Practical Tai Chi Training: A 9-Stage Method for Mastery Paperback – April 13, 2021

Practical Tai Chi Training: A 9-Stage Method for Mastery is the Magnum Opus concerning everything that anyone might want to know about Tai Chi training. Dr. Jesse Tsao takes the reader from great depths never plunged to acmes never ascended.It has been almost 29 years now since I first started my foray into the art of Tai Chi. After reading Dr. Jesse Tsao's book, an honest evaluation of my intermittent attempts during all these years to learn Tai Chi, I am at best entering stage 3 out of the 9 stages. I wish I had this book at the beginning of my training. My path would be radically different and I would be at a much higher stage.Simply stated, this is an excellent book like no other! Excellent layout, editing, clear, precise, concise methodology, and many clear diagrams. A complete description of Tai Chi concatenating body positions, weightings, movements, Yin/Yang, breathing, energy flow, TCM, health, weapons, and so much more into one complete practice. Despite many hours of reading this book I have barely started to grasp the full intricacies and depths of Tai Chi training as a whole. A person may want multiple copies as they may wear-out their first. I understand why the old masters required years of intense study from students before they could advance and secrets were revealed. From beginning stances, how to walking, how to breath, and energy flow, no detail seems to be left out. The information in this excellent book is so replete it can be overwhelming with everything that is involved and revealed. I see why a lifetime could be spent practicing this art.All journeys start with a first step, however, a wise person considers whether a journey should be commenced. If the milestones and the final destination is not cognizable, failure is potentiated. With Jesse's 9-Stage Method for Mastery, the journey of Tai Chi is mapped out with well defined and clear milestones. With this book every individual can clearly discern if they should actuate the journey, and how far down the road they wish to travel. I highly recommend this definitive book to everyone from the neophyte to the consummate Tai Chi professional.

This book unlocks a paradigm to practicing internal arts. Master Tsao is an authentic and a great Master. He is also that rare human being having mastered all the main Tai Chi Styles to a high degree. The book is a compilation of methods for patching the art to improve one's skills. Master Tsao also offers a large collection of DVD's on all the major styles and training methods. His work bedrock for any authentic practitioner. The DVD;s go well beyond just a performance of the form but is highly detailed presenting the nuances of 'every' move. You are not likely to find a source like this in the common square nor many masters as talented and knowledgable as this.

This is an Opus magnum book because cover a broad selection of topics previously only available to Chinese speaker/readers., also, many subjects are treated with deep enough to grasp the nuances of these subtle themes.Of course, no book can cover deeply all topics touched in this book, but I like this one in particular because is a very good guide to know what master Tsao extensive DVD collection choose to develop a particular learning path.In other hand, the explanations are very concrete and science based without abandoning the traditional sources and the poetic and figurative forms that suggests images and life experiences so important to apprehend the most subtle parts of Tai Ji Quan.A welcome addition is the rescue of traditional training methods and suggestions for adapting them to our current reality.Another strong point of this book is a nice discussion about applications to the modern fighting forms like MMA, showing us Tai Ji Quan is still a valid combat martial art today, of course some modifications are necessary and updates for both techniques/strategies and training methods are required, but far from being a heresy or a betrayal of tradition, is the continuation of the everlasting evolution of the art of Tai Ji Quan.I guess old masters will have a smile and a tap of a hat for Master Tsao.Another outstanding aspect of this book is the explanation of the use of the many TJQ energies to Tiu Shou & San Shou, this a very welcome addition in midst of so many books/DVDs of watered down TJQ and new age versions. We must not forget that TJQ is above all a martial artThis book is part of a new TJQ master generation trying not only to preserve the venerable ancient knowledge but also trying to bring the art and its wisdom to the realm of 21° century. I dreamed have several Chinese outstanding TJQ books translated to English or any other Western language, now master Tsao gave us this knowledge with the added benefit of his experience and in a language very understandable for Westerners, a not inconsiderable feat.My advise: use this book in conjunction with master Tsao's DVDs for each specific topicThis book is a roadmap in your TJQ path, you'll come back to it many times during your journey to the mastery of the TJQ and certainly it will my companion in the mime

