Question about first Tai Chi experience---

[silent goddess]

Good evening :-)

I just experienced my first Tai Chi class at my gym/wellness center yesterday and I had a couple of questions...

I noticed toward the beginning of my session that my left leg from my calf down to my foot would shake uncontrollably at times when I was in a particular stance. I thought it was a matter of balance, but I'm not sure. I didn't experience this anywhere else.

Is it possible that the energy wasn't able to continue and the shaking was caused by that resistance?

I should also mention that I had a knee injury about 7 years ago, but never suffered any complaints since then. The reason why I'm mentioning this is because my boyfriend who is practicing Reiki just received his first 2 attunements and noticed certain sensations when he reached my knee area on the same leg.

Just wondering what some of you think and also if you have any suggestions. Unfortunately, I did not have time to ask the instructor my questions b/c we ran late and another class had to use the same space.

Thanks so much
~Namaste~
silent goddess

[Sandus]

It sounds like you just tired out the muscle. It doesn't sound like anything to worry about. Try not to stand as low next time. Remember, it's more about the intent than the action.

[daftyman]

I would not be in too much of a hurry to use 'energy' as the reason for the shaking.

Could be that the particular posture was taxing that leg more than any other, and the muscles had not been used in quite that way.

Like Sandus said, raise your posture. Once the shaking has stopped, then you can work on gradually allowing your posture to sink.

If you get joint pain, raise your posture again, because it is probably due to a misalignment. Once the pain goes away you can always sink again.

Low posture has to be 'earned' to some extent. Go too low to quick, and you could leave yourself open to injury, or at the least cause an obstruction to your progress in taiji.

If it is only the muscle, well there is a saying:
No Burn, No Earn!

Best of luck with it!

[choconutjoe]

I used to shake real bad for the first month or so. It just takes a while for your leg muscles to get used to it I think.

[Shadowdh]

I go with all the advice here... probably just muscle weakness and getting used to the posture... I shook like nobodies business the first time I did qigong... lol..

[nzric]

Hi, welcome to MAP!

I agree with the above posts. If you were in a karate class and shook the first time you were in a horse stance you'd blame it on tired muscles, so there's no point talking about "chi flows" just because it happens in a tai chi class.

Just remember that qigong is physically taxing. It doesn't seem like it but it's just like doing weights or any exercise slowly - it takes much less force/weight for it to have a strong effect. Take it easy and maybe get the instructor to show you variations on the stances to favour that leg at the start. If you stick with it you'll be amazed at the effects.

[Kinjiro Tsukasa]

Your stance may have been too low. Your teacher should let you use a less extreme version of the posture, if that will help. You can build up to a lower stance gradually.