T'ai Chi Fundamentals: For Health Professionals and Instructors (book and video) [Paperback]

Jill Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

The T'ai Chi Fundamentals program consists of the T'ai Chi Fundamentals: For Health Professionals and Instructors video and manual. These resources are designed for health care professionals seeking complementary mind/body exercises for their patients and for instructors who are teaching introductory courses and have students with a varied range of abilities.

The program presents a systematic approach for mastering T'ai Chi basics as it builds from simple to complex patterns of functional movement. It includes three elements: the simplified Fundamentals Form that is based on traditional Yang Style T'ai Chi; the Movement Patterns, or exercises for training essential T'ai Chi skills; and the Mind/Body Principles for both physical and mental well-being.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A remarkable gift to the world of rehabilitation...brilliant and inspired work." -- Jennifer Bottomley, Ph.D, Ph.D., MS, PT

"The complex movement of T'ai Chi is deceptively simple and its value as a therapeutic modality in western medicine can be over-looked. [This program] provides a clear explanation of each movement both in the poetic Chinese tradition and the medical basis in movement retraining..." -- Elaine Cress, Ph.D., Exercise Physiology, Associate Professor, Gerontology Center, University of Georgia

"The video and book are both aesthetically pleasing and make learning these techniques fun and relatvely easy. Any health care practitioner would benefit from these materials." -- Dale Avers, PT, MSEd, President, Geriatric Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

About the Author

Tricia Yu, MA is the creator of the T'ai Chi Fundamentals Program. She is the director of the T'ai Chi Center in Madison, Wisconsin, one of the oldest and largest schools in the United States. Teaching T'ai Chi and Qigong has been her primary occupation for the past 28 years. She began her study of T'ai Chi and meditation in Taiwain in 1970 with Taoist Master Lui Pei Chung. Since returning to the United States her teachers include Yang Style Ta'i Chi masters Benjamin Pang Jeng Lo and William C.C. Chen; she is certified by Master Chen.

Tricia is co-author of the ROM Dance Range of Motion Exercise and Relaxation Program which integrates elementary T'ai Chi principles into a medical model therapeutic exercise and pain management program. She has also produced two videos for the general public: T'ai Chi: Exercise for Lifelong Health and Well-Being, and Energize: Daily Warm-ups for Flexibility and Strength.

Jill Johnson, MS, PT, GCS is a geriatric clinical specialist in physical therapy at the New England Center for Integrative Health. She received both her Bachelors of Science in physical therapy and Masters in biomechanics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jill has published numberous research articles on geriatric rehabilitation and has received a grant from the Physical Therapy Foundation to study falls in the elderly. She teaches both yoga and T'ai Chi and uses them in her professional practice. She was instrumental in adapting the ROM Dance into versions for seated and supine use and presents ROM Dance and T'ai Chi Fundamentals training workshops nationally.

Product Details

• Paperback: 126 pages
• Publisher: Uncharted Country Publishing (October 1, 1999)
• ISBN-10: 187795019X
• ISBN-13: 978-1877950193
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,259,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Experts Agree this is a Landmark Program, October 9, 2003

By 

tricia Yu (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: T'ai Chi Fundamentals: For Health Professionals and Instructors (book and video) (Paperback)

This program is now taught nationally to health and fitness professionals. It has received positive reviews in the "Physical Therapy Journal", "GeriNotes" for the Geriatric Section of the American Physical Therapy Association and presented at the national meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. It is endorsed by internationally famous GrandMaster WilliamC.C.Chen. In addition, this useful program is now availably internationally: in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Norwegian in my new book for the public:"Tai Chi Mind and Body" (DK Publishing). As coauthor of this original book for health care professionals and instructors, I encourage you to read the following reviews by leaders in tai chi, physical therapy and the media. Sincerely Tricia Yu

"The movements of the T'ai Chi Fundamentals Form are the simplest and easiest to learn...a unique exercise suitable for all ages and physical conditions...a perfect form of movement for senior citizens and people with physical limitations."
- William C.C. Chen, Grand Master, T'ai Chi Ch'uan

"Provides a simple, systematic approach which maintains the integrity of the traditional Yang style form."
-American College of Sports Medicine's Health and Fitness Journal

"...as relaxing to watch as one of the orchestral nature videos screened locally on Classic Arts Showcase."
-David Medaris, reviewer, Isthmus Newspaper

"This is a work that gets to the root of tai chi. It will be of value to anyone who practices or is ready to fall in love with this wonderful art."
-Kenneth S. Cohen, MA, qigong master and author of The Way of Qigong

