Publication Date:January 1, 2007 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Customer Reviews:
Easy to followAugust 25, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
There is never anything better than hands on teaching, especially for internal arts like Tai Chi and Qigong, but this book goes a long way to filling that gap by offering lots of step by step photos, and sitting as well as standing is also covered. All you need is a small table to stand the book on - which handily has its own built in stand, and a mirror so you can see what you are doing and you will soon start to pick up the basic flow of the exercises. Great for beginners who need some extra information on the forms outside of a class, and for experts wishing to realign themselves
Excellent introductionDecember 26, 2007 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
It's possible that having lessons from Karel and Eva (as I do) biases you but I've looked at enough tai chi books now to feel I can say this is a really good one. The photographs are clear and well-posed from a variety of angles and use a range of models. The warm-up exercises are varied and comprehensively explained and will stand by themselves as a way of developing fitness, core strength and poise. The structural principles underlying tai chi are made clear and the link between these and the form is well-made. The book also includes a pictorial guide (still photos and also a film strip-like sequence) to the first part of the Chen Laojia tai chi form. This might be a little hard to follow without having attended a few classes first but then who would ever suggest you could learn the form from a book! I recommend taking some classes from Karel and Eva - you will be inspired, impressed and amused. Do buy the book too!
The real dealApril 11, 2007 4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I first attended lessons with Karel and Eva around 1990 after doing classes elsewhere and stayed with them until job hours took me away, though I still integrate what I learned with them into daily living. They have a superb approach and a detail of understanding born of a dedication to the Chinese internal arts that reaches back many years and is still in evidence as they still study with the Chinese masters.
Books can never replace lessons but a lot can be learned from them. This is not floaty fluffy stuff but the real deal. If that's what you want, then I cannot recommend this book more highly.
