist would accept.
Capable Tai Chi instructors should know about Chinese medicine, including yin and yang theory.
They should know about the meridians and pressure points that are used in acupuncture and how Tai Chi stimulates the flow of energy through them.
Teachers should know about common blockages of chi and also how to remove them.
They should know the difference between excess and stagnant chi and how to restore balance by using the Tai Chi forms.
Tai Chi is not simply a set of forms that are always done in the same way.
The forms can be modified and individualized to the needs of the student to achieve specific health results.
A good teacher will be able to modify the forms in order to aide in the rehabilitation of health problems such as back problems and injuries.
A good teacher should be able to modify the forms so that they can be done by an elderly or disabled person who cannot even get out of a chair.
Teachers should be able to teach Wu Chi so that students can actually feel the flow of Chi.
In our classes, students can feel this in the first two or three classes.
The student's ability to sense energy flow is not just for thrills.
It is crucial for achieving the health results that have been heralded in studies of Tai Chi such as getting results for arthritis.
Instructors should know a good deal about how to use the body effectively for anatomy and physiology.
They should be aware of body mechanics and body positioning that is truly based in knowledge of skeletal alignment and structure.
This includes how to properly align the spine and how the midsection should be positioned and how the knees should be aligned to the feet and the foot placement for good knee health that utilizes the musculature of the leg and protects the tendons and ligaments.
A good instructor will also be able to use the internal aspects of Tai Chi.
This begins with an awareness of how to drop all excess bodily tension and align the body in ways that create the ability to move very powerfully, but a good instructor will be able to go a lot further.
Tai Chi can greatly increase the ability to sense and manipulate what is going on inside of their body in terms of organs, body structure and energy both in the practitioner's own body and in the bodies of others.
In this article and the next, I will outline more of the knowledge a Tai Chi instructor should be aware of.
Chi Kung (sometimes written Qi Gong).
A good instructor should be able to clearly explain what chi is without resorting to mystical or occult concepts.
Chi can be explained in a way that makes sense in terms of western science and physics.
Some teachers use mumbo jumbo either because they think they have something to gain by keeping Chi mysterious or simply because the instructor does not truly understand the concept.
However a good instructor should be able to explain Chi clearly in terms an educated westerner such as an engineer or a biologist would accept.
Capable Tai Chi instructors should know about Chinese medicine, including yin and yang theory.
They should know about the meridians and pressure points that are used in acupuncture and how Tai Chi stimulates the flow of energy through them.
Teachers should know about common blockages of chi and also how to remove them.
They should know the difference between excess and stagnant chi and how to restore balance by using the Tai Chi forms.
Tai Chi is not simply a set of forms that are always done in the same way.
The forms can be modified and individualized to the needs of the student to achieve specific health results.
A good teacher will be able to modify the forms in order to aide in the rehabilitation of health problems such as back problems and injuries.
A good teacher should be able to modify the forms so that they can be done by an elderly or disabled person who cannot even get out of a chair.
Teachers should be able to teach Wu Chi so that students can actually feel the flow of Chi.
In our classes, students can feel this in the first two or three classes.
The student's ability to sense energy flow is not just for thrills.
It is crucial for achieving the health results that have been heralded in studies of Tai Chi such as getting results for arthritis.
Instructors should know a good deal about how to use the body effectively for anatomy and physiology.
They should be aware of body mechanics and body positioning that is truly based in knowledge of skeletal alignment and structure.
This includes how to properly align the spine and how the midsection should be positioned and how the knees should be aligned to the feet and the foot placement for good knee health that utilizes the musculature of the leg and protects the tendons and ligaments.
A good instructor will also be able to use the internal aspects of Tai Chi.
This begins with an awareness of how to drop all excess bodily tension and align the body in ways that create the ability to move very powerfully, but a good instructor will be able to go a lot further.
Tai Chi can greatly increase the ability to sense and manipulate what is going on inside of their body in terms of organs, body structure and energy both in the practitioner's own body and in the bodies of others.
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