Taijiquan as Profession

[wayne hansen]

Teaching frail people to move in an incorrect manner can cause problems
Take the knees for example
If u make them more unstable it can bring on injury that restricts mobility
Restricted mobility can shorten life

[origami_itto]

There are much simpler and more appropriate forms of exercises for seniors
They are generally taught by those who have a better grounding in geriatric rehabilitation
Just because people who practice tai chi their whole life are healthy in old are
That does not mean you can get on the bus at the last stop and get the benefits
Teach the young to gift the old

Research shows it helps with balance and bone density among other things even starting late.

Never understand why someone who wants to "save Tai Chi" is always so keen on keeping people from practicing it.

[Giles]

For the last 2 or 3 years I've been teaching an elderly couple (ages 76 and 82), seeing them for ca. an hour every 2 weeks on average. Neither of them were sporty or athletic in earlier life, instead being more sedentary desk-working academic types. I've gradually taught them the full 18 Taiji-Qigong set, whereby I adhere quite closely to proper tai chi body basics (e.g. use and orientation of the hips/kua and the spine, building strength in the legs, whole-body movement, mind leads body). So not just waving hands around. Over this time they have both made a decent amount of progress. They can actually walk much better than before (both in the sense of around the house/garden and longer walks through nature), balance has improved, back pain has been clearly reduced etc. Falls have been reduced. Just last week one of them said "I still fall occasionally, but when I do fall, I don't hurt myself the way I used to do".
Of course I go fairly easy on them (but not totally ) and make sure that they experience fun stuff while training. Sometimes it's hard work for me in the sense of teaching, but mostly I have a good time in the lessons too. And it's good teaching experience.

[origami_itto]

The fun is important for learning in general. I know kung fu class is serious business and a serious attitude is rewarded, but there is time for laughs and play.

[Reggie]

While the prospect of teaching dodderers is exciting and worthy of debate.............
Tai Chi Instructor as a career ranks up there with landscaper or McDonalds supervisor -

The average tai chi instructor gross salary in United States is $47,162 or an equivalent hourly rate of $23. In addition, they earn an average bonus of $792.

Feb 22, 2024 — McDonald's Area Supervisors earn $42,000 annually, or $20 per hour, which is 2% higher than the national average for all Area Supervisors at ...

Seems to be statistically better than McDonalds supervisor

The work environment is a huge perc - yoga or dance room in a gym or community building

The money is similar to music - if you make it big there are rewards
Big school
Seminars
Books
T-shirts?
Become MA Superstar

[Kelley Graham]

For elders, there must be a sense of play. The martial is there, but to engage fully, at whatever level each person is capable, it is background. I know, sacrilege! To retain students, each class needs a clear description of expectations and long term benefits. Formwork is the core. Standing should be brief, merely a hint of what you might assume is easy. 30 seconds as a baseline leading into whatever form fragment is under consideration. Time is sacred. You should have a 3 month plan for milestones. Without a short term outcome that is tangible and extremely clear, engagement falls off. Open ended time commitments are not helpful. Also, for those who want more, have a path to more intensive work. Fun, social and accomplishment. That's the ticket.

[wayne hansen]

Please don’t think I’m trying to save Tai Chi
I am not foolish enough to think that is possible
I am just commenting to give another view to those driving it to hell in a hand cart
It is like those whose blogs praise the inept and keep the con going
Just because I point out that taking some responsibility for the outcome of teaching the vunarable and the possible damage done
It is ok to be tardy and fool yourself in your own training but when you lead the frail down the same path that is another thing
Let me say it again there is far simpler and more appropriate exercise for the elderly and those better qualified to teach it

[Kelley Graham]

It seems to me that Tai Chi (aka Tai Chi Chuan) and the long form was taught publicly with the specific intent to address the health and well being of the Chinese people. I believe there's a famous preface that makes this point clearly. The internal arts are broad and deep and can safely be applied to anyone of any age. The responsibility is on the teacher to know how to teach to each student safely and to their level. Having said this, my opinion is that few who are teaching, should be teaching.

[BruceP]

Let me say it again there is far simpler and more appropriate exercise for the elderly and those better qualified to teach it

Well, that's the problem with those who approach the training of tai chi as a health(ful) system of physical activity for elderly folks...'teaching'

There is plenty of overlap in the way tjq is (should be) trained, and effective PT for maintenance and recovery. But neither of those training regimens has anything to do with teachers teaching.

What Kelley said about clear short-term markers of progress, whether it's one-legged balance or just being able to touch their toes, or whatever.

If form is tantamount to tai chi, then the exercises should be congruent with what one has set as the markers of progress, and where ability to execute a form is incidental to arriving at those markers. Form is the technique and not the goal. That notion is the inverse of what most 'teachers' think the forms' purpose serves...what, with all the crazy ideas about forms being a menu of applications and techniques.

Opening, or Commencement sequence can (should) be practiced while seated before it's ever practiced while standing. It can and should be tested while seated before it's ever tested while standing. A couple of us have mentioned the idea of testing in this thread already, and it might warrant its own topic, but it's part and parcel of really learning to learn tjq.

[wayne hansen]

Markers of progress is a western concept
Tai Chi is much more single than that
That is why most people don’t get it
Seated first is a strange concept
If that was true the legs would serve the hands
In reality the hands are there to be guided by the legs
The waist is the pivot
Sitting reverses this

[Bob]

Well (with a sigh) it's a bit too late to "save" tai chi from the elderly.

Every morning, when I'm with family in Beijing, my mother-in-law at age 86, heads down to the court and along with 15 others who are in their 80s & 90s, turn on their little boom box and start a set of stretches.

Then it's into a set of baduanjin, 2 sets of 24 movement tai chi, 2 set of the tai chi sword and 2 sets of the tai chi fan. Got my respect - I'm not going to tell what's wrong with their tai chi - they could careless what I and others think LOL

They are literally one group of millions in China starting their day with tai chi - the West eg the US, is lagging far behind LOL

[wayne hansen]

when did they start
When did they start driving
How labour intensive was their early life
They cannot be likened to the average American who turns up to tai chi as a last ditch effort when all else has failed
Like the thing I hear constantly of the Karatéka who turns to the internal when they can’t do Karate because their body is falling to pieces
The whole energy of tai chi in the park on a frosty Bejing morning is a whole other animal
Good on that group

[Bob]

I agree, it really is an apples and oranges comparison - even the current Chinese generation probably couldn't keep up - completely different diets and modes of transportation (less bicycles around today)

It's a dissertation topic for some young ambitious academic - I'm retired LOL

[origami_itto]

I agree, Wayne. Why would or should anyone do anything but complain.

Your contributions are invaluable. Never change.

[wayne hansen]

And I thought I was doing so well not commenting on the silliness on the retreat tiger thread