Tai Chi Chuan classes and experiences for New York, Long Island, and beyond.
Resources for Tai Chi Chuan study and practice
Below are the three most frequently requested resources that many students ask for.
VIDEOS
For a wonderful collection of videos including instructional Short Form with multiple views and narrations, as well as Push Hands, Boxing, and other videos, I highly recommend Content Galaxy, started by my colleague and friend Steve Asherman. Subscriptions are available (click the Sign Up button) at a very reasonable cost. Videos with GM William C.C. Chen, his teacher Cheng Man-Ch’ing and others, are included.
BOOK
In addition to videos, I recommend the print book Brain Aerobics of Tai Chi Chuan, written by GM William C.C. Chen, which matches well with what I teach. The book includes annotated photos of the Short Form, and several articles and other photos. The current Short Form that I teach has evolved a bit from those photos, which were taken 60 years ago, but they are quite similar and are helpful as a guide for the positioning and connections.
TAI CHI CHUAN SHOES
The Yang-style Short Form has many slow turns, where excessive friction in footwear could interfere with the flowing movement. In addition, flexibility of footwear is important so as not to interfere with movement. For those reasons, I do not recommend sneakers or street shoes for longer-term practice. Socks can be adequate, but may be slippery or may allow cold or heat from the floor to distract from the practice.
The best footwear solution is Tai Chi Chuan shoes, specifically with cotton soles. There are other, similar martial art shoes with vinyl or rubber bottoms, but they should be avoided. Below are two links where I have successfully purchased multiple cotton-soled Tai Chi Chuan shoes for myself and others (I do not recommend Amazon for several reasons, including low-quality and counterfeit items):