One of the essential principles of t'ai chi is complete relaxation, letting the lower body sink as if rooted into the ground while the upper body floats above. The movements are slow, circular, fluid, and balanced. In T'ai Chi for Health: Yang Long Form, instructor Terence Dunn teaches the complex, 108-posture Long Form with clarity and patience. The format of this 120-minute video is similar to T'ai Chi for Health: Yang Short Form: 7-minute explanation of the qualities, philosophy, and health benefits of t'ai chi; 10-minute breathing and warm-up segment; 20-minute introduction to basic postures; full hour of step-by-step instruction in the 108 postures of the Yang Long Form; and finally a 15-minute Yang Long Form demonstration. Dunn is an excellent instructor, explaining each move in detail and demonstrating with grace, suppleness, and strength. --Joan Price
Customer Reviews:
T'ai Chi I throughly enjoy the learning technique's provided here on this video. Having had the chance years ago to practice with Terry Dunn him self, I found this relaxing to be retaught some skills from the same teacher. ...more info
Tai Chi for Health: Yang Long Form I find it very easy to follow....more info
water Terry Dunn did a tremendous job of presenting the form. I have viewed others and found them to be not as exact as the long form or the short form....more info
Good for a beginner, but... This is a reasonably good video for someone who has little or no Tai Chi experience. The instructor does an excellent job of describing the weight shifts, and subtle movements. The video is disappointing for the intermediate student. It is advertised as a demonstration/training video for the Yang LONG form, yet only addresses the first three sections - half of it. I was hoping for a detailed view of sections 4 through 6, which are not addressed....more info
Poor Production Spoiled this Film This video was incredibly frustrating. Terry Dunn is a fine teacher, who gives clear, precise instruction, if sometimes after the fact.
My chief complaint about the video is in regards to the production. All the movements are taught, what I consider to be, 'backward', that is, shown from the teacher's point of view. (His right, his left) This does not take into account that the student is standing facing the instructor, and must see, learn and then reverse every motion all at once. (His right, your left) This is pretty tough when learning new movement. I was so frustrated, after 15 minutes of this I shut the video off in the middle of the first form.
All this confusion could be solved by a) Mr. Dunn reversing the movements himself, or b) showing a back view camera angle.
I will probably require a book in order to learn the forms, before I turn this video back on to help with fine tuning....more info
Very well produced This Yang Style Long form Tai Chi is well produced and structured in a way for easy learning. There are different sections that you can refer to and a bonus section with only three different techniques that are not complicated and can be done right away which left me with a feeling of relaxation. This is not something that you can rush through because it is a method that has to be memorized and practiced. I have another DVD by another Tai Chi practioner that is the "short form" but I wanted this one as well once I get to a higher level. The first 56 moves in this DVD is the short form with some variation to the other DVD that I have. So you don't have to try to learn all 102 movements to feel accomplished. The bonus section is worth the price. It will make you feel like David Carradine for those of you who remember the TV show - Kung Fu....more info
Very Encouraging for Beginners The reason I am buying this tape is that the one that I have been using from our library is completely worn out. This tape presents tai chi in a very non-threatening way and although Mr. Dunn does explain some of the spiritual aspects of the forms, one does not feel the need to convert to a new religion to enjoy the benefits of Tai Chi....more info
Great video I took T'ai Chi years some 20 years ago so I remembered a few postures, but never had I seen the form demonstrated with such precise, fluid execution. You may need to view the video several times to get your bearings straight, but it's the best you can hope for from a self-instruction video. Terry's an excellent practictioner of the art. That's worth a lot more than an alternative video with better verbal instructions, but poor balance, weight transfer, posture and breath. I highly recommend this video.
After that, it's up to you to practice....more info
A Great Supplement to Class Training First, I want to answer those who said they were confused by the video. Tai Chi,like other martial arts is not something that you can or should attempt to learn on your own from a video. You need a teacher. You will never fully learn the art unless you have a teacher. There are no exceptions.
