Customer Reviews

Tai Chi for Arthritis [VHS]

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

 

 

Dr. Lam demonstrates six basic and six advanced movements of Tai Chi to a class of mostly white-haired adults. He has modified some of the movements so that arthitis sufferers aren't doing themselves harm. It is a cheerful, positive video with some scenes set in classroom and others against a beautiful Australian harbor. The first set has great detail as one movement at a time is demonstrated. It encourages a slow pace that allows for memorizing the routine. Dr. Lam himself seems kind and charming and I spent a lot of time trying to imitate his hands and feet positions as well as the whole movement. The second set is demonstrated more briefly. Then the whole routine is shown with Dr. Lam facing and then with back to exercisers. I rerun this 12 movement section frequently to compare my posture to his and to improve. The only thing I would do to improve the tape would be to show the routine several times in a row from the back so that the learner could repeat the forms several times without rewinding. The sections with people in polo shirts are easier to imitate than the ones where Dr. Lam is wearing flowing silk garments which obscure his movements. He follows this with helpful qigong breathing exercises and stretching. Long bus trips are difficult for me. But recently, I tried doing the warm-ups, and several sets of Tai Chi at each bus stop of several minutes and though I had to bump my way down the bus stairs on my backside at the end of several hours, I was in much less pain and was much less stiff than normal. Thank you so much Dr. Lam. I just wish I could buy one of those shirts so I could proclaim to the world that Tai Chi with Dr. Lam will loosen and strengthen your joints and calm you as well. PS as a rather gung ho Christian I had trouble with bowing to god shelf at local classes and this video did not have the religious element. I highly recommend it and am asking our library system to purchase it. I work full time (I do a set at my lunch break) and this video has been something wise that I have done to improve my life.

Another excellent teaching video from Dr Lam. Well put together with back ground reports from the medical profession giving credibility to Tai Chi. This is a video that anyone can follow, with face on and back veiws, detailed information and demonstrations by Dr Lam and his students, many of whom are elderly. A very good instructional tape.

My mom want to start exercise program. She has bad Arthritis thru out her body and needed to do something to help herself. The first video I bought was the worst and this teacher who sold it to me was a unprofessional wanna be! He didnt even know Chair Tai Chi. I bought the Tai Chi for Arthirtis video and at this time I was teaching Cheng Man-ch'ing (Tai Chi) for many years. I thought this was so good, I started to do research on the subject. My past background at Burke Rehabilition, NY gave me the experience, knowledge and the guts to specialize in Tai Chi for Arthirtis (For ages 18- Seniors, Arthirtis and injuries, illness).
I thank Mom, Dr Paul Lam and his programs for my success in teaching and specializing Tai Chi for Arthirtis Programs thats also accessible and suitable for almost anyone, Young Adults 18 to Seniors! Great for Arthritis, Seniors, and Limited Abilities (Injuries) too! In my opinion, Tai Chi for Arthirtis is not just for arthritis. The quality of the Video the Teacher and the Audio are excellent, buy it.
"WORTH THE MONEY IN GOLD...YOUR HEALTH"

Update Nov 7, 2006
Since 1993 I taught Tai Chi (yang short form), for many years under a Master Teacher. My mom had really bad arthritis most her life and I wanted to find a Tai Chi Fitness for her. Some how this video ended up in my hands. I learned this great style and began to teach mom. I was convinced that the Doctors and Teachers were most definitely right- when they say that Tai Chi Sun Style is a gentle, slow moving fitness and up-right positions (qi gong, tai chi) which works on the joints in a certain way, to help heal ones self (with daily practice). Don't go throwing your meds away but talk with your doctor and tell him you want to do Tai Chi. Bring some print out on it, so he can decide if its for you.
I have been teaching Tai Chi for Arthritis in Westchester County for years and did my own small surveys on how it helped my student or did not? Majority of Arthritic students (and non- arthritic), have felt terrific in terms of joint mobility and strenghting the joints, so it helps the joint and its movement. It gave confidence when there was none and a smile on ones face! I highly recommend this video to anyone 18- Senior its easy to learn and fun to do everyday. Dr Paul Lam did a great job on teaching and explaining the 12 Forms. There is group follow along frontal, behind and multiple viewing so you can follow. Always follow from behind and watch the front view and visualize! The 12 forms are also done a few time from start to finish by Dr Lam near the end. Qi Gong warm-up too! "Practice Daily for Health" - Taijiws

In this video tape Dr. Paul Lam teaches 12 movements of Sun style (Commencing form, opening and closing hands, single wip, wave hands, opening and closing hands, brush knee, playing the lute, parry and punch, repulse monkey, push the mountain, opening and closing hands, close). It is very easy to follow. Dr. Lam first demonstrates the movement, then it teaches it to a student/instructor, then they demonstrate it together (one facing front and the other back), then the student/instructor performs the movement, and finally a group of students demonstrates the movement together with the previous learnt ones. At the end Dr. Lam demonstrates the set from the front and the back view. A qigong excercise follows. The video also includes warming up excercises. Almost all of the students are elder people, however the set is beautiful and can be practised by younger people as well. What I didn't like was the quality of the production.

I really liked this tape. I found the techniques in this video extremely well demonstrated and easy to follow. The heavy use of experienced students in the demonstrations with Dr. Lam give taichi beginners a more realistic goal to aim for than many similar tapes.


I have had multiple orthopedic surgeries and tried other taichi tapes but ended up with knee pain. The sequence Dr. Lam has worked out seems to avoid that problem. I actually found the warm up exercises more challenging than the taichi exercises. I solved that by simply limiting the number of reps and extent of motion.

THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TAPE, BUT I NEED TO LOOK WHEN I ORDER SOMETHING CAREFULLY. I HAVEN'T HAD A VCR IN MANY YEARS AND DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IS WHAT IT WAS SO I CAN'T USE IT. MY FAULT LOOK CLOSE BEFORE YOU ORDER.

This is the best Tai Chi tape ever. I have arthritis and this does make me feel much better. It gets my blood flowing. I highly recommend this tape.

The video I received from Amazon was a very poor copy. Worse, under the narration was the voice of a person calling a rugby game. Obviously a pirated version. Not worth a penny.

Not a review, a need. How can I purchase this or other videos when I do not own a credit card. To old and to risky for a cancer survivor. but I am the ceo of a cancer non profit org. EIN 33-0782388 sponsored by American Cancer Society and tapes for Tai Chi are useful to my group, Inland Empire Nu Voices in Riverside, Calif. How may I purchase these videos from you is the main question. reviews of which will follow at a later date...I am retired MA and need update on Tai Chi For Seniors, I quit the arts 22 years ago..