Tai Chi for Beginners and the 24 Forms [Paperback]

Dr. Paul Lam (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

Beautifully illustrated with 330 professional photos to enhance the easy to follow Tai Chi instruction from world renowned Tai Chi Master and Family Physican, Dr. Paul Lam.. Beginning with Six Easy Steps and progressing to Yang 24 Forms ( the world's most popular tai chi form ), Dr Lam teaches authentic Tai Chi for health, wellness and longevity. He explains how tai chi improves health in general as well as specific conditions. Encouraging the reader to approach Tai Chi in a spirit of enjoyment and adventure, Dr. Lam helps the reader build a solid foundation for easy transition to a high level of tai chi. This book is for beginners as well as for those who are already learning and enjoying the ancient art which is clinnically proven to be a powerfully effective tool in improving health, fitness and relaxation.Within this book, Dr. Lam provides an easy step-by-step guide to an enjoyable form of exercise that will last a life time.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Paul Lam is an Australian family physician and the only western doctor who is also a world renowned Tai Chi Master. He has developed several tai chi for health programs, widly practiced throughout the world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 207 pages
• Publisher: Tai Chi Productions; 1 edition (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977536114
• ISBN-13: 978-0977536115
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #308,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr Paul Lam, a family physician in Sydney and a tai chi teacher since 1976, is a world leader in the field of Tai Chi for health improvement. Dr Lam is dedicated to promote Tai Chi for health and wellness. He has participated and published in peer-reviewed journals research projects relating to Tai Chi for health improvement.

Dr Lam has composed several Tai Chi for Health programs that are supported by Foundations around the world including that of Arthritis foundations of USA, Australia, Singapore and UK. By 2010 over two million people around the world has learned and benefited from one of his programs.

Many governmental bodies have contracted and consulted Dr Lam to utilise Tai Chi for Health programs for the community, including New Zealand National government (ACC), Singapore national government (People's Association), NSW, Victoria and SA state governments (health department).

Dr Lam has written 4 books: Overcoming Arthritis, Tai Chi for Beginners, Tai Chi for Diabetes and Teaching Tai Chi Effectively.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book on the 24 forms of Tai Chi, April 27, 2009

By 

Heidi Skarie (Minnetonka, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tai Chi for Beginners and the 24 Forms (Paperback)

This book is very helpful for learning the 24 forms of Tai Chi. It is full of detailed photos and descriptions that make each form easy to learn. Lam is considered one of the masters of Tai Chi. I find this form of Tai Chi to be graceful and healing. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to learn Tai Chi.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully put together lessons, August 27, 2010

By 

Lynne Perry (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tai Chi for Beginners and the 24 Forms (Paperback)

I came across this book in my doctors office while in for a fibromyalgia follow up. I was captivated by it, absolutely captivated. The quality of the pages in this book is awesome. The lesson illustrations are gorgeous and comprehensible (see the image I uploaded for an example page). My doctor is a 1-year student, and we talked about how it might help me with my fibro issues. Coincidentally (?) the New York Times had just published an article on August 18th, 2010 about how tai chi has been found to help fibro patients. An excerpt is here:

"A clinical trial at Tufts Medical Center found that after 12 weeks of tai chi, patients with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, did significantly better in measurements of pain, fatigue, physical functioning, sleeplessness and depression than a comparable group given stretching exercises and wellness education. Tai chi patients were also more likely to sustain improvement three months later."
([...])

I really hate the need I have to take powerful meds and narcotics to control my symptoms, and I'm hoping Tai Chi can replace some, if not all, of them. So I bought the book, signed up for a 10 week beginner class with my doctors instructor, and I can't wait to get started. I'll definitely be using this book in my practice sessions at home to gain proficiency with the moves.

A word of warning - this book is definitely for the first timers and relative newbies. I wouldn't recommend it for intermediate or advanced students. Unless you just want to have it in your collection or in your office for others to see.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book, December 8, 2009

By 

Steven Mcconnell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tai Chi for Beginners and the 24 Forms (Paperback)

This is a great book for anyone who wants to use tai chi to relax and heal their bodies, minds, and spirits. It will help you to center on your breathing and learn the most commonly practiced style of tai chi in the world. This book emphasizes that tai chi can be practiced by people in all walks of life and not only experts. It explains how the unblocked flow of chi in the body can vastly improve all aspects of your life. You don't have to be a master to feel the benefits, and this book explains how tai chi can be a great model for self-care. Tai chi is gentle yet very powerful if practiced regularly, and this book is a good start for anyone.