Having said that, this DVD is an excellent supplement to class training. Yes, it can be a bit confusing if you're constantly looking at Terry, but then since the Tai Chi form is constantly changing directions, this confusion would be difficult to eliminate. A bird's eye view would have been most helpful, and had the DVD had such a view, I would have given it five star.
So, do not watch Terry, since you can't anyway without distorting your movments, but rather just listen carefully to what he's saying, which is very clear and nicely done. This in combination with regular class attendance will advance your art quickly....more info
Best Form Old Long Form I saw this video a few years ago. I found it excellent in explanation of movement, balance and concentration, but could only do the warm-ups and follow the instructions for a few of the first forms. Since then I have studied with one of the "Old Chinese Masters" (as he calls himself) and have in turn become a Shifu of Yang Long Form. As a reference and reminder for practise, this video is excellent. It is best used as a reinforcement to personal instruction, as the narrator of Terry Dunn's video says. Next best would be use of a taijiquan manual such as Fu Zhongwen's "Mastering Yang Styles Taijiquan", along with this video to keep the correct North, South, East, West directions for turning in the forms. This video is a most excellent resource for any serious student of Taijiquan....more info
Well Done I found this to be a very informative and easy to follow video. The two views of the postures were quite helpful in getting the foot positions down correctly. The fact that Terrence performs the postures facing the camera seems to make it difficult to follow at first but, This is the only way to show the hand and arm movements properly. Overall very impressive and if I wear this copy of the tape out, I will buy another....more info
EXCELLANT FOR HOME MEDITATION THE DVD WAS DETAILED TO SHOW THE USER HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF A SELF HELP PHYSICAL WORKOUT. THE MOVES WERE SLOW AND PRECISE , WITH EXPLANATIONS FOR EACH AND EVERY MOVE. ENJOYABLE, WITHOUT ANY INTIMIDATION , MOVING TO THE NEXT SEGMENT IN A SMOOTH FLOW. ...more info
Really useful I bought this to help me with a T'ai Chi class I have been taking. The warm up will really get you warmed up. It is great. The on screen instructor, Terence Dunn does a terrific job of breaking each step down into easily understandable parts.
I realize that the creators of all exercise videos have a thing about the instructor facing the audience. The only problem is it is much easier to learn if the instructor is facing away from you and moving the same parts in the same direction. Then you don't have to turn thigns around in your mind while trying to figure out where your arms and legs need to go. Other than that one small problem, the fact that each step repeats automatically until you hit the play button to advance it is a great help, allowing you as many repetitions as necessary for you to fully understand the movement.
The only real problem I have is that I take a class in Yang long form, and this video has subtle differences in movements and sequence that may cause me to do the wrong thing during class. Of course I manage to do that anyway, so I can't really fault the video. All things considered I think it was a good purchase and I have already recommended it to many friends....more info
Excellent video of the Yang Long Form I have seen quite a few Tai Chi DVD's and this one is probably one of the best. There are plenty of videos of the so-called "Yang" short form (I prefer not to call it Yang, but instead the "Beijing 24 form"), but not many good videos of the Yang Long Form. This one is worth buying. The production quality of the video is very good and the descriptions are clear. You can repeat individual sections, which is helpful. Even though the title of the DVD includes the words "Tai Chi for Health", this is good traditional Taijiquan with martial application; not just flowery new age movements. ...more info
Terry Dunn is brilliant!!! The instruction provided in all of Terry Dunn's videos are properly executed and masterfully done. The student of tai chi should have no problem understanding and following the instruction. Persons with no background in tai chi may have some challenges because there are some basic concepts that they will not grasp even though Terry explains them wonderfully. Excellent work Terry....more info
T'ai Chi for Health: Yang Long Form, instructor Hello. I gave this DVD a 5, and I think it's well deserved. I have been studying Tai Chi for a very short time in Denver with a few wonderful instructors, [...] but still need "extra help."
