Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan FAQ

Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan Questions Answered

Why study Tai Chi?
What's the "Flying Fan"?
What is the benefit to pregnant women?
What is the benefit to new mothers?
What do I need to start?
Will I be able to do this workout on my own?
How do we learn it?
What do the classes cost?
If I don't have children, can I attend the 'Moms' class?
Can I attend the Mom's class if I'm pregnant?
Do I need to reserve for the playgroup?

Why study Tai Chi?

The numerous advantages of practicing Tai Chi have been well documented. Universities like Harvard, Emory, and University of Southern California among others have found that Tai Chi is a workout which

Tones muscles without straining

Eases back pain

Helps with weight loss

Provides cardiorespiratory conditioning

Promotes correct body posture

Improves balance

Improves memory, concentration and digestion

Reduces anxiety and eases depression

Lowers high blood pressure and heart rate

Improves cardiac health

Improves coordination

Boosts the immune system

Increases breathing capacity

Reduces asthma and allergy reactions

Reduces risks of falls

Slows bone loss

Sharpens mental focus

Increases flexibility

Reduces joint pain

Stimulates circulation

Assists mental well-being through meditative forms

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What's the "Flying Fan"?

Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan is a martial art from that uses a fan as a weapon. There is a long history in Asia of the fan as weapon, for use by both men and women. For women, of course, it is particularly effective, as it involves an easily accessible 'feminine' object. This particular fighting fan form is less aggressive, more medatative than most, while still remaining a viable form of combat.

During the workout, the fan provides a great focal point, helping us to forget our bodies even as we connect more deeply with them. And it lends a level of aestethic pleasure to the exercise which is thoroughly unique.

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What is the benefit to pregnant women?

The benefits of Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan as a prenatal workout are many! Unlike most workouts, this is one which can usually be practiced unaltered thoughout a healthy pregnancy. And yet, unlike most prenatal workouts, Tai Chi Fan does not focus exclusively on pregnancy; instead it offers the expectant mother a few minutes rest from the thoughts that fill her head the rest of the day (and night)! Tai Chi has been found to offer all of the following benefits to pregnant women:

Reduce nausea

Increase breathing capacity

Boost the immune system

Strengthen the pelvic floor muscles

Reduce asthma and allergy reactions without medication

Slow bone loss

Sharpen mental focus & improve memory

Reduce anxiety, stress, and depression

Increase pelvic flexibility

Awaken energy

Lower high blood pressure and heart rate

Help with gastric disturbances

Reduce joint pain

Relieve back pain

Stimulate circulation

Improve balance with that constantly changing center of gravity!

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What is the benefit to new mothers?

All of the benefits listed above are of course important for new mothers, too! Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan is a great gentle workout to ease your way back into a routine again after the changes and challenges of childbirth. The balance and posture training will help you to refind your body, while the slow strengthening and stretching make for an excellent rehabilitation after a C-section. Plus, this is a workout which increases energy rather than exhausting, at a time in life when energy is a hard thing to find! A few minutes with the Flying Fan can help to counter the lack of sleep from the night before!

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What do I need to start?

Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan requires no previous knowledge of Tai Chi and doesn’t require any special equipment. We provide the simple fans for use during class, and to practice at home you can use any fan that opens and closes easily. Clothing can be anything you move in comfortably, and footwear can be any flat, closed-toe shoe with a little grip (e.g. training shoes or sneakers, dance shoes, wrestling shoes, martial arts shoes, etc...)

Will I be able to do this workout on my own?

Absolutely! Once you have learned the moves, you can do this short, gentle workout almost anywhere, anytime. Keep a fan in the car and do a 10 minute workout in a park or on the beach! Steal a moment of quiet and calm while your kids are on the swings and come back to them with more energy!

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How do we learn it?

Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan is practiced as a kata, which is a sequence of fight moves constituting one person's side of a fight, performed in a slow-motion style that makes it look almost like a dance. The kata movements have poetic and metaphoric names like

White Crane Spreads Its Wings

Blue Dragon Emerges from the Water

Part the Wild Horse's Mane

Immortal Points the Way

Offer Incense to the Sky

These images help us to remeber the movements, which we practice together repeatedly. Repetition helps to learn the kata and offers a terrific workout at the same time. The purposes of the moves are also explained as we go, so that they are more than simply beautiful postures. White Crane Spreads Its Wings, for example, is an effective blow to the kidneys, and Fair Lady Weaves the Shuttle stabs to the throat. This form is a great opportunity to simultaneously embrace Yin and Yang!
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What do the classes cost?

One class - $15
5 classes - $60

Childcare - $5 per session

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If I don't have children, can I attend the 'Moms' class?

Absolutely! Everyone is welcome, and everyone will reap the same benefits from class. We call this one the 'Moms Class' simply because we offer a playgroup with babysitter beside us in the park, allowing mothers to enjoy class alongside everyone else. With or without little ones, we all get the same envigorating, relaxing workout!

Can I attend the Mom's class if I'm pregnant?

Absolutely! We offer a separate pre-natal class so that expectant mothers can bond and support each other, but the workout is essentially the same. Second-time moms might want to come to the Moms Class so that they can bring a little one along to the playgroup. You are welcome to attend whichever class works for you.

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Do I need to reserve for the playgroup?

Please reserve space in the playgroup two days ahead of time. It's naturally important that we have a safe ratio of caregivers to children, and last-minute playgroup additions can throw the balance. Of course, we all end up making last minute changes sometimes, so please drop an email even if you think you've left it too late. Sometimes we'll be able to accommodate an extra child; but sometimes not. Likewise, if you need to cancel at the last minute, please drop a line, so that someone else might be able to use your space.