In this book Jesse starts at the beginning and builds upon each precept. He creates a clear pathway to develop mastery in the storied art of Tai Chi. He starts by going over the importance of moving all the joints in the body as a warm up to get your synovial fluid moving. He goes through stances and drills in detail and includes the purpose for them. He looks at the importance of the circular movements in Tai Chi and builds in the importance of including Nei-gong, internal work, as a component of your Tai Chi practice. A well done book that will produce great benefits if diligently followed.

Libro scritto in modo completo e approfondito sull'arte del Taichi, è rivolto a chi mastica già il Taichi e vuole approfondire questa meravigliosa arte. Ho letto diversi libri sull'argomento, questo è uno dei miei preferiti. Lo consiglio vivamente!

Só um grande mestre e professor muito atento aos obstáculos que os seus alunos encontram no seu aprendizado, desde o nível de principiante ao de estudante avançado, poderia ter escrito um livro tão claro e com um grau de detalhe tão adequado. Agradável de ler, fácil de compreender, com exercícios simples de seguir, dá ao leitor a confiança de que nele se abre um caminho que, se for persistente, poderá conduzi-lo igualmente à mestria. Os instrutores encontram ao longo do texto breves conselhos para melhor se aproximarem dos seus instruendos, ou seja, para serem inteligentemente um pouco menos conselheiros insistentes, deixando cada um crescer com gosto ao seu próprio ritmo. Possuo dezenas de livros, artigos e vídeos, mas este vade mecum – volumoso, neste caso, mas não incómodo – destaca-se pela excelência. Imprescindível em qualquer biblioteca de tai chi.

Practical Tai Chi TrainingJesse Tsao is an adept at tai chi and his book is like a roadmap from beginner to advanced stages of tai chi, although it will take decades of practice and not just a read of a book to master. The book tells of the different stages of progress along the way.As a late starter and beginner I find it difficult to visualize the instructionsas decades of bad posture and bad chi took their toll, so would liked to have seen some short video clips of the basics that were outlined at the start of the book. With todays computers they might have e books with animated sketches soon. Most adepts start training before teenage years so keep bright and fresh whereas my mind is more like mud. That being said I have been practicing Qi Gong for 18 months now and have had great results, recently I started a online tai chi class that gives live instruction for a short form so I am combining remedial Ji Ben Qi Gong and a short Tai Chi form, Chen 11. The Ji Ben Qi Gong coaxes the body back to alignment so one can regain connection within so can be connected in Wuji and then start to practice keeping connection whilst learning a short form.Jesse Tsao's book is giving me tips of what to look out for along the way, although I am reading all the way through the book , I am on the basics but am happy with the basics as I have seen good results in the time I have practiced. So the book may be found suitable reading for all levels whether beginner or more experienced.

Depuis toutes ces années de pratique du Tai Chi Chuan, c'est la première fois que je trouve un livre aussi clair et pragmatique sur les principes sous jacents de notre pratique. Je me suis vraiment régalé à la lecture de ce livre qui m'a beaucoup appris. Les exercices sont tellement bien exposés, avec pédagogie . Il est aussi bien utile à l'élève débutant qu'au pratiquant confirmé. A la lecture du livre, j'ai pu assimiler pas à pas des principes très souvent abstraits pour l'esprit occidental. Je le conseille vivement à tous ceux et à toutes celles qui souhaitent approfondir leur pratique énergétique (et à ceux qui souhaitent aborder les aspects thérapeutiques et les approches encore plus subtiles ) à travers le Taichi Chuan et les arts énergétiques. Une nouvelle voie s'ouvre désormais pour moi...J'en suis ravi.