Seated Tai Chi For Arthritis With Dr Paul Lam [DVD]

Seated Tai Chi for Arthritis is a good place to start for someone wanting to try Tai Chi, but may have difficulty using their legs in the beginning or at all. The movements in the lessons are from the Sun style of Tai Chi, which is a very health orientated style and popular with people who may have age or mobility issues.There are gentle warm up exercises, which could have had a stand alone chapter instead of repeating them at the beginning of each lesson.Dr Paul Lam teaches the breathing technique to use during the Tai Chi movements, this is an important method of breathing to learn, but it's situated in lesson 4 instead of at the beginning and you never get the full explanation on when to breath in and out for all of the seated Tai Chi movements. (My Tips:1. Relax your muscles on the out-breath and maintain the relaxation on the in-breath. 2. Move and support your arms with your elbows, focus on your elbows, this should allow your arms to stay light and relaxed. 3. When your arm(s) raise up or move towards you then breath in. 4.When your arm(s) lower or move away form you breath out.) If Dr Lam instructs otherwise then it is an exception to these rules of thumb. Follow his instructions.Like so many of Dr Paul Lam's dvd's, the instructions for the movements are very good and detailed. If you don't mind navigating around the menu's until you finally learn everything then I can recommend this dvd.As an introduction to Tai Chi, I would be more than willing to overlook the dvd construction and enjoy everything that you can learn from a very good teacher, Dr Paul Lam.

I bought this shortly before I was officially diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, but after my GP had insisted that as soon as the painkillers started to work I had to get out of bed and get moving. This DVD seemed like a good compromise - a bit of exercise, but without the risk of falling over, dropping my walking stick etc!There are three sections to each lesson - a warm up, a progressive middle part which gradually develops over each lesson and a cool down at the end. All the way through the emphasis is on taking it carefully and slowly, never straining and just doing what you are capable of. Dr Lam explains all the moves in a very detailed way and everything seems to flow together very smoothly.It took me several months, but I was gradually able to progress through the lessons. (It took me about a month just to be able to physically last past the warm up!). I do enjoy them, and did find that my stamina and flexibility has improved.However, and this is my biggest complaint - there's only 6 lessons on the DVD. At the end of the 6th lesson there's an announcement which says if you've enjoyed this DVD... go check out some proper classes! (Or words to that effect... I can't remember the exact wording!) It's such a shame, because I really liked the lessons and actually much prefer to exercise in the privacy of my own home. I do have another of Dr Lam's tai chi DVDs, but this is the one I keep coming back to for its ease of use.

This was my initial introduction to Tai Chi and at the time that I bought this I was not able to stand for long due to arthritis and a knee injury, so this seemed a good way to excersise. It was very appropriate from this point of view.I found the demonstrations and instructions very clear and precise; doing the excersises was relaxing yet physically rewarding. Initially I thought that it seemed too simple but then realised the benefits to my body.Initial I felt that there was too much repetition of the original 'Warm Up' exercises which were repeated with each exercise. However by the time that I had completed the course I felt this to be of benefit as it meant that I could view any of the individual Lessons from beginning to end without interuption. I liked the way that the movements from each previous Lesson were repeated as part of the following Lesson, building up to the final complete movement; this reinforced the moves and showed how each flowed into the next.Although this DVD is excellent on its own, by the time that I arrived at the last Lesson I had decided that I would like try 'Tai Chi for Arthritis' which is done while standing, as the arthritis and knee injury have improved.

Perhaps I was expecting too much but didnt get any extra relief from the exercises think maybe too low key for me - sorry

It is so easy to learn from this video, his instructions are very clear and he has a very friendly approach. Hope to soon go to the standing exercises after a short while. In my opinion it is much easier learning from a video than a book, especially with Dr. Lam as instructor.

Have friends who like me have mobility issues, we think it's great to get some exercise

Covers the subject well, repeats the exercise so that you get used to it. OK for me as I have a terrible memory.Voice calming.

This product assumes you have basic knowledge of tai chi ,without it it is more difficult than it need be . I am trying it for Osteo arthritis pain relief.