Interest Waning?

[Sifu Ken of 8 Tigers]

I've found that there was a peak in interest in Tai Chi a few years ago, but now most people are either already in a class or have no more than an interest in finding out what it is, but not actually doing it.

For example, I teach a class that received few inquiries and almost no signups through the local community education program over the last year. Of course, much of the problem is the inability of most people to make lunchtime classes, but I saw a dropoff in evening enrollment the years preceeding my "retirement" from night classes a year ago.

Any thoughts or observations?

 

[arnisador]

For a while it seemed as though every Karate school was adding it in hopes of bringing in those interested more in fitness and health than self-defense. I still see a lot of that but overall I agree that interest is waning.

Everything goes in cycles. Tai Chi will survive, even if some instructors must cancel some classes. Pity, given the fact that Western medicine is now recognizing its health benefits, particularly for the aged.

 

[Mary Jane]

Most people seem to think TaiChi is for old people.

 

[Sifu Ken of 8 Tigers]

Most people seem to think TaiChi is for old people.

True. About half or more of a typical class is retirement age from my experience. But there is a heavy older population in this area, and they came out in droves around 1999-2001. Over the various school districts I worked in, it went from having waiting lists to cancelling classes within a year.

I want to know if any other instructors out there had the same experience.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I've been to 3 TC programs. 1 Community ed, 2 in traditional schools. All 3 were fun, but all weren't at the level of intensity I personally would have liked. Of course, demonstrating takedowns to the seniors would have scared them away.

I think most people in the US look at TC as an alternate to yoga. It's a way to "move about, stretch and breath", and in most cases its taught exactly that way. It is nothing more than 'chinese yoga'.

I think most schools that teach it do it wrong. TC is 200+ movements, a single form. You can't teach it all in a 6 week 'program', and you can't keep resetting everytime someone waves a few bucks at you. I think 'how" it's taught should be changed. It might keep interest up and expand classes.

Break it down into 4 week modules. Each module is 25% of the full form.
first month - module 1 (30 min) (say 9-930 & 930-10)
2nd month - module 1 & 2 (30 min each)
3rd month - modules 1-3 (30 min each)
4th month - all 4 modules (30 min each)
You start with 30 min, end with 2 hours. This can be back to back or staggered.
Do 2-3 days a week. As people develop, move them to the next module.

TC isn't Karate. It's not Yoga. Too many try to teach it like it's one or the other. Turns me off to it personally. Give me Chang style and a solid hour or 2 a week really working it.

 

[Sifu Ken of 8 Tigers]

I think most schools that teach it do it wrong. ... You can't teach it all in a 6 week 'program', and you can't keep resetting everytime someone waves a few bucks at you. I think 'how" it's taught should be changed.

Yes, we do it wrong. We don't have a choice in community education. We have so many weeks per semester, no carryover, just advanced classes when there are enough people who took the intro courses. Some people are disappointed they don't learn a set in 4-6 weeks, but some figure out how rediculous it is and take the course repeatedly, then advanced ones when offered, or move on to full-time schools I recommend.

Remember, a lot of us don't do this for a living, and are without our own place to do our thing. We are at the mercy of available space and time.

And even though it is ideally taught as a martial art AND as a form of "Chinese Yoga", the market determines the reality. I sneak in one or the other as needed, but your class has to center around the reasons your students are there. If they are there to beat stress and feel good, too much martial content will turn them off. The same can happen in the other direction.

Like Lao Tzu described the art of politics -- it's like cooking a small fish.

 

[arnisador]

When I took it it was almost 100% retirees. It definitely affects what's done!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

When I took it it was almost 100% retirees. It definitely affects what's done!

That would definately have some affect.

Brian R. VanCise
www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com

 

[grydth]

Personally, I think the days of increased public interest are ahead, not behind.

I know a sifu in the Midwest and his classes are exploding in enrollment. When I can get to class here, I note numbers seem to be up. As baby boomers age, that will continue in all the 'soft arts'.

Myself, I like that odd mix of youth and oldsters you find in Tai Chi and Qi Gong.

Honestly, I hope Tai Chi never becomes as popular as yoga now is. Who needs to be crowded out by (temporary) mobs of fadistas following some trend dictum? They have no deep interest in the art, and will be off to something else whenever Madonna or Paris Hilton tell them to.

 

[Sifu Ken of 8 Tigers]

It's an old thread ... not long ago I would be surprised at your comment. However, I'm seeing a resurgence again and so agree .... for now. Popularity comes in waves in all things, even martial arts.