This video fills the gap perfectly by showing, step by step with an unprecedented clarity, each and every move, one move at a time. The Tai Chi form is set up to play each move over and over again until the viewer presses the "Play" button on the DVD remote. I selfishly thought the video was made just for me, because I have admittedly been having a very hard time recalling the sequences at home while practicing on my own : I need to see the moves over and over again otherwise I'll never recall them outside of my class. This DVD is the ticket for me, I have no doubt that I'll learn the Long From as good as anyone thanks to this fine DVD. And, I love the simple settings, and the warm up drills. I could not have found a better DVD to learn Tai Chi from.
Many thanks to Mr. Dunn !
Sincerely
James Denver CO ...more info
Great Tai Chi DVD for beginner and advanced Terry Dunn is a superb Tai Chi instructor. His DVD's are easy to follow and highly motivating. The exercises are viewed from several angles so you can copy the move very affectively. The warm-up exercises are very helpful in preventing pulled muscles. Great for beginners and the more advanced....more info
may be the last Tai Chi video you will need for a long time This was about the third Tai Chi video that I had purchased and it may be the last one I will need for a long while. Although a lot of folks are into Tai Chi as a martial art or for health reasons, I really got interested in it first for its beauty. Somewhere in my varied background is a little Chinese and I wanted to find some way to feel closer to my Chinese roots, so I guess I was really looking for some kind of Chinese art form. I had always favored the Chinese martial arts over the Japanese and Korean ones (sorry, I know I'm stepping on somebody's toes) because they looked so much more fluid and not as choppy. And of course, more artistic looking.
After having learned the first sequence of the Yang style long form from another video, I changed all of the postures to look more like the ones Terrence Dunn demonstrates in this video. The moves are very rounded out and circular, and to me appear more artistic, which is what I wanted to achieve. A while back, I met a guy at work from China who practiced the Yang style long form every morning. I showed him a few of my postures and he said that they looked "perfect." Well, he was probably just being courteous, but if someone of his caliber did not immediately notice something was wrong, I guess the tape can't be all that bad. Wonderful demonstrations. I gladly recommend it....more info
you need an empty mirror (sic) so many point out the mirror-image issue (left=right et al) but all you need to do is to position a mirror in front of the TV, and place yourself between TV and mirror, facing the mirror. Problem solved.
Instruction is good but I miss details on the martial arts application. The full demonstration at the end is not very satisfying asyou often can't see the legs....more info
Tai Chi for Health; Yang Long Form - Excellent! Terry Dunn does an outstanding job of teaching Tai Chi. I have practiced with Terry Dunn's Tai Chi videos for many years now, after having first taken several Tai Chi classes under the direction of the great Master Abraham Liu. Terry's verbal instructions are so easy to understand and his graceful movements so easy to follow. I would highly recommend Terry Dunn's excellent Tai Chi videos to anyone who not only desires to learn Tai Chi but to also continue to practice this great and beautiful art throughout the coming years.
Dont leave me "YANGin" GREAT video. It's tough having to face away from the TV to parallel what Terence is doing, but even the warm-up is fantastic for building leg strength and helping beginner to learn to shift weight and rotate waist in one movement. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!...more info
Excellent instruction video of this invigorating exercise [....] There are a couple mistakes in regards to left-right positioning (which are quickly rectified through continual practice) and the whole ‘mirror-movement’ is challenging—-at first. But for someone serious about learning the basics of Tai Chi Ch’uan, you really cannot go wrong here. You just need three things: enough space to practice (10’ by ’10 is optimum), enthusiasm, and patience.
Tai Chi Ch’uan, translated as ‘supreme ultimate boxing’, is an ancient Chinese exercise designed to maintain flexibility, increase mental awareness, and cultivate ‘Chi’, i.e. lifeforce. Practice of this martial art strengthens the muscles of the entire body, limbers the joints, teaches one correct posture, balance and breathing, and gives the practitioner a calm ‘natural high’ far more subtle and rewarding than the usual methods (caffeine, sugar, alcohol). There are three ways to learn the art: through a certified instructor (the best), off a video such as this (also recommended), or from a book (not recommended at all). And among the video selection, Terry Dunn’s T’ai Chi for Health is among the very best.
