T'ai Chi: The "Supreme Ultimate" Exercise for Health, Sport, and Self-Defense (Paperback)

~ Cheng Man-Ch'ing (Author), (Author) "Man cannot live fully without exercise..." (more)
Key Phrases: tenacious energy, turn your right foot, interpreting strength, Grasp Sparrow's Tail, Pushing-Hands Practice, Single Whip (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Chinese secret for youthfulness, health and long life lies at least partly in T'ai Chi, the ballet-like calisthenics they've practiced for centuries. This rhythmical art stresses slow breathing, balanced and relaxed postures and absolute calmness of mind. The practice itself need take no more than ten minutes a day. This book is a complete step-by-step manual for the beginner that will enable anyone to master the sequence of thirty-seven postures that make up the T'ai Chi solo exercise.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; 2 edition (December 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804835934
• ISBN-13: 978-0804835930
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,817 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #11 in	Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Martial Arts > Taichi
  #15 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Exercise & Fitness > Tai Chi & Qi Gong
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good beginner's Tool., July 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: T'ai-Chi: The Supreme Ultimate Exercise for Health, Sport, and Self-Defense (Hardcover)

As a beginning Taiji student, I've found this book to be a great tool for further developing/practicing at home. It is a great guide to those studying the short Yang 37 form style. I've found it supplements training by helping you remember the essential footwork, handposition, and weight transfers from class. The pictures can be a little challenging as they are 'mirror' images of what you are actually doing. However, they are all there in a complete pull-out form as well, including footwork. The writing is to the point and descriptive. The book does NOT provide the transitions between each form very well though and thus I recommend it a supplemental tool to going to your taiji class. It will be a well-worn book though!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best tai chi book on the market., March 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: T'ai-Chi: The Supreme Ultimate Exercise for Health, Sport, and Self-Defense (Hardcover)

Cheng Man-ch'ing and Robert W Smith do an excellent job of showing the western readers the real traditional tai chi. With over 275 pictures and 122 diagrams Robert Smith continues to produce the high quality books he is famous for. I would recomend this book to all serious martial artists.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, April 11, 2001

By	Xam "mixed media man" (nyc) - See all my reviews

This review is from: T'ai-Chi: The Supreme Ultimate Exercise for Health, Sport, and Self-Defense (Hardcover)

This book is really comprehensive. It has many pictures and descriptions of them to help you along with the forms. I'm taking a Tai Chi class at my college, and this book is the perfect companion. It is very well layed out and can be easily followed. Of course it is always necessary to have an actual master, but this book is probably the best on the market. Many Tai Chi books are confusing and poorly made, but this is one of the few that is not. Learning Tai Chi straight from a book is a little silly, at least look for classes or a video. But this is the perfect companion piece to perfecting your Tai Chi. If you want to buy the best, this is the one - no question about it.