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Should I go barefoot for tai chi?

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:04 pm
by dianexx
Hello,
Had been going to a regular Tai Chi class for around 4 months, but sadly the class folded due to the teacher being ill, but I managed to locate another on in the area a few weeks ago. When I first enquired about this class at the venue I was told all classes were done barefooted which I was surprised at. Anyway I turned up without a change of footwear, only to find other class members with footwear on. As I only had my outdoor shoes on I had to go barefoot, but asked the teacher as to why I was told it was to be done in bare feet.
He told me the venue did not allow footwear as it was a new sprung wooden floor, but they were allowed to wear a certain kind of Tai Chi footwear.
He said he would get some more when he was at the next tai chi seminar, but I am now barefooted for the classes till them and I don't find it very nice. To start with the floor is freezing till the room heats up and I never had to go barefoot at my previous class. Do different schools of tai chi have different rules or approaches to tai chi ?

Re: Should I go barefoot for tai chi?

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:56 pm
by ChiDragon
Hi, diannexx,
This subject had come up many times. Let's put it this way. The floor shouldn't and shall not be the dominant factor to determine weather to wear shoes for Tai Chi practice or not. IMO, it was not recommend to practice Tai Chi barefooted.