People are calling me out of the woodwork for information on lessons, group and private. This was even before a big artilce in the Buffalo News came out about Tai Chi (of which my interview was part of).

 

[grydth]

I believe the trick is not to be washed away or left high and dry by the waves. I hope that the popularity tsunami that hit yoga and pilates never hits us.... because as soon as there's a change in "What's hot, what's not", those 'students' are gone....who needs 'em?

There will be a steady stream of new people, I think, as boomers who still want to be active leave the harder sports. Some will stay. We have a pretty steady group that gets together regularly. Others come and go.

The appeal of Tai Chi/Qi Gong is that everyone can do it at some level.... old folks/injured and disabled folks/ out of shape folks. There are so many people who are fascinated by the martial arts but believe,"Oh, I could never do that."

 

[East Winds]

I think we will see a massive surge in interest in Taiji as a result of the Beijing Olympics. Unfortunately we will probably also see an increase in the "Jump on the band wagon, snake oil seller" instructors. We need to keep beating the drum for genuine martial based Taiji. As I've said on another forum, there should be no difference in the principles of taiji taught for health and taught for martial purposes.

very best wishes

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

One of the true misfortunes is that Taiji (Tai Chi) is being taught now by so many unqualified teachers who ordered a DVD or went to a weekend Taiji instructor seminar. (many of the commerical school associations are offering this now

) They have no depth and also no real training. Imagine a Karate/Tae Kwon Do (or any other art) instructor teaching it after just one weekend.

Another thing that has been personally mentioned to me is that some peoples knees bother them after their class. This has been mentioned more and more and these are people that I know who study Wu Taiji under a very respected teacher.

Still this art will continue and people will hopefuly find good instructor's!
I do agree that it will get a boost after the Olympics!

 

[Bob Hubbard]

You mean....Sensei Sifu Bambi at the Y isn't really qualiied? Oh noos!

 

[Xue Sheng]

You have unqualified teachers that are already and have been teaching bad taijiquan for years. You have qualified teachers that gave up trying because too many students wanted to learn Taiji light so they now teach taiji light. You have teachers that can teach the Contemporary Wushu version of taiji. You have people that go learn a form or two from a qualified teacher and then combine it with something else and still call it taiji. And you also have the people as Brian mentioned the go off for a few seminars with famous teachers (Yang, Chen, Wu, Dong, etc) and then proclaim themselves teachers and/or masters based on that association.

And I agree with east winds; The Beijing Olympics will only make things worse, but not just for Taiji it will hit ALL CMA.

You mean....Sensei Sifu Bambi at the Y isn't really qualiied? Oh noos!

Sifu Bambi is fine but Sifu Buffy is a hack :uhyeah:

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Aww, but Buffy slays me. LOL!

 

[Sifu Ken of 8 Tigers]

Another thing that has been personally mentioned to me is that some peoples knees bother them after their class. This has been mentioned more and more and these are people that I know who study Wu Taiji under a very respected teacher.

If it's a common complaint, either it is not being instructed properly, or it is a flaw of the particular variant of the art itself. Recognizing this, one will either cling to the infallibility of what they are doing or fix the problem ... that's the test of a real master / teacher worthy of respect.

However, there is a third possibility. I myself was hurting my right knee for a while (and I was the instructor) until I realized what was wrong: the alignment of my right leg was slightly outward at an angle in its natural position. We're all built differently. So I modified the angle of my movements on that side slightly and everything came together. However, I purposely kept doing it "right" (to m,y own discomfort) to set an example to students for typcial alignment.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Another thing that has been personally mentioned to me is that some peoples knees bother them after their class. This has been mentioned more and more and these are people that I know who study Wu Taiji under a very respected teacher.

Wu style tends to put more weight on the front leg that does Yang or Chen but knee complaints are not uncommon in any taiji style. You need to point out to people when they start taiji that you cannot let your knee go past the tip of your toes there can be other reasons as well but that one is a big one

If it's a common complaint, either it is not being instructed properly, or it is a flaw of the particular variant of the art itself. Recognizing this, one will either cling to the infallibility of what they are doing or fix the problem ... that's the test of a real master / teacher worthy of respect.

However, there is a third possibility. I myself was hurting my right knee for a while (and I was the instructor) until I realized what was wrong: the alignment of my right leg was slightly outward at an angle in its natural position. We're all built differently. So I modified the angle of my movements on that side slightly and everything came together. However, I purposely kept doing it "right" (to m,y own discomfort) to set an example to students for typcial alignment.

I also had to modify my movement and stepping due to a hip issue that was effecting my knees early in my training, luckily my sifu pointed it out.