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Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan Questions Answered Why study Tai Chi? What's the "Flying Fan"? What is the benefit to pregnant women? What is the benefit to new mothers? What do I need to start? Will I be able to do this workout on my own? How do we learn it? What do the classes cost? If I don't have children, can I attend the 'Moms' class? Can I attend the Mom's class if I'm pregnant? Do I need to reserve for the playgroup? Why study Tai Chi? The numerous advantages of practicing Tai Chi have been well documented. Universities like Harvard, Emory, and University of Southern California among others have found that Tai Chi is a workout which Tones muscles without straining Eases back pain Helps with weight loss Provides cardiorespiratory conditioning Promotes correct body posture Improves balance Improves memory, concentration and digestion Reduces anxiety and eases depression Lowers high blood pressure and heart rate Improves cardiac health Improves coordination Boosts the immune system Increases breathing capacity Reduces asthma and allergy reactions Reduces risks of falls Slows bone loss Sharpens mental focus Increases flexibility Reduces joint pain Stimulates circulation Assists mental well-being through meditative forms Return to top What's the "Flying Fan"? Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan is a martial art from that uses a fan as a weapon. There is a long history in Asia of the fan as weapon, for use by both men and women. For women, of course, it is particularly effective, as it involves an easily accessible 'feminine' object. This particular fighting fan form is less aggressive, more medatative than most, while still remaining a viable form of combat. During the workout, the fan provides a great focal point, helping us to forget our bodies even as we connect more deeply with them. And it lends a level of aestethic pleasure to the exercise which is thoroughly unique. Return to top What is the benefit to pregnant women? The benefits of Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan as a prenatal workout are many! Unlike most workouts, this is one which can usually be practiced unaltered thoughout a healthy pregnancy. And yet, unlike most prenatal workouts, Tai Chi Fan does not focus exclusively on pregnancy; instead it offers the expectant mother a few minutes rest from the thoughts that fill her head the rest of the day (and night)! Tai Chi has been found to offer all of the following benefits to pregnant women: Reduce nausea Increase breathing capacity Boost the immune system Strengthen the pelvic floor muscles Reduce asthma and allergy reactions without medication Slow bone loss Sharpen mental focus & improve memory Reduce anxiety, stress, and depression Increase pelvic flexibility Awaken energy Lower high blood pressure and heart rate Help with gastric disturbances Reduce joint pain Relieve back pain Stimulate circulation Improve balance with that constantly changing center of gravity! Return to top What is the benefit to new mothers? All of the benefits listed above are of course important for new mothers, too! Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan is a great gentle workout to ease your way back into a routine again after the changes and challenges of childbirth. The balance and posture training will help you to refind your body, while the slow strengthening and stretching make for an excellent rehabilitation after a C-section. Plus, this is a workout which increases energy rather than exhausting, at a time in life when energy is a hard thing to find! A few minutes with the Flying Fan can help to counter the lack of sleep from the night before! Return to top What do I need to start? Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan requires no previous knowledge of Tai Chi and doesn’t require any special equipment. We provide the simple fans for use during class, and to practice at home you can use any fan that opens and closes easily. Clothing can be anything you move in comfortably, and footwear can be any flat, closed-toe shoe with a little grip (e.g. training shoes or sneakers, dance shoes, wrestling shoes, martial arts shoes, etc...) Will I be able to do this workout on my own? Absolutely! Once you have learned the moves, you can do this short, gentle workout almost anywhere, anytime. Keep a fan in the car and do a 10 minute workout in a park or on the beach! Steal a moment of quiet and calm while your kids are on the swings and come back to them with more energy! Return to top How do we learn it? Tai Chi Flying Rainbow Fan is practiced as a kata, which is a sequence of fight moves constituting one person's side of a fight, performed in a slow-motion style that makes it look almost like a dance. The kata movements have poetic and metaphoric names like White Crane Spreads Its Wings Blue Dragon Emerges from the Water Part the Wild Horse's Mane Immortal Points the Way Offer Incense to the Sky These images help us to remeber the movements, which we practice together repeatedly. Repetition helps to learn the kata and offers a terrific workout at the same time. The purposes of the moves are also explained as we go, so that they are more than simply beautiful postures. White Crane Spreads Its Wings, for example, is an effective blow to the kidneys, and Fair Lady Weaves the Shuttle stabs to the throat. This form is a great opportunity to simultaneously embrace Yin and Yang! Return to top What do the classes cost? One class - $15 5 classes - $60 Childcare - $5 per session Return to top If I don't have children, can I attend the 'Moms' class? Absolutely! Everyone is welcome, and everyone will reap the same benefits from class. We call this one the 'Moms Class' simply because we offer a playgroup with babysitter beside us in the park, allowing mothers to enjoy class alongside everyone else. With or without little ones, we all get the same envigorating, relaxing workout! Can I attend the Mom's class if I'm pregnant? Absolutely! We offer a separate pre-natal class so that expectant mothers can bond and support each other, but the workout is essentially the same. Second-time moms might want to come to the Moms Class so that they can bring a little one along to the playgroup. You are welcome to attend whichever class works for you. Return to top Do I need to reserve for the playgroup? Please reserve space in the playgroup two days ahead of time. It's naturally important that we have a safe ratio of caregivers to children, and last-minute playgroup additions can throw the balance. Of course, we all end up making last minute changes sometimes, so please drop an email even if you think you've left it too late. Sometimes we'll be able to accommodate an extra child; but sometimes not. Likewise, if you need to cancel at the last minute, please drop a line, so that someone else might be able to use your space. Return to top