December 14th, 2009 
Description
A GENTLE BUT POWERFUL WORKOUT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES A daily ritual practiced by millions all over the globe, Tai Chi offers a wealth of health benefits. The low-impact, flowing movements sharpen the mind and strengthen the body, reducing stress and increasing flexibility. Regular practice can help lower blood pressure, relieve chronic pain, and improve sleep. If you’re an athlete, you’ll find that Tai Chi improves your focus and endurance. But to get the… More >>
Step by Step Tai Chi with Tiffany Chen
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Learning the basics of Tai Chi movement is complicted, so the presentation is very important. The info communicated in this DVD is essentially good, however, the method of presentation could be improved. While the student needs to see details, these might be better shown by inserted views rather than fading to different viewpoints which can be disorienting. Having one stationary view with inserts would allow one to see the overall movement and the detail at the same time. An additional possibility might be a stationary overhead view to show direction and extent of movement. This could be diagramatic rather than a photographic image. DVDs are capable of multiple viewpoints which could be used at the discretion of the viewer. Yes, this might not communicate the overall feeling of Tai Chi, but, for the learning segments, this would be helpful.
The breakdown into segments which may be repeatedly looped is good. The choice of being able to mirror the movements may work for some people and not for others. Switching mirroring on and off is disorienting. A DVD player capable of slo mo would probably be helpful. Additional audio tracks with varing extent of instruction would allow the user to gradually reduce the detailed instuction as learning progressed.
Rating: 3 / 5
The person I gave this to said they loved it and it was just the right video not to hard to use.
Rating: 5 / 5
Although instructions are detailed, they require lots of repetition before they could be mastered, especially for beginners like me. If one is truly determined, disciplined and devoted plus has the time to learn it all, then this is where you can get all 60 very difficult Tai Chi Forms. DVD quality is somewhat wanting and DVD menu is a bit difficult to navigate esp since one may need to keep stopping, rewinding, pausing or do frame by frame. Try to recruit an assistant to handle the remote while you try for the movements.
Rating: 3 / 5
I like the mirror image technique method for teaching this form. However, sometimes the movement of the camera to the sides still confuses me during the learning.
I like the features of learning step by step with three repetitions which may be linked or may be taught with each step.
This may be an excellent supplement for practice between lessons with an instructor.
Rating: 4 / 5
I’m a beginning student at Master William C.C. Chen’s Tai Chi studio in NYC. Tiffany’s DVD is a really useful tool for helping me remember what I learned in class when I practice at home.
If you are learning Tai Chi from one of the many teachers who studied Yang style short form with Master Chen, this DVD will help you learn the form faster, so you can focus on perfecting your style during your class time.
Those who are not in a class might find Tiffany’s detailed descriptions to be a little difficult to understand. But with some patience and persistence, you should be able to “get it”. When you do, her DVD will provide a wealth of useful information.
Rating: 5 / 5