Should you feel really frustrated by tai chi practice?

Question

I'm 55 and I've been doing Yang style tai chi for about 5 years which I enjoy. Recently I started doing Chen style, I find the movements difficult physically, hard to remember and I often end up nearly in tears after the class. My teacher says Chen style is better but how can it be if it has this effect. Sometimes tai chi seems full of people who think they know better and who want to show you some clever thing they can do with their bodies that you can't that seems a long way from daoism. Is there any point in keeping going?

Answer 1

If you enjoy it yes.... .5 years is a long time to do something just to give it up...... maybe explain to your teacher you are finding it hard and explain what you would like to do or that you would like to take it slower....... I do kathak dance (traditional indian dance) and at times it is so hard and frustrating but after a while you get it and once you do its fine ........ :-) maybe even give it a break for a little bit and go back but dont just quit if you enjoy it

Answer 2

if you have been training in a new style then the choice is yours,persevere and maybe start to understand the movements,give it a break and go back when you feel more positive or go back to yang style.

Answer 3

Not if you dont enjoy it.

Answer 4

First, I teach Chen Style Taijiquan and I will be the first to say that there is no such thing as a better style.  It all depends on your personal enjoyment, what you are looking for, and how you relate to your instructor.  Chen is usually characterized by lower stances and yes, depending on the type of curriculum it can be devastatingly demanding (health based, martial arts based, or senior based curriculum).  BUT nothing worthwhile is easy (at least in the beginning).  If the stances are an issue try practicing with higher stances.  If the choreography is demanding, then look into purchasing a good CD or ask your instructor if you can video tape them.  Peruse through Youtube and find other examples of Chen Style Taijiquan to help motivate you.  Read about it to help stimulate your intellectual experience of the art, it might also provide some "AHA!" breakthroughs.  Don't ever give up on something that you enjoy, because you won't just be giving up that thing, you'll be giving up on yourself.  The key thing to truly realize is whether or not you enjoy it.  Think about why you began studying Chen Style in the first place?  Is it still valid?

Sometimes frustration is our mind's inability to deal with a change that is occuring.  Sometimes we need to encounter that change with open zeal rather than trepidation.

Yes Taiji can be filled with people who think that they know more than you do, but isn't a teacher supposed to know more than you do?  Or are you having a conflict with your teacher's personality?  Just a few things to think about.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Tai Chi is a hard style, its not suppose to be easy but also your not suppose to go down into the stances like a 20 year old if your 55.  its all about challenging yourself but not giving up on yourself, if you cant go deep in a stance dont force yourself, you let your strength build up gradualy so that you can enjoy and keep coming back to the practice

At the same time you have to push yourself and not be lazy, if your ego is getting in the way by crying because someone else can do something better than you then thats something you have to work on, remember your doing tai Chi for yourself, for your health, not too show off to the girls and part of daoism is changing the way you react to things, you can't control the fact that you are getting older but you can control how you react to that fact, that is daoism