The video begins with Terry practicing the Yang Long Form at dawn on a beach while a relaxed angle-American voice explains the basic concepts of Taoist philosophy and extols the benefits of long-term Tai Chi practice. Very classy. The meat of the video is in three sections: 1) the basic postures and warm-up stretches (30 minutes), 2) instruction of the 108 Yang Long Form movements (60 minutes), 3) additional exercises (15 minutes). A long conclusion showpiece has Terry practicing the entire form in a dimly lit studio.
The production and presentation of this video are top-notch. Terry Dunn is a calm and graceful teacher with a mellow, easy-on-the-ears voice; the atmospheric music by Vangelis compliments the forms very well. The philosophical concepts are presented in an understandable way for those not acquainted with Eastern thought. Though there are a few neglected areas, including the history of Tai Chi’s development (it originally begun as Dim-Mak, or ‘death-point striking’) and its sword forms, for those interested in increasing their health in a graceful, gentle way, I highly recommend this tape. I’ve been using it for five years and am _fully_ satisfied with the results....more info
Excellent Video This is the best Tai Chi video on the market. I've been studying martial arts for 16 years and this is the 1st Tai Chi video that i have seen that teaches the correct form move for move. Excellent video for learning this form. ...more info
Excellent I purchased this, with much trepidation, based on one person's 5 star review BUT indeed this is a wonderful video. The music is very appropriate and peaceful, the instruction is clear enough for beginners but the instructor's expertise is clear and will provide learning for many, many hours to come, and the instructor is wonderful, no silly jokes that will get annoying, very to the point yet not dry, seems very genuine. I am very pleased....more info
Energy, flexability and balance This tape was my first experience with Tai Chi, and I was truly amazed that within 48 hours I noticed a difference in breathing, posture and comfort - no more stiff backs in the morning. Terrence Dunn is an excellent teacher, soothing and smooth, but clear in all his instructions. It is easy to get confused by the right/left instructions - if you are facing the TV, you must always move in the opposite direction and that is hard at first. I highly recommend this video, but be careful if you are not in shape - the warm-up alone is enough for the first few sessions....more info
begining tai chi pratitioner I found this video to be very helpful in my training.I have been taking Tai Chi for a very short time and have learned the fundiments of the Yang short form. My work schedule changed and I will be taking Tai Chi only once a week and needed a traing suplement.I found this tape to a very value training aid and not difficult to follow.I was concerned about some of the reviews stating that this video was hard to follow and confusing. However,I found this was not the case for someone who had a background in Tai Chi even a very limited background as in my case.I feel that the expectation to lean Tai Chi from a video alone is placing an unreal expectation on this video or any other intrustional video.Tai Chi or any other martial art is very difficult if not impossible to learn from a video alone.I would suggest that if someone really wants to attempt to learn Tai Chi from a video they start with the short form video first to build a foundation before attempting to learn the long form on this video.In my case, all I can say is I am very pleased with my purchase and the quality of this product. I am sure this video will help me greatly in my futher training....more info
Tai Chi for Health Am taking Tai Chi lessons. It isn't as easy as I thought. This book and DVD are very most helpful. ...more info
Good tai chi instruction A classic tai chi form is demonstrated in a well made video CD....more info
Great learninig tool for beginners If you can't get ahold of a live instructor, this DVD is probably the next best thing. Going at a slow and steady pace, Terence Dunn shows clearly the postures and transition with extreme clarity. His calm attire and careful explanation of balance and movement give a clear understanding of what is required for each movement.
Although multiple angles of the form are not shown, the manner and pace at which Dunn goes about are very comprehensive, and not that difficult to understand and follow.