"The visual quality is superb. ... This program is of value for people who wish to learn about tai chi and want to engage in one rendition of the practice."
-Stephen Wolfe, PhD, PT, FAPTA, review in Physical Therapy Journal

"I have 28 videotapes on tai chi on my shelf. ...[Yu has] created the best video on tai chi that I have ever viewed. ... Brilliant and inspired work."
-Jennifer Bottomley, PhD, MS, PT, review in The Gerentologist

"This program is suitable to an older population, including those with chronic health conditions. ...[It] evokes the peaceful spirit an focused concentration of tai chi practice."
-Jane Mahoney, MD, University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School

Physical Therapists Review The T'ai Chi Fundamentals Program:
" This is a very important contribution to literature and to the video-instructional realm of professional education. T'ai Chi Fundamentals for Health Care Professionals and Instructors is a remarkable gift to the world of rehabilitation. Many accolades for your brilliant and inspired work.
I have 28 videotapes on my shelf--you have created THE best video on T'ai Chi that I have ever viewed. You have made the very strong connection between the exercise form and its applicability in the clinical environment.You've accomplished a major feat in your production of the video and book entitled," T'ai Chi Fundamentals for Health Care Professionals and Instructors".
Jennifer Bottomley, Ph.D., Ph.D., MS, PT, President, Geriatric Section of APTA

"The video is extremely well done both to facilitate learning of T'ai Chi as well as to perform and practice the techniques. Ms. Yu's manner and teaching style are
appropriate for the audience and subject, and Ms Johnson's clinical expertise evident as she offers clinical application of the techniques. The video and instruction book are professionally done and easily understood. Both are aesthetically pleasing and make learning these techniques fun and relatively easy. Any health care practitioner would benefit from these materials."
Dale Avers, PT, MS Ed., Past President, Geriatric Section of APTA

"Essential for any health care practitioner wanting to incorporate T'ai Chi principles into health and wellness class.
o Well thought out and clear.
o Wonderful blend of Eastern and Western health and movement principles.
o Both book and video provide straightforward and clear instructions regarding proper movement patterns to achieve maximum benefit of the exercise.
o The very clear, well described, easily reproduced movement patterns can provide a needed template from which researchers can maximize consistency of exercise
technique when studying the effectiveness of T'ai Chi.
o A great resource for primary, secondary and tertiary prevention as well as rehabilitation.
o Makes exercise fun.
o Has multisystem benefit.
o Provides the health care practitioner with a much better understanding of the parallels and consistency of traditional T'ai Chi with western health and wellness exercise programs."
Rita Wong Ed, PT, Chairperson, Physical Department, Marymont University

I have found the use of the T'ai Chi Fundamentals extremely helpful as an adjunct to the more traditional kinds of physical therapy I do with my patients. The chronic pain patients which are a focus of my practice have greatly benefited by the slow, gentle movement patterns. The compliance is very high with this difficult patient population. Patients with spinal stenosis and other similar low back pain with radicular symptoms find the back position comfortable. It has opened up a new world of standing exercise for them. I used the program with an older male patient who had a right below the knee amputation and left ankle fusion. He was losing his ability to community ambulate, because of balance difficulties and low back pain. Four treatments later, which included an emphasis on T'ai Chi Fundamentals practice at home, he was pain-free and able to walk any place in the city.
Christine Zampach, M.Ed., PT,
Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Medicine, UC-San Francisco

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Do not buy this materal, December 22, 2001

By 

J. C. Hendee Jr. (McMinnville, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: T'ai Chi Fundamentals: For Health Professionals and Instructors (book and video) (Paperback)

If you are interested in therapy movement systems as a patient or professional, consider learning about varied forms of active qigong such as Wild Goose... or for the unusual, possible Hua Tuo's Five Animal Frolics (as originally intended or contemporarily interpreted). Most correctly practice full Qigong sysems will address the same concerns raised for therapy and health herein, and do so more effectively, thoroughly, and with easier comprehesion by the beginner than this "form" and system created by the author which is being labeled as Tai Chi. It is not Tai Chi Chuan... or even Tai Chi.

As a continuing student of TCC, I'm always interested in medical viewpoints concerning TCC, and I enjoy surveying perspectives on Tai Chi from the martial to the health-oriented, looking for new approachs that can address whatever motivation a person may have for learning TCC. However, this package did not fall anywhere in that range because I do not consider what I read or viewed here to be TCC in any manner. I see little here of use that could not be found elsewhere in a movement system designed for the needs addressed without attempting yet another new age Western rewrite of a martial art. Heed my warning and avoid wasting your money as I did.