Does anyone practice tai chi? I've signed up for a class next week and I'm very excited about it. What do you like about tai chi and what benefits do you get from it?

Nobody?

The only experience I've had with tai chi was with a Body Flow class. It was mixed with pilates and yoga. I enjoyed that.

I have trained Tai Chi before, for a short period of time. Roughly 3 months.

Tai Chi is considered a "soft" martial art - I am a "Hard" martial artist. I've got 16 years of Karate under my belt.

Tai Chi was a fantastic experience, and I'd take it up in a second. However, don't get the wrong idea just because the exercises are slow moving. It's actually quite difficult, it requires a lot of control, and that's coming from someone who's been throwing punches and kicks all their life!

You'll definitely feel it in your legs, especially if you aren't used to the stances. It is indeed very relaxing, and there is a spiritual connection to it. Your pace and learning speed and form will all depend on your instructor.

Patience. Have lots of it.
But again, it's fun! I'd do it again, and I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for the info! I know it's not a cardio workout but I can see that it requires strength and balance. I enjoy doing yoga at home for short periods of time but lengthy classes leave me bored and I'm not one for holding poses for long periods of time. I like the constant state of motion of tai chi. I'm much better able to focus my mind on sequences and motion than on holding poses and I'm primarily interested in a communal activity and stress relief. Thanks for sharing your experiences, I will let you know how the class goes next week! Maybe one day I'll be able to join the older Chinese people doing tai chi at my local park at the crack of dawn. I always walk by them while exercising and they inspire me.

So I went yesterday and liked it quite a bit. Having a low center of gravity and moving through the motions fluidly and with purpose is quite a workout not only for your body but your mind as well. It's not the type of workout that will leave me panting but it engages mind body and spirit and I can see that it will develop strength, balance, and aid meditation.