While nothing can ever be a substitute for a real live instructor, I recommend this DVD to anyone who wants to learn the long form, and anyone looking for supplementary material for out of class reference....more info
more than others This is better than other Tai Chi DVDs because it has extensive warm-up exercises plus teaches the long form exercise...more info
Tai Chi for Health: Yang Long Form I bought this dvd for my husband who had done this form of Tai Chi twenty years ago. This was the form he has been looking for. If you know the basics of this type of Tai Chi, this dvd is really an excellent refresher course. Sometimes, though it is hard to follow the instructor, but if you watch the dvd first and then practice with the teacher it is a really great program....more info
The best out there!! This is by far the best long form dvd out there, between class and other DVD's, this is the most informative and easy to follow. I gave it a 4 only because of the really tricky way in which they show you the new move. It will only go on if you hit your remote control next or forward buttons. Which is kinda incoven. if you want to just keep going. On the plus side you can see the move you are learning over and over again until you learn it. Get this and you won't be dissapointed!...more info
Poor rendering of a good video Many years ago I bought the VHS version of Terry Dunn's Tai Chi for Health. As noted by other reviewers, the DVD is the same as the VHS; not an update, or even a remaster. Still, I figured that the DVD would be more convenient to learn from. I was wrong. The DVD has the basic lessons divided into small sections of roughly 30-45 seconds that repeat until you hit "Next". This means you have to do the form with a remote in your hand. Also, there is no way to start at the beginning, and go thru, eg. 5 sections, and then repeat that. At least with the VHS, I can do this. Although the video quality is good, I cannot recommend this DVD, especially if you already have the VHS. Too bad, as Terry Dunn is a good video teacher; I would recommend the VHS, if you can stand the quality....more info
Good video I thought this was a very good video, but if you are interested in the long Yang form, this is the more modernized, wu shu version of it rather than the original Yang Chen Fu version, according to my instructor.
The video includes some tai chi warm-up excercises, and two presentations of the entire form. The first shows the moves step by step with the names and numbers of the move, with slight pauses in between. The second shows the entire form from beginning to end as one continuous, smooth performance.
One difference between this and the original Yang Cheng Fu form is the somewhat larger moves, or "large frame" aspect to the form. It follows almost the same sequence, though, except for some changes in several places in the form, especially at the beginning of the form, and in the middle of the second section, in the movements just before and after double wind to ears. Some of the moves are done a little differently, too, such as snake darts out tongue, wave hands like clouds, etc.
Also, Dunn does not keep the qua open (keeping the armpits open by one fist distance, or the arms away from the side of the body, which aids with balance through the waist and to the legs) which is an important internal principle. But overall Dunn has very nice, smooth, flowing form, exceptional balance (the ability to pause and hold the kicks), and I enjoyed his performance.
Overall I thought this was a well done video and found it useful in comparing what I do with some of the other Yang versions out there. I also have his short Yang form video and thought that was similarly well done....more info
Like to be Frustrated? I am studying Shaolin Kung Fu and thought that it would be nice to complement my studies with T'ai Chi.
The difficulty of following this tape is really dissapointing. Everything that you are looking at is opposite of what you need to execute. In other words, if Dunn turns left and tells you to turn left, since you are looking at a "mirror" image, it is very straining to execute the movement. If the tape had shown some of the instruction from another angle I would have given this tape a big thumbs up. Nevertheless, if you are not concerned about following the instruction due to the reasons I mentioned above then you might be able to get quite a bit out of this.
The reason I gave it two stars is because the quality of the production was exemplary.
Personally, I am looking for another source. Good luck, and MORE CHI!...more info
Hot Pick DVD I am new to the practice of Tai Chi and my Instructor recomended this DVD. I found it on Amazon.com. I was pleased with how easy it was to set up an account and to perchuse the item, more pleased that I recieved it through the U.S. mail even faster then I was told that it would take.
The DVD is of very good quality, the instructor Terry Dunn dose an excellent job of teaching this form of Tai Chi, He takes it step-by-step and with the controls on the DVD, it makes it easy and fun to study this technique. I recomend this product to anyone with an interest of practicing Tai Chi Yang Long Form. Excellent....more info
I don't see how anyone could learn tai chi from this video Although Terry Dunn is very pleasant to watch, it was impossible for me to follow his video instructions. Except for the warm up exercises, which he explained in a very step-by-step manner. After the warm-ups, he lost me . . . demonstrating movement after movement nonstop . . . whoa! Also I kept getting my left and right mixed up. sigh....more info
DVD is not a new production If you already own the VHS, you may be wondering whether this is a new production, especially since the cover photo appears to be a 40-year-old Dunn. Wouldn't you like to see the results of some 20 years of practice? Imagine, too, all the ideas Dunn must have had over the years of what he could have done better on the video. Well, sorry, it's the same production as on the VHS tape, the same 20-year-old Dunn, the same soundtrack, including the same minor errors in verbal instruction.
