can you learn tai chi online?
My name is Paul Read (the teapotmonk). I've been teaching tai Chi for over 25 years. Since 2015 I've been teaching mainly online, but people still ask: Are online classes any good? Well, there is more to Online Learning than a session on Zoom or Youtube during a pandemic. It's another way of learning altogether. I asked my students why they chose to learn online. These are their Top 5 Reasons for Learning Tai Ch Online.
NEW: Want to know how online teaching works? Take the Free mini course that explores hwo you can learn Tai Chi online.
1: EVERYONE LEARNS TAI CHI IN DIFFERENT WAYS
We all learn in different ways because we are all different.
Some people learn a move straight away when shown by a teacher. Others need to have it repeated 20 times.
Some people learn by watching, others by doing and yet others by having it explained in detail.
Some people have had experiences with other martial arts, or sports and they will learn the moves quickly whilst for others, it is their first experience moving this way.
Some people have difficulty with walking or co-ordination and need much more time to learn.
We are all different. We all need to work according to our own strengths. Learning online means you get to play back the move as often as you need. If you need to see it 30 times or just the once - no problem. You won't be holding the class up as you are working at your own pace, according to your own abilities. Close up photography, views form multiple angles and repetitive learning with GIFS make the online experience so much easier. Read more on Ways of learning
2: IF I HAVE TO MISS A TAI CHI CLASS - NO PROBLEM
If you can attend a regular class every week at the same time and on the same day, that is great. However, if work or family pressures prevent you from committing yourself to a regular time on the same day each week, then finding a class can be much more difficult. Nurses, taxi-drivers, shift workers, doctors and teachers work when they are most needed, so what other choice do these people have?
Online classes mean that you fit the class into your schedule and not the other way round. If you want to practice a class at 3am or 3pm thats up to you. Want to practice 2 classes back to back? That's up to you. Want to practice once a day or once a month - it's all down to you.
SICK OR ILL? And what about when you get sick or decide to take that holiday? Missing one or two classes may mean you begin to fall behind and might have to struggle to catch up. The class may even have moved on to new postures by the time you get back.
CLASSES ALWAYS WITH YOU: With online classes you never feel you are lagging behind or waiting for others to catch up. You move at your own pace. Your next class is always with you. They are there on your portable device, for you to pick up whenever and wherever it's right for you.
3: I HAVE A HUGE CHOICE OF TAI CHI TEACHERS & STYLES
There are many varieties of Tai Chi out there, all with different content and all offering different approaches to the art: some emphasise the martial aspect, others the health, spiritual or philosophical aspects. So you need to decide which you are looking for, and what sort of teacher you want.
Do you want someone who has won medals, trophies and has certificates on their wall or someone who can explain in simple terms how to do the moves?
Do you want someone that frowns and growls and teaches by precision or one that laughs and encourages you to just relax?
Do you want someone who speaks a lot or prefers to listen?
With Online learning you have a world of classes to choose from. It pays to look around and evaluate: the teacher, the style and the content. Try a session online and don't confine yourself to just a locality. The world, literally, is your oyster.
4: LEARNING ONLINE IS THE MINIMALIST ANSWER.
Leave only a minimal footprint! A truly Taoist approach to learning. No travel time, no petrol costs or travel costs and no parking issues.
Content: When I was teaching locally, I just didn’t have the time to teach anything more than the basic moves each week. There was pressure to complete the "form" within a set time-frame and no time for all the interesting history, partner-work, culture, ideas, and associated studies. Online teachers are not caught in the same time trap. They don't need to keep repeating things, so they get to offer more than just exercises - history, poetry, art and philosophy.
Choice: With online classes, you get to choose which aspects interest you. Prefer to work more on balance and coordination? No problem. Less on martial applications and more on breathing? No problem. Like to learn something of the history of Tai Chi? The culture? The philosophy? No problem. Check out the range of courses here and find the one that suits you.
Explore how online teaching has changed
5: LEARNING TAI CHI ONLINE IS BETTER VALUE
Here in the UK, classes vary from around £8 an hour to £15 or more. Attending just ONE class a week will set you back between £30-70 per month. This doesn't take into account time and money to travel to and from each class or parking etc.
Online classes again vary in price according to quality and the content they offer. Some offer just the moves, others offer background, training manuals and support. Look at this example:
The 12 month courses give you a class every week for a year. The Complete Tai Chi Course for example contains 12 months of workshops and costs between £14 and £17 per month. It includes 12 workbooks, classes on Breathing, Posture, warm up exercises, Tai Chi Form, applications, history and culture - every month!
COMBINE DIGITAL AND ANALOGUE LEARNING
Discover another way of learning Tai Chi by combining the best of a short online course with a paperback book delivered to your door. And best of all, order the book and the course comes FREE.
Work to your strength by learning off-screen or on-screen.
Use the book for quick reference and only go on-screen when you want the finer details or views from all angles.
Choose between learning the basics of the Tai Chi form or the broad principles of movement, breath, energy and posture in the Illustrated Workbook. Find out more below.
FINAL ADVICE
My final words of advice are the same for everything in life: find out for yourself and make up your own mind. If you have a local class running, go check it out. See what you think of the teacher, the students and the atmosphere. Ask yourself the 5 Questions above and then check out the online offers, there are no plenty of good schools online that offer free introductions. Every year there is a better choice online. You can check out my range of courses here.
If you are still unsure about how Tai Chi works online. Check out this free 3-day course to help you feel more confident.
In the meantime, good luck with your search and let me know if I can help. You can always email me here.