T'Ai Chi For Dummies

For nearly 5,000 years, people have practiced T'ai Chi as a way to prolong life, build strength and stamina, improve concentration, and achieve psychological balance. Hundreds of millions of satisfied customers can't be wrong.
Whether you already dabble in T'ai Chi and would like to get a deeper understanding of the basics, or you're only thinking about trying it and want to find out more before you take the plunge, T'ai Chi For Dummies is for you. In plain English, Therese Iknoian and Manny Fuentes demystify T'ai Chi principles and practices for Westerners. They unravel exotic sounding terms and concepts and break down movements in ways that more traditional instructors and authors either can't or won't. And with the help of crystal-clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions, they get you on track with a T'ai Chi fitness program guaranteed to help you:
Increase balance and flexibility
Combat fatigue and reduce stress
Tone muscles
Unlock your power centers and boost energy
Improve focus and concentration
Breathe "mindfully" and meditate
Enhance your sense of inner peace and well-being
Discover just how easy it can be to make T'ai Chi and its sister discipline Qigong part of your everyday life. With this friendly reference as your guide you'll quickly master the basic movements and forms, as well as:
T'ai Chi's Yang 24-Movement Form
Qigong and Push Hands techniques
Techniques that help speed recovery from specific injuries
T'ai Chi movements for aerobic exercise
Exercise is good for the body and soul. Now let Therese Iknoian and Manny Fuentes show you how to energize, find inner peace, and tone your muscles with the gentle art of T'ai Chi.

Therese Iknoian, president of TotalFitnessNetwork.com, is a contributing editor for Walking magazine and author of several books, including Fitness Walking (1995) and Walking Fast (April 1998). A master fitness instructor and a former nationally competitive race walker, Therese was the developer of the NIKE RunWalk program, and has worked with Adidas, Polar Heart Rate Monitors, Rockport and Side 1 as a program consultant.

Introduction.

About This Book.

Why You Need This Book.

How to Use This Book.

Conventions Used in This Book.

How This Book Is Organized.

Part I: Stepping Up to T'ai Chi.

Part II: Preparing to T'ai One On.

Part III: Knocking on T'ai Chi's Door.

Part IV: Energizing Softly with Qigong.

Part V: Making the Most of Your Practice.

Part VI: The Part of Tens.

Icons Used in This Book.

Where Do I Go from Here?

Part I: Stepping Up to T'ai Chi.

Chapter 1: Matching T'ai Chi's Mind-Body Benefits to Your Needs.

Chapter 2: Evaluating T'ai Chi's Health Benefits with a Western Mind.

Chapter 3: Building the Mind-Body Foundation.

Chapter 4: Sowing Your T'ai Chi Seeds Mindfully.

Part II: Preparing to T'ai One On.

Chapter 5: Saying Hello to the Founding Families.

Chapter 6: Scaling the Peaks of T'ai Chi Practice.

Chapter 7: Internalizing the Principles.

Part III: Knocking on T'ai Chi's Door.

Chapter 8: Building the Basics.

Chapter 9: Opening the Door, Yang-Style.

Chapter 10: Keeping the Flow, Yang-Style.

Chapter 11: Closing the Door, Yang-Style.

Chapter 12: Trying Out Manny's Short Form.

Part IV: Energizing Softly with Qigong.

Chapter 13: Recognizing the T'ai Chi-Qigong Bond.

Chapter 14: Meditating and Moving the Qigong Way.

Part V: Making the Most of Your Practice.

Chapter 15: Practicing What I Preach.

Chapter 16: Living a T'ai Chi Lifestyle Every Day.

Chapter 17: Trying Mini-Forms.

Chapter 18: Taking a Moment for Qigong.

Chapter 19: Combining Qigong and T'ai Chi.

Part VI: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 20: Ten Benefits of Practicing T'ai Chi.

Chapter 21: Ten Times and Places to Add a Little T'ai Chi to Your Life.

Chapter 22: Ten (Plus One) Ways to Supplement Your T'ai Chi Practice.

Chapter 23: Ten Things to Tell Yourself about Your Practice.

Chapter 24: Ten Wise Taoist Lessons.

Chapter 25: Ten Quotes to Live By.

Appendix.

Index.

Book Registration Information.