TAI CHI FOR BEGINNERS - 8 Lessons With Dr Paul Lam

After trying a few other dvd’s I came across Paul LM and it is perfect for me. Looking to doing some tai chi and exercise at home this is a peach of a dvd to follow. It goes take time and done patience but thus is so easy to follow. Recommend it highly.

I found the instruction clear. The sequence needs more space than I had expected, that was an issue for me because I was not in a large empty room.

Paul Lam is very quietly spoken and the 'background' bells nd music make it difficult to hear the instructions

I am 29 and just last year diagnosed with a with 5cm Hiatal Hernia. I had to stop weightlifting and I was getting more pressure in work, so my stress levels were going through the roof. I stopped exercise for over half a year and pilled on the weight. I remember when i was younger I did martial arts and it calmed me down massively...so I thoght I would give Dr Lam's Taiji DVD. I have to say it's brilliant, hes goes through an explanation of Taiji, warm up exercises, cool down exercises as well as 1 form per class, your probably looking about an hour for every form (6 forms covered). Yes it is very slow but in a way thats good because theres no point doing something in half measures i.e. doing it quickly and missing the point.If you are new to Taiji, young or old this is certainly a great DVD to get, I would suggest practicing prior going to work, if you have a family maybe just try weekend from there you get a good routine and move it into your weekday.

Early days but I have found the DVD a great help. Like a lot of oldies, lots of ailments so push ups etc are totally out of the question. Found it easy to follow, I can go back to the bits I am not to sure about, my memory is not that brilliant. Full explanations of the whys and wherefores of the movements in a relaxed easy style. Did try a Tai Chi class for beginners but found it a little confusing, so I am using this dvd as a stepping stone, and if at a later stage I wish to return to a class I shall but at the moment I am more than happy to follow the instructional dvd at an easy and gentle relaxed pace. Highly recommend it, plus it came very, very quickly at a good price.

I love the way this is broken down step by step, move by move. The sequence on this DVD is the first 6 moves of Yang 24 Forms, taking about 2 minutes to perform from start to finish, a great introduction before going on to learn the full 24 Forms. I like how it is broken into sections, whereby you can do 15 or so minutes at a time, getting to repeat the warm up again and again, familiarising yourself with the basics, and focusing on the movements individually before joining them together. Perfect!As someone said you do need space. I manage in a small living room by simply walking back a bit and carrying on: duh! As I've said, eventually the aim is to practise without the DVD, using outside space or a hall etc.

Good video but I found it patchy it would have been better if it flowed through the training easier

Wasn't for me, but don't be put off

I am just beginning to learn Tai Chi and taking a class once per week. The teacher is a lovely woman, but all we do is follow her movements (as she faces the class – unfortunately), which are different each time (except for the warm up exercises) – I am learning nothing about Tai Chi itself and I basically feel like a clumsy idiot. This five-hour instructional DVD provides an overview of relevant Tai Chi information, as well as clear verbal and visual (including both front-facing and back facing views) explanations for each and every movement noted below. Dr. Lam is highly knowledgeable, wonderfully encouraging and beautifully graceful. By following his guidance for a few months, it might be a pleasure to rejoin the live class. The DVD includes the following:Tai Chi for Beginners DVDI. How to Use this ProgramII. IntroductionIII. Stay SafeIV. Eight Lessons with Dr. Lam (the following sequence occurs 8 times for Lessons #1 – #8) A. Welcome B. Warm Up Exercises C. Learn Through Lesson # (previous lesson) D. Learn New Forms E. Learn Through Lesson # (current lesson) F. Cool Down Exercises G. MessageV. Demonstration by Dr. Lam (front facing)VI. Demonstration by Dr. Lam (back facing)VII. The Six Easy Steps A. Step 1 – One Warm Up Exercises B. Step 2 – Two Stretching Exercises for each part of the body 1. Neck 2. Shoulders 3. Hips 4. Knees 5. Ankles C. Step 3 – Three Cooling Down Exercises 1. Punching Thigh 2. Tense and Relax 3. Gathering Qi D. Step 4 – Four Qigong Exercises 1. The Posture of Infinity 2. The Posture of Tai Chi 3. The Posture of Opening and Closing 4. The Posture of Yin-Yang Harmony E. Step 5 – Five Foundational Movements 1. Stepping Forward 2. Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane 3. Brush Knee 4. Stepping Backwards 5. Repulse the Monkey F. Step 6 – Tai Chi – The Beginner’s Set 1. Commencement 2. Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane 3. White Crane Flashing Wings 4. Brush Knee 5. Playing the Lute 6. Repulse the Monkey 7. Closing

I like that it's slow and step by step the breathing and Meditation will come once I learn the moves more fluidly

It may be slow for some but that is Tai Chi. Slow careful movements. The master is very patient and careful in teaching and gives time for students to pick up the methods. Not fancy. Does the job well of teaching beginners.

A friend asked me to order this, and he uses it as part of his work out to stay limber. He has a lot of old injuries and he says this helps him stay limber where he can get around and not stiffen up

Lessons were well paced and reasonably easy to follow. Note, however, that all of this material is included in the follow-on DVD by Dr. Lam, "Tai Chi the 24 Forms". But this "Tai Chi Beginners" DVD is a bit better organized IMO.