Tips: Don't Repeat My Mistake

A few years ago when I started learning Tai Chi, I spent a lot of time practicing the routine (Tai Chi 24 Form). At that time, I got a tape from a friend. The quality of the tape was not great but good enough for me. I watched the tape and was amazed by the graceful movements of the performer. I spent 3-4 hours every evening to watch the tape, imitated the postures and movements of the performer until my knees were sore and I was ready to fall into the bed.

Later, I joined a class and learned more forms, from Taiji Quan 24, 48 to 42. I spent all my spare time to practice the forms until one day I heard a noise from my right knee and then I felt the pain.

I was afraid that I broke the cartilage in the knee. I visited an orthopedic doctor. He examined it, took an X-Ray then told me my knee was OK. He asked me to do some exercise to strengthen the muscle around the knee. I bought two sand bags and started doing the exercise following his instructions.

Right now, my knees are stronger but my right knee is always weaker in comparison to the left knee. I have to be very careful about doing warm ups before doing the routines.

My advice to all people who just started learning Tai Chi:
1. Always warm up before you do Tai Chi
2. Don't bend your knees too low unless you have practiced a while and your knees are strong.
3. Find a good teacher to learn Tai Chi. Learn one movement at a time. Do not rush to learn more.
4. When you change the posture and need to make a turn, do not twist your knees. Always shift your body weight first (move your body away from the foot that will turn and support your body weight), reposition your foot, align your knee with your foot then make the turn. (Note: Thanks my friends for correcting this piece of advice - what a collective intelligence! :-)

Story - Benefits of Tai Chi

"On Sunday, the 62-year-old Norwalk man was standing on the floor at the O'Neill Center at Western Connecticut State University, twisting his body gracefully as he performed the slow, fluid movements that comprise the Chinese exercise system known as tai chi."I get in a zone," said Cronk, who took up tai chi after seeing a class advertised in a senior center bulletin four years ago. Although he walks with the aid of a pair of canes when not exercising and occasionally depends on his fold-up wheelchair to get around, tai chi has helped him avoid the $8,500 motorized wheelchair the Veterans Administration provided him after his operation, Cronk said."The people who do this and stay with it find they can do things they never thought they could do," said Mari Lewis, an instructor whose taught tai chi at senior centers throughout Fairfield County over the past 10 years."

"Born in China more than 500 years ago, tai chi is a series of 103 movements based on the martial arts and done in slow motion. It promotes balance, strength and flexibility, as well as reduces stress and promotes a feeling of relaxation and mental well-being."

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