# Tai Chi college course?



## irishwolf08 (Jun 11, 2008)

In my soon-to-be-college they offer tai chi as a gym course.
Now, I understand that they aren't going to be any grandmasters or anything, but should I trust the college to give me a pretty good education in tai chi? Also, tai chi isn't stressfull on your knees or anything like that right? It's the internal, soft art?


----------



## Quotheraving (Jun 12, 2008)

irishwolf08 said:


> In my soon-to-be-college they offer tai chi as a gym course.
> Now, I understand that they aren't going to be any grandmasters or anything, but should I trust the college to give me a pretty good education in tai chi? Also, tai chi isn't stressfull on your knees or anything like that right? It's the internal, soft art?



Done incorrectly T'ai Chi can be very bad for your knees and spine.
One recent school I visited 'Corrected' my posture in such as a way as to give me raging backache for over a week.
Seriously be very very careful about your teachers as there is far more bad T'ai Chi out there than there is good.


----------



## JBrainard (Jun 12, 2008)

Also, it's highly unlikely that you will be shown any of the martial aspect of Tai Chi in a college course. It will be forms only. But, hey, if that's what you're looking for, sounds like a cool way to get your PE credits


----------



## Xue Sheng (Jun 12, 2008)

irishwolf08 said:


> In my soon-to-be-college they offer tai chi as a gym course.
> Now, I understand that they aren't going to be any grandmasters or anything, but should I trust the college to give me a pretty good education in tai chi?


 
Likely it is Beijing (Yang) 24 form, could be 48 form or any of the other competition forms



irishwolf08 said:


> Also, tai chi isn't stressfull on your knees or anything like that right? It's the internal, soft art?


 
Taiji done correctly is very good for you done incorrectly it isn't.

As far as Internal I doubt you will get much of that in a 1 semester college course, more likely all you will do is form. To really know taiji and to be able to use it as a martial art we are talking years not weeks or months. 

As for soft, yes it is called a soft CMA style but don't let that fool you. look at this clip of Tung Hu Ling this comes from YEARS of training and 
learning from a legitimate Taiji master.


----------



## mograph (Jun 12, 2008)

Make no assumptions. As the others have written, badly done Tai Chi, like any exercise, can mess you up. 

Leaning forward and sticking out your butt can hurt your lower back. So can standing upright if you don't drop (tuck under) your tailbone.
Letting your knees collapse inward can hurt them, as can letting them bend out (too far?) over your toes. 
Keeping your shoulders up can create stress and pain. 
Shoving your hip out to the side can bugger your knee.
And on the ch'i side, instructors who tell you to ram down your breath while exhaling can mess you up.

The course could be anything from a mess-you-up travesty to a mild calesthenic to a hidden gem with a real master. I wouldn't expect #3, but #2 is fine if that's all you want. #1 is right out.

There's no guarantee that you'll find good Tai Chi at a college. Maybe the _history_ or _theory_ of Tai Chi, depending on the college. I guess you'll have to learn a bit more about Tai Chi to evaluate the course and instructor.


----------



## arnisador (Jun 12, 2008)

A course like this is usually only a bare-bones introduction to the system. But, who knows?


----------



## JadecloudAlchemist (Jun 12, 2008)

It might be worth checking out. Ask questions about the style you are learning maybe the teacher does teach the other aspect of it in a private setting who knows only you if you ask.


----------



## East Winds (Jun 12, 2008)

I have been teaching Taiji at the University of St. Andrews for 8 years, so you may be lucky at your college. Check it out. Most Colleges and Universities in the UK demand properly qualified staff to teach in their establishments.

Very best wishes


----------



## ArmorOfGod (Jun 12, 2008)

You need to take the course.  Anytime you can get a sampling of martial arts training in a situation like that, you need to take advantage of it.  
There is the chance that the tachi will be incorrect, but you will only be doing it for one semester for around 4 hours per week (or so).  Turning an opportunity to sample a martial art and get a college credit out of it would be something you will regret.

