Move · Videos · Tai Chi · 11 min

Tai Chi 5 Minutes a Day: Lesson 1 for Beginners

Tai Chi 5 Minutes a Day: Lesson 1 for Beginners — video by Taiflow Play · 11:00

Video by Taiflow on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Leia Cohen teaches four simple tai chi moves for complete beginners, floating the arms, opening the door, the wave push and embracing the moon, then you repeat them as a quiet five-minute practice to music. Made to become a daily habit.

  • 11 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
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Step by step 7

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  1. Floating arms: feet together, float the arms up like wings as you breathe in and down as you breathe out. 1:31
  2. Opening the door: hands rise in front as you breathe in and drift down as you breathe out, like the tide. 2:08
  3. Hug the tree: breathe in and open the arms wide, then breathe out and round them in as if hugging a tree. 3:00
  4. The wave: step out on an angle and push, shifting your weight forward and back like a wave rolling in and out. 3:38
  5. Step back to hug the tree, then do the wave on the other side. 4:13
  6. Embrace the moon: one hand under and one on top, move the moon gently from side to side as you breathe. 4:49
  7. Five-minute practice: repeat the whole sequence quietly to music, without instruction. 5:50

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Breathe in as the arms float up and out as they melt down
  • Step out on an angle and shift the weight forward and back like a wave
  • Don't worry about perfect form; moving a little every day is what counts

What it works

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Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Shoulders movesfloating arms, opening the door, hugging the tree
  • Hips movesweight shifts forward and back
  • Knees movessoft knees, stepping on an angle, wave push
  • Ankles & feet movessmall steps and weight shifts

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Taiflow; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety