GETTING STARTED: Your First Steps into Chen Family Taijiquan

If you are new to Tai Chi, choosing where and how you begin matters more than you may realize.

Many modern approaches introduce Tai Chi through simplified movements or short routines. While these methods may appear accessible, they often overlook the internal principles that make Tai Chi a complete system for health, awareness, longevity, and personal cultivation.

At Chen Bing Taiji Academy USA, we begin where Tai Chi began—through the teachings of Chen Family Taijiquan from Chenjiagou, the birthplace of Tai Chi.

This is not simply about learning movements.

It is about learning how Tai Chi actually works.

Step 1 – Begin with Public Classes

All new students begin through our Public Classes.

The Public Class curriculum follows the Academy's Tai Chi 100 Series and introduces the essential foundations of Chen Family Taijiquan:

• Tai Chi 100 – Fang Song (Relaxation)

• Tai Chi 101 – Reeling Silk

• Tai Chi 102 – Basic 13 Form

Through these classes, students develop relaxation, balance, body awareness, coordination, structure, and internal connection.

No prior experience is required.

Step 2 – Develop Consistency Through Public Membership

Students who wish to practice beyond weekly classes may continue through Public Membership.

Public Membership combines Public Classes with dedicated Open Practice Hours, allowing students to reinforce what they have learned and establish a sustainable personal practice.

Public Membership is designed to help students transform Tai Chi from something they attend into something they practice consistently.

For many students, this is where real progress begins.

Step 3 – Explore Trademarked Membership

Students seeking more focused development may apply for Trademarked Membership.

Available exclusively through Chen Bing Taiji Academy USA, these cohort-based programs feature proprietary Tai Chi curricula developed by Master Bosco Baek and protected through USPTO trademark registration.

Current programs include:

• Tai Chi for Cancer™

• Tai Chi for Spinal Ailments™

• Tai Chi for Falls Prevention™

• Tai Chi for Insomnia™

These programs serve as a bridge between Public Membership and Academy Membership, providing structured and targeted training for students seeking deeper development.

Step 4 – Pursue Academy Membership

For students committed to long-term study, teaching, and lineage preservation, Academy Membership represents the most comprehensive training pathway within CBTA USA.

The Academy is a multi-year apprenticeship dedicated to developing future teachers, leaders, disciples, and lineage holders of Chen Family Taijiquan.

Admission is selective and requires demonstrated commitment, accumulated training experience, and approval by the Academy leadership.

Why Begin with Chen Family Taijiquan?

Beginning at the source provides a clear and coherent foundation.

Rather than learning disconnected techniques, students are introduced to a complete training system rooted in the birthplace of Tai Chi and preserved through direct lineage transmission.

This step-by-step pathway allows students to build a practice that is:

• Rooted in authentic lineage

• Safe and sustainable

• Internally consistent

• Applicable throughout life

• Capable of supporting both health and personal development

Supported by Modern Research

Modern research continues to support many of the traditional benefits long associated with Tai Chi.

Studies have shown that regular practice may help improve:

• Balance and coordination

• Flexibility and strength

• Sleep quality

• Stress management

• Mental clarity

• Overall quality of life

At Chen Bing Taiji Academy USA, these benefits are viewed not as separate goals, but as natural outcomes of practicing Tai Chi according to its original principles.

The Most Important Step

Every experienced practitioner was once a beginner.

The most important step is simply to begin.

Whether your goal is better health, greater balance, deeper understanding, or lifelong cultivation, every journey starts with a single class.