The Beginner Student

I love taking Beginner classes, especially at the start of a new year, as most participants have never practised Tai Chi or Qigong. This very first experience will pave the way for their future enjoyment and commitment to their learning.  Beginner classes, therefore, need to be well planned, with the perfect balance of repetition and challenge, encouragement and acceptance.

Classes begin with simple Qigong exercises, which encourage students to become aware of the principles of movement and flow. Beginner classes also include Tai Chi stepping and one or two postures they can practice at home. After a couple of weeks (depending on their progress) Shibashi 1 will be introduced.

During these first few weeks, I will give detailed instructions in how, when and where to move. As the weeks go by, I’ll give less instructions so students can enjoy the calm and stillness of the familiar Qigong exercises. New Tai Chi postures (and transitions) and new Qigong exercises will be introduced.

Although discussions and questions are encouraged, beginner students will often wait until they feel comfortable within the class, which doesn’t take very long! A sense of enquiry soon develops and it is not long before Beginner classes are full of questions, discussions and laughter.

My advice to all new Tai Chi students is to give yourself time to learn, be patient with yourself and enjoy the challenge of learning something new.