Learning with Videos is Invaluable

In the early days of Tai Chi, students would leave class with only their memory and their dedication to guide them. Movements were revisited again and again, slowly settling into the body through patience and repetition. There was a quiet strength in that way of learning—but also a challenge. In today’s busy world, where our minds carry so much, practice videos offer a gentle and supportive bridge. Instead of trying to hold every detail in your memory, you can return to the movements with ease—right in your own home. This allows you to relax into the learning process, build confidence more quickly, and move more slowly and mindfully… without the pressure of needing to remember it all at once.

Learning Tai Chi or practicing Qigong is a rewarding journey that brings both physical and mental benefits. When learning Live-On-Zoom or In-Person, being able to turn on a video to practice with during the week takes your experience to a whole new level.

The cost of practicing with videos during the week is remarkably low, yet the value is immense. You’re essentially getting a full rerun of your class right in your own home—allowing you to revisit key movements, refine your technique, and absorb details you may have missed. Whether it’s Tai Chi or Qigong, this additional practice time strengthens your foundation and helps you progress more smoothly.

Tips for Learning with Qigong Videos

One of the greatest advantages of Qigong videos is their flexibility—allowing students to practice as often as they like, even daily. For those who want to deepen their practice beyond a once-a-week class, videos provide an invaluable resource. While attending multiple in-person sessions may not always be possible, following along with a video ensures that students continue to refine their movements, reinforce their learning, and maximize the benefits of Qigong. The more you practice, the more Qi can flow smoothly, enhancing vitality, reducing stress, and promoting overall well-being.

Tips for Learning Tai Chi with Videos

While attending in-person classes for Tai Chi is essential for receiving real-time feedback and corrections, supplementing your practice with instructional videos can greatly enhance your learning experience. Here’s how videos can add value to your Tai Chi practice and help you progress more efficiently.

Learning Tai Chi is a rewarding journey that brings both physical and mental benefits.

The Added Value of Learning with Videos
One of the biggest advantages of using Tai Chi videos is the ability to practice as often as you like. Instead of being limited to a once-a-week class, you can turn every day into a training opportunity. This consistent practice helps reinforce what you learn, allowing you to remember new movements and refine the ones you already “think” you know. The goal is to use the videos until you don’t need them to remember anymore. Once you achieve this goal, you’ll just be using the videos to refine your movements so that you can learn better posture, which will enhance the movement of Qi.

Building Muscle Memory and Confidence
Regular practice with videos helps develop muscle memory, making movements feel more natural over time. When you are in class, you will feel more confident because you are already familiar with many of the forms. As a result, instead of struggling to recall past movements, you can focus on learning new ones with greater ease. Mastering previous sequences also enables you to assist others in class, reinforcing your own understanding of Tai Chi. If you are learning with videos, you’ll know, feel, and experience their power to help you along your Tai Chi or Qigong journey.

Enhancing the Feeling of the Movements
The more you practice, the more you can “feel” the movements rather than just performing them mechanically. When you know a movement well, you can experience it deeply, understanding the energy flow and relaxation it brings. This shift from merely learning a move to truly experiencing it leads to a profound sense of ease and connection with your body. The movement of Qi is key—proper posture enhances the flow of Qi, which in turn helps to remove blockages in the body, improve circulation, boost vitality, and promote overall well-being.

Achieving the Benefits of Tai Chi through Practice
Tai Chi offers numerous health benefits, including improved balance, flexibility, reduced stress, and enhanced focus. However, achieving these benefits requires regular practice. By using videos, you create more opportunities to refine your techniques, making each movement more precise and fluid. Over time, Tai Chi will begin to feel less foreign as you immerse yourself in its rhythm, eventually learning its “language” of movement. In the beginning, you might only be practicing one or two movements, but more will come. Start with a few movements, build on them, and gradually expand your practice.

The Lack of Stress When Movements Become Second Nature
At first, Tai Chi can feel unfamiliar and even overwhelming. However, as you practice, you begin to internalize its movements, leading to a sense of calm and confidence. The transition from learning a move to experiencing it is profound—you no longer feel stressed about remembering steps, but instead, you flow effortlessly from one movement to the next.

You want to practice until you remember, and then watch the videos to improve your technique. This approach will help you refine posture and enhance Qi flow, unlocking even deeper benefits such as increased energy, improved organ function, and a greater sense of internal balance.

Additional Tips for Learning with Videos

• If you can’t figure out a movement, slow down the Video by changing the speed. On Vimeo you start at 1.0, which is regular speed, and slow it down to .75 or .50. It’s amazing how it will help. You’ll see more!

• If you can’t figure out a movement, then try grabbing a pen and paper and try learning in a different way.

  • Watch a single movement in the video and write down in detail what the starting posture looks like—pay attention to hand positioning and shape, foot positioning, hips, and back alignment. What stance (hip, leg, foot position) are you in?
  • Please note that a starting posture is also an “end posture.” An end posture is how you should “hold your body” in position after you have transitioned from one posture (starting) to the end posture.
  • For the transition from one move to another move, the next “end” posture, first note how the lower part of your body should move. How does the transition work? Are you using “good” tai chi walking to move transition into the next move? How is your body weight moving from the “end posture” into the new posture.
  • Try focusing on the upper torso—how does your waist turn? Where are your shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, and fingers positioned? Write it down, move by move. Describe it in a way that you can understand it when you stand up and try it.
  • Once you have written down the details, get up and try the move. If you are still unsure, review the video again and refine your notes, adding or removing details as needed.
  • Try the movement again, and notice how much easier it is to grasp the technique. This method is an excellent way to break down and master complex movements!

The Best Video is a Video of You!
The best way to learn with videos is by getting a friend or family member to video you performing the moves. Why? Because what you feel and what you are actually doing might be two totally different things. Another idea? Try watching yourself perform the tai chi move in a mirror, review your end postures by observing your own posture compared to what you see or remember with your Sifu.

By integrating videos into your practice routine, you accelerate your progress, deepen your understanding, and make Tai Chi a more enriching and enjoyable experience.

Whether you are refining known movements or tackling new ones, video-assisted practice is a powerful tool to help you grow in your Tai Chi journey.