Is it possible to learn from video

[practice]

SHort answer, yes it is possible to learn from a video, but it is better to have a teacher who can correct your posture and explain some of the moves or demonstrate some of the martial arts applications.

[beggarsu]

IMO, I would have to say no. If you have never had the distinct feeling of qi such as from practicing some other art like qigong or baguazhang, it is impossible to learn from anything other than a master or competent instructor.

[DOM]

well it all depends on who is doing the vidio and what the video is about and how indeapth the instructions.It also depend if the instructor is willing to show on the out side what is going on in the inside.Alot can be learned by watching and discussing training.It should be a big part of your training.Look at Yang Lu Chan.He became the favorit student of the Chen Family by spying on them training and then practicing on his own earning him the right to formal training.Latter creating the Yang style.But he was already an exspert at martial arts.

[citrus538]

You also have to be much smarter to learn from video and not a teacher. It takes much more concentration to constantly check every detail of yourself and analyze your movements to make sure they are correct than it does to try things and have the people around you give you training tips.

[DOM]

this is true like I said Yang lu chan was an exspert martial artist with great talent already.One must always annalize there movement and correct them.May be not in the beggining but if one is to ever advance to a high level this must always be done.This is much more effective and efficiant when there are other to disscuse your training with.But of course they can not be begginers.They need to be exsperianced and seasoned and if your lucky better than you.For this group exstange to be productive and worth wile all must be humble enough to take corrections.I would never recommed taking trainining tips from a beginner who has now idea whats going on.But from your pears that are at the same level or higher,then by all meens why not.Some are not lucky enough to have a Master to always correct them.This is what true training partners are for.One can only get so good by themselves.

[eputkonen]

Hello All,
Is it possible for a beginner to learn Tai Chi from a video? It would be great to hear from anyone who has done so share your experience.

Thanks.

No.

You can not really see what is going on by the TV screen. Even in the presense of a teacher, you don't always know what you are seeing. Tai Chi is experiential and can only be learned from a teacher. I've been studying Tai Chi since 1995, so I have a fair idea of what I am looking at and trying to do when a teacher is present - but I can't figure out a sword form from video. I realized long ago - a teacher must teach it to you, then the video is a good reminder or set of notes - nothing more.

~ Eric Putkonen
(teaching Tai Chi Chuan in Plymouth, MN)

[chingchueh]

you have to push pause a lot

[Josh Young]

The stories about Yang Luchan are often questionable in regard to his training.
I do not believe that he learned from spying on the Chens and many question the notion that what he learned about what became taijiquan came from the Chens. I do not wish to debate this, but can provide some sources and different accounts of his training if it is deemed of interest.


One cannot learn taijiquan from video, however one can use video as a tool for learning.

Taijiquan requires hand on instruction and a lot of push hands practice of different types.
One will never be able to learn the energies of it from viewing or oral instruction, one must feel them for themselves and practice them with a proper guide. There is no way around this.

It is like trying to learn what hot or cold is, without feeling them, by watching others react to them, it is not possible to do so. However once you know the feeling you may gain a great deal from an instructional video. The same is true for books, they are valuable tools, no doubt, but they cannot initiate you and you cannot initiate yourself.

[adamfuray]

Josh is right on all accounts. I would like to add that your form can never be correct without a teacher physically correcting you many times.