There is, nevertheless, some advantage in the DVD format over the VHS, if you haven't learned the form yet. There is a menu, with the form broken down into about 50 short pieces, and it will cycle through a chosen short piece repeatedly until you select "next" -- or you can play straight through the entire form. If you're like me, you'll use that automatic repetition of short pieces quite a lot, on your way to learning the form....more info
the movements are more circular and stilized This was about the third Tai Chi video that I had purchased and it was by far the superior of the three. Terrence Dunn's instruction is very graceful and artistic. The movements have been stylized to be more circular than the movements of other instructors that I had seen. After seeing the video I changed the way I was practicing the postures to more closely resemble the style on the video. By chance, I happened to meet a Chinese gentleman at work who had learned the Yang style long form in China and practiced it every morning. When I showed him a few of the postures that I had been practicing, he told me, "Your Tai Chi is perfect." Well, I suppose that he was just being polite, but I felt good that a serious practitioner did not immediately point out faults in what I was doing. I credit the video for any success I have had....more info
great video, great master i think that one should watch this video to understand and improve the tecnics of this art. i really recommend it....more info
great teaching tool Great teaching tool. I am taking a Tai Chi class and like being able to review what was taught. helps me keep my form better......more info
An overall GREAT video! I would have given this video 5 stars but I do think for an absolute beginner, it is difficult to follow and there are some basic instructions missing. I took Kung Fu for about a year and am used to learning a 30, 40, 50+ step form. What this video is missing is an explaination as to how you should approach your Tai Chi training. If you've taken a martial art, Tai Chi itself or even ball room dancing, this is a great video.
For those who have not take any martial art etc, here is some advise. When you start to learn the form, realize it is going to take A VERY LONG TIME for you to be able to learn the entire form correctly. To start, learn the first 5-8 steps and then turn off the video. Keep practicing until you can do the steps without thinking about them. Go back to the video and do the next 5-8 steps. Then turn off the video and do all the steps you know until you do ALL of them automatically. Keep this up until you learn the whole form. This will take weeks if not months to perfect. It is possible to learn the form in a few days and be automatic in it within a week or two, but you've got to dedicate some serious hours to Tai Chi training.
All in all, a wondeful video that is easy to follow. Just take your time and be patient. Once you learn the form by heart, you can concetrate on the relaxation power of the form and less on remembering the sequence of manuevers. Good Luck!!...more info
Much more bad than good I ordered this DVD on the basis of some of the reviews - it was a big mistake. While Terry Dunn is very relaxing to listen to and obviously knows his stuff, the quality of the DVD makes its all but useless as a training tool. The DVD does not permit selection of the section I want to perform. The section that introduces you to the basic forms is so washed out that you cannot tell what the foot and hand positions are supposed to be.
Finally, in the last segment where Terry performs the complete form, the camera pans in too often so that you cannot actually see the form from start to finish.
Sadly, I highly recommend you seek another source of knowledge for this wonderful art. I know I will be looking for something better. ...more info
I'm learning to like this CD I bought this CD after careful consideration and after buying Scott Cole's intro to tai chi dvd. I found that Scott's CD really was just an intro and not really tai chi (e.g., I couldn't join a class when I travel). I also bought Sunrise Tai Chi prior.
I like this CD better than Sunrise Tai Chi since its focus is more on the Yang style than overall meditation, etc., like the Sunrise Tai Chi. Terry Dunn takes the instruction at a nice, easy pace and you can either go through the whole program or select each individual move to play repeatedly.