AoG


----------



## ArmorOfGod (Jun 12, 2008)

Also, you may want to see if the college has a martial art club.  It would not be for any credits but would be a fun way to meet and network with other martial artists.
I will warn you that they probably will be wanna-be armchair martial artists who will only come to one training session then leave after quoting some things they saw on youtube or Dragonball Z, but you never know....

AoG


----------



## pete (Jun 12, 2008)

kinda like saying "hey, i see they've got roast beef on the menu, think its any good?"... unfortunately, none of us can taste it from where we sit! ...and, even if it looks too rare or over-cooked on the outside, it still might be tasty on the inside... 

go with you best instinct/judgement to decide, and use you brains/common sense while practicing (ie, if it hurts: stop). 

good luck,
pete


----------



## irishwolf08 (Jun 12, 2008)

Well, I plan to take this course in the Spring Semester, however I really don't expect much out of it. But I'll keep you updated. I'm going to a community college.  The teacher that teaches Tai Chi only teaches that course. That seems pretty promising to me. Also, I spoke with a student who took that class, he said it was pretty cool and fun, though spots were missing deffinatly.
Thank you Xue Sheng for the video, really cool.
There aren't many clubs, if any. But I'm keeping my eye and ear out.


----------



## ArmorOfGod (Jun 12, 2008)

Please do keep us updated on how the course goes.  I find martial arts teaching in college settings very interesting.  There are tons of colleges that offer ma training as electives and one in CT that offers a bachelors degree in martial arts.
Here is the url for that college: 
http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/3868.asp

There was a thead here dealing with that a while back.  It may be interesting to look up.

AoG


----------



## Brian R. VanCise (Jun 13, 2008)

Some of the college courses are simply excellent.  Who knows the instructor may be one of the best in the world at Tai Chi.  So I would check it out and hopefully you will have a good experience.  I know in Michigan the Colleges are loaded with excellent instructors.


----------



## mograph (Jun 13, 2008)

East Winds said:


> Most Colleges and Universities in the UK demand properly qualified staff to teach in their establishments.


In some institutions (I can't speak for the UK), the qualifying Tai Chi teaching certificate can come from anywhere, since Colleges and Universities generally don't know their Yin from their Yang in a practical sense, and there's no official governing body for Tai Chi. 

Barring that, a degree may be required as a qualification, though it may have nothing to do with Tai Chi.

Or, the instructor may have no paper and be excellent. Bottom line: make no assumptions. Check out the course.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Jun 13, 2008)

irishwolf08 said:


> Well, I plan to take this course in the Spring Semester, however I really don't expect much out of it. But I'll keep you updated. I'm going to a community college. The teacher that teaches Tai Chi only teaches that course. That seems pretty promising to me. Also, I spoke with a student who took that class, he said it was pretty cool and fun, though spots were missing deffinatly.
> Thank you Xue Sheng for the video, really cool.
> There aren't many clubs, if any. But I'm keeping my eye and ear out.


 
Let us know how it goes


----------



## East Winds (Jun 13, 2008)

mograph,

Here in the UK we have two Taiji governing bodies - The Tai Chi Union for Great Britain and the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts. Registration with either would be a MINIMUM requirement. In addition I am on the Register of Exercise Professionals and have an impeccable (and verifiable)  Taiji lineage. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



In addition we are required to have a full, current First Aid certificate with a recognized CPR element. Many of these requirements would keep out the "New Agers". 

Very best wishes


----------



## Xue Sheng (Jun 13, 2008)

East Winds said:


> mograph,
> 
> Here in the UK we have two Taiji governing bodies - The Tai Chi Union for Great Britain and the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts. Registration with either would be a MINIMUM requirement. In addition I am on the Register of Exercise Professionals and have an impeccable (and verifiable) Taiji lineage.
> 
> ...


 
But what if you prefer the Dao, can you still teach


----------

