Scott Cole: Discover Tai Chi For Weight Loss

When I first tried this DVD, I thought it moved a little too fast for me in spots, and I had trouble keeping up with some of the moves. But I tried it again a couple months later and really like it. I've been doing Scott's other Tai Chi for Beginners DVD's, and now that I've been doing them for about 6 months, the moves are more familiar and this DVD was easier to follow. If I can't keep up with a step, I just keep moving and do the best I can at it.I have several of Scott Cole's Tai Chi for Beginners DVD's. I think he's the best instructor for this. He goes slow enough to explain the moves and just makes it enjoyable to exercise.I haven't lost any weight since doing Tai Chi, but I'm definitely more flexible, and my pants are a lot looser, so I must be toning up. I can sit cross-legged on the floor now but couldn't when I started. I find it easier to climb my 15 steps now, and I don't mind having to bend over to pick up things that I've dropped. I can't say enough good things about Scott Cole's DVD's.

I want to preface my review by saying that I think that Scott Cole is an absolutely wonderful instructor. In this video he radiates warmth, patience, and competency. If I had a chance to take one of his classes in person I would be thrilled. With that being said I rated this video a one for the following reasons:1. DO YOU LIKE REALLY LOUD MUSIC? I MEAN REALLY LOUD MUSIC! Congrats this video is for you. The music on this video drowns out the instructor’s voice. If you turn it up to hear his voice, the music is simply unbearable loud. This isn’t very “tai chi-ish” of me, but the sound engineer should be taken out and shot.2. This is described as a BEGINNER’S video. As such it should show the instructor’s full body at all times. Nope, in what I can only assume the director was operating on the belief that it would be “interesting”, the camera angles change throughout the video. Sometimes it shows a mirror image (which is nice and how it should be), but then it switches to waist up only shots. Even that I could get through but then, during the full practice, it changes abruptly to a shot from behind the instructor! So you are completely thrown off. Then it switches to a three-quarter shot from the side. At one point they only show a close-up of Scott’s hands. So to recap, in a beginner’s video, the camera angles switch from mirror, to waist up, to behind, to three quarters, to hand close-ups. The director and film editor should be shot.Scott, if you ever read this, please redo this video!

As a newcomer to this type of exercise (a middle-aged woman someone who hasn't exercised regularly for a while), I went in search of a beginner's course in Tai Chi. All in all, Scott's approach to beginners is excellent. He moves slowly and gently and the explanations are clear. I am not ashamed to admit that I am directionally challenged and very poorly coordinated so I needed something that was this simple and direct. Because of this, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the mirrored approach to instruction. I am a little over two weeks into this and other than hiking (which my schedule doesn't allow for regularly) and gardening (which is seasonal), this is the first form of exercise in some time that I've decided that I truly like. I am already seeing a little long-lost flexibility returning, slightly better muscle tone, and my lower back no longer hurts when I wake up in the morning. I've had to skip two days and have found that I really did miss it.That said, I have one--what is to me--important complaint and I hope that the powers that be are listening. In second half of the DVD when it moves into the more "advanced" moves (or the core of Tai Chi), the directors resort to what I can only describe as artsy-fartsy camera angles and for someone who is still relying on the leadership of the instructor and is not ready to work on their own, this not only distracting--it's frustrating. When they shift to rear or above angles, it's difficult to determine what direction I should be moving, whether we've changed sides, and how I should be standing. And when they pull in close for upper body shots, I lose track of where my feet should be. I've been doing this for just over two weeks now and continue to wrestle with this portion of the video. And while I recognize that it takes time to master Tai Chi and that I should probably be patient with myself (especially considering the above description), I think it bears mentioning. I hope if there is a remake of this video at some point, that they will take this onboard.

My husband (80) and I (70) wanted to strengthen our bodies and work on our balance. Neither of us had done Tai Chi before. We started slowly, doing more of the practice as our strength allowed. Now we are able to comfortably go through the entire program. Our stamina, flexibility and balance are improving. The directions are clear and progress from a smooth warm up to more demanding forms and end with a gentle cool down. when we come closer to understanding the subtleties, we plan to get another DVD from this series.

Not a substitute for training under a Tai Chi Master, but it has some surprisingly insightful information that is still relevant to martial arts.One thing I really enjoy about this video is going through sets slow first and then fast. When I have practiced Tai Chi before it's always ben at a slow and almost motionless state. So, I feel like this is something that some instructors should incorporate into their teachings.

Keen to learn about the movemnets of Tai Chi, I bought the earlier addition 2002, I believe, and was delighted with the step by step introduction, and have used it frquently-very calming and realxing, yet you feel you have had something of a work out. This later addition,2009,which I bought for my mother-in-law, is the same DVD, but unfortuately, the quality of the colour and sound is not as good. Hence I gave her the better DVD. Despite this, if Tai Chi is new to you, I would highly recommend this DVD.

Excellent , easy to follow, another great DVD from Scott Cole

An easy to follow dvd and gentle with it.Will suit all ages and levels of health and fitness.Do try it.

This product is great. The Whole family is doing Tai Chi. It has made a world of difference in my flexibility and the low impact on the joints makes it a joy and not a chore to do. The instruction is easy to follow and Scotts encouragement is wonderful and prevents you from becoming discouraged. I have bought several of his other videos and have recommended them to friends.

I was motivated to try something new since I had been to all kinds of therapy for my back and hips. Scott's DVD really got me going, I was stiff at first, believed that in time it would help and yes, I took the time to do it every day, after 2 weeks my back pain has almost gone, I can go for walks and feel really zenny. Great.