Tai Chi requires the most important piece of equipment you possess: Yourself. Other than that all you
need is a little bit of space.
Every activity these days seems to require special equipment and it’s certainly possible to wear special
Tai Chi costumes. But they’re just that, costumes. They’re sure not needed to practice even at the
highest levels of realization.
Sure you want to wear comfortable clothes, but don’t you always? I have practiced in dress slacks and
slick leather soled shoes. They’re formal but still comfortable. I haven’t worn a tie in the 25 years since I
started practicing Tai Chi but a tie sure wouldn’t get in the way. I used to spend a lot of time on the
beach and it was great to practice in my swim suit and bare feet.
While I don’t recommend that anyone wear those torture devices known as high heeled shoes, if they’re
what you’re wearing and you can move comfortably in them there’s sure no reason you can’t practice
Tai Chi in heels and a dress. If you prefer your Yoga togs, well, those work too.
It simply doesn’t matter what you wear, or whether or not you wear anything at all. You just need to be
comfortable doing your Tai Chi practice.
You can practice just about anywhere too. You sure don’t need to rent a court or get a Tee time. The full
Sun style form takes 30 linear feet and about 6 feet from front to back. But if you need to, you can
practice in a lot less space. One of my friends called a more space conscious form his ‘jailhouse Tai Chi.’
That’s not something I have experience with, thankfully, but I have been in some tight spots and
managed to meditate through the entire 9 sections by staying centered in my upper and lower body and
stepping one direction or the other to transition from one section to the next in spaces as small as 8 x 5
feet- this would be a hotel room during a brutal storm when I broke my rule to always practice outside
to add nature to the meditative mix.
You don’t even need peace and quiet. Before security went paranoid, I used to practice amidst the
bustle of busy airports. I sometimes enjoy the concentrative challenge of practicing in a festival crowd.
Sure it’s a different experience, but it has its value and can actually help you apply the Tai Chi principles
of centered balance into more areas of your life.
It’s a welcome disappointment that Tai Chi Class.org won’t be merchandising a line of special Tai Chi
clothing. I do have some pretty cool T shirt ideas but if I get around to selling those, it will be because I
love them not because you need them for your practice. Tai Chi Chuan is the Un-consumer sport. Just
bring yourself, relax into yourself, enjoy yourself and express yourself. Let Tai Chi help you be yourself
whatever your wear and wherever you are.