Discover Tai Chi - Workout Essentials (2001)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Instructor: Scott Cole
Music: New Age/Asian
Difficulty: Easy

Features:

• Wordless videos of the two routines
  
• Individual posture demonstrations and descriptions
  
• Slide show
  

My Advice: Buy it.

Personally, my former tai chi experience was limited to an appropriately ancient Chinese man who yelled at me constantly when I had no idea what body part was a hair's breadth off. Given that, and a host of taped exercise "gurus" who need Valium more than they need to lose weight, Scott Cole's dignified and reassuring instruction is welcome and overdue. Some of the featured moves are "Snake Creeps Down" and "Playing the Pi Pa."

The idea behind Discover Tai Chi: Workout Essentials is not fat-burning, as with the Discover Tai Chi: Weight Loss DVD. Instead, this disc encourages more body consciousness, stress-reduction, and increased span of movement. Some of the moves are similar to the first weight loss disc, but like yoga, the movements are too slow for real weight loss, but just right for increased flexibility and strength. Combined with more of Cole's tai chi philosophy, this disc teaches mobility and awareness rather than painful exercise and sweat.

Given that it's probably not easy to come up with special features for an exercise disc, the extras for Discover Tai Chi: Workout Essentials are solid. The series of posture demonstrations comes in handy when you need to see a given element from different angles and with additional clarification. While Cole's instruction is top notch, the martial arts are exacting, and tai chi, while flowing and enjoyable, is no exception--the demonstrations are a perfect antidote for this.

The music, like the other Discover Tai Chi series titles is an Asian-influenced New Age instrumental by Daveed--tranquil and serene as the moves themselves. It walks the line between subtly relaxing you and putting you right to sleep.

The scenery and setting are also nice--Cole's studio in Hawaii for the indoor shots, and a Hawaiian scenery fiesta for the outdoor shots. Beautiful and tranquil, the scenery works with the music and Cole's voice to create a seamless package.

In conclusion, Discover Tai Chi: Workout Essentials is a wonderful addition to your exercise library, either to give you something lighter to do on your "off" days or you just need the stress-reduction and increased flexibility that tai chi offers.