The main beef I have with this CD is because of Scott Cole's CD. In Scott's CD, you can watch the CD and mirror his moves (e.g., he moves his right when you are supposed to move your left). This is VASTLY easier to learn. For Tai Chi for Health, I'm still figuring out how to best start - for now it seems, starting with my back to the TV means I can see more of the moves with less craning than starting facing the TV. There is a picture in picture box that shows you a different angle, which is helpful, but the direction doesn't remain the same all the way through so you have to switch between following the main movement or the box movement. It gets confusing.
Obviously tai chi is not all facing forward so some of these problems are going to occur no matter what. I just think it could be made a little easier to follow, which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 - really 4.5 would be more what I'm thinking. I also have looked into taking a class, which I probably will at some point when I have more time. For now, this CD is a bit hard to use but fills the bill for what I need and the price point is fair....more info
My Favorite Tai-Chi Video Out of the three Tai-Chi instructional videos I own this one is my favorite! You can learn Tai-Chi with this video, but you have to invest some time and effort. Nothing worth learning comes easy. I believe this video has received some unfair reviews, so I am giving it five stars. The quality of this video is excellent and it includes all 108 movements of the Yang long form. I just don't understand some of the reviews I've read. This is the BEST Tai-Chi instructional video I've seen. Thank you Terry Dunn!...more info
Tai Chi for Health: Yang Long Form Terence Dunn This is the best CD I have seen. Terence Dunn is a true master and an excellent instructor. ...more info
Great for Beginners like Me I just finished my 6th week and this duplicates just about everything I do in class. This is my 4th Tai Chi DVD and so far, this is the one that works best for me!...more info
Very confusing I bought this video based on other reviews, I am sorry that I did. He is very confusing. He is constantly saying step with right leg turn 45 degrees. But when you watch the video it looks as if he turns half way around. Everything is mirror image and you need a lot of space for the movements. I think the beginning part is okay but the second is more frustrating than relaxing. I have not moved on to the third part as I get frustrated with the second and turn it off. The camera angles are terrible and he should maybe do things opposite so that we at home do not have to keep reminding ourselves..opposite, Opposite!!!! (I am a mom of 4 and have limited workout time and I can not spare the time for this frustrating video) I bought another at the same time by Dominic Stefano and it is alot better. I will look for more of his videos and avoid Mr. Terence Dunn's work. Perhaps when I retire and have time I will take a class....more info
lets start with learning left from right I bought this based on reviews read here. Let this be a warning message. Picture this..
You are starting to learn tai chi and are a complete beginer. The first few movements require you to turn 90 degrees away from the TV. You can no longer easily see the tv, you are listening to the audio instruction. You are currently balanced with all your wieght on your right leg as instructed, then the instructor says move your right leg.. which is patently impossible. You have to turn around, get out of position, rewind and then watch again to find out that what he is calling the right leg is actually the left leg. Its easy to notice this when it is a leg that has all your weight on it but much less so when it is an arm movement. Less than 3 movements after the leg incident, it happens with arms. That is as far as I have taken this to date, but as a beginner I realise that it will take a very long time to get through the video if it is littered with this kind of mistake - 2 mistakes in 5 moves is way way too much.
Needless to say I am not impressed with the quality control on the video and even less convinced that if I do manage to get all the way through, the Tai Chi I learn will be what is intended.
Message to all producers of this kind of video - if your video includes complex movements that instructs left from right movement, make sure that left and right are used consistently throughout. Otherwise you annoy your customers and cause them to write nasty reviews about the product....more info
Excellent When it comes to martial arts and Tai Chi, good quality instructional books and films are very hard to come by, which is one of the reasons I'm so pleased with my purchase. I was particularly impressed with the details and depth that Terence Dunn covered - I'm used to seeing martial arts videos where you are just told how to do a particular technique in a very superficial, sometimes off-handed fashion.
Having said that, I always find it difficult learning a form from the TV, but the basics he covers are great Tai Chi fundamentals. They are a little different from Tai Chi basics I have learned from other masters in the past, but that's always the case with martial arts anyway. What makes it interesting is contrasting the similarities with the differences, and your own style becomes richer for the experience....more info
