Customer Reviews

The Internal Secrets of Tai Chi Chuan

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not a "Teach Yourself Tai Chi in 24 Hours" type of book, but, rather, it is an excellent examination of the principles upon which Tai Chi is founded. Grandmaster Wong and Sifu Hallander explain clearly many of the "classic" principles of this martial art. The photos are very helpful, especially the ones showing proper and improper techniques. A "must read" for serious Tai Chi students.

Excellent book, detailed illustrations and technique, received in perfect condition, and quick and easy transaction.

This book is very short and about half or more is just pictures, and not very informative pictures at that. The thing about Tai Chi is that so much of it is in where your feets, hips, elbows and waist is, and it's hard to see subtle things like that when they are wearing such baggy clothing. The history and Chi Kung sections of the book are very short and superficial.

I think the problem the author, and a lot of of authors, makes is that question is not whether Tai Chi Chuan would benefit you or not, the question is, how much? There are trade-offs inherent in everything, spending an hour in standing meditation is an hour you can't spend doing something else. Before someone decides to make a time commitment to Tai Chi, they should know what they're getting. What is Chi and how does it work? What should I be feeling when during exercises, what will I be feeling later? Can Tai Chi really cure "incurable" diseases like diabetes and cancer? Can Tai Chi really be used effectively today as a fighting art? This is the sort of information that people want to know but is absent from the book.

This isn't a very good source of information about Tai Chi Chuan for beginners. The one thing it may be good for is if you're studying Tai Chi at a school, it serves as a decent reference to supplement your training.