Robert Martinez, L.Ac., MSTOM is a taiji instructor and certified acupuncturist in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Read on below to learn more about the Chinese practice of taiji!
Q: What makes taiji (t'ai chi) a good form of movement for someone who doesn't exercise much?
A: Taiji is within anyone's grasp. You don't need any special equipment for it and it's free to do anywhere once you learn it. As a friend of mine likes to say, "The qi is for free." Go out there and practice taiji!
Q: Are there any websites to help people in Harlem and Northern Manhattan find a good taiji teacher?
A: There are tons of links on the Internet right now that you can find by typing "taiji" in a search box. You can find links to different teachers that you can go and check out. Also, look up www.taichi108.com and www.HeartMindMartialArts.com, which are websites of my teachers. www.MeetUp.com is good to search for different kinds of taiji groups in New York. My guess is that there are a lot of people who are probably offering taiji classes in Harlem so the websites should be helpful.
If you're looking for more information on Chinese medicine, Rob recommends the beginner's book by Ted Kaptchuk called The Web That Has No Weaver. For taiji, he recommends Lawrence Galante's T'ai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate. Also, YouTube is a good resource for both with videos of acupuncture and taiji all regularly posted there.
Read more from Rob Martinez by clicking the links below:
- Starting the practice of taiji (t'ai chi)
- Benefits of taiji
- Acupuncture
- Benefits of acupuncture
- Acupuncture as harm reduction
