Calvin Damer, who holds the highest level of certification for yoga teachers, recently earned his Tai Chi Practitioner Certification from ATCQA through our training program.
We caught up with him for a rapid-fire Q&A about his journey to Tai Chi certification and the practical insights he shares with fellow yoga teachers.
(🧘Learn more about why yoga teachers should consider adding Tai Chi to their offerings)
Q: Can you please tell us about your background in yoga?
A: I have been a yoga teacher for over 10 years and taught over 5000 classes including teacher trainings. I have E-RYT 500 YACEP, the highest globally recognized credential awarded by the Yoga Alliance, and specialized certifications.
Q: How did you become interested in Tai Chi?
A: I first became interested in Tai Chi when living in Asia for a few years. Subsequently I took Qi Gong and Tai Chi classes from 2 different instructors. I loved to get lost in the flow of Tai Chi and used it as a moving meditation.
Q: How may our Tai Chi program have helped you?
A: The training program at Holistic Health Pros was exceptional in that the breakdown of postures, the segments that were well defined and the queues were very helpful.
Q: Suggestions for other yoga teachers who are learning Tai Chi?
A: For yoga teachers expanding to Tai Chi, I think that moving through the forms slowly is the biggest hurdle. On the other hand, yoga helped me prepare for Tai Chi with single minded focus, balance and steadiness within the postures.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue a certification in Tai Chi?
A: The certification allows me to pick up more classes and reach more people using a different modality. For example, some older people are hesitant to do yoga but really enjoy benefits of Tai Chi.
Being certified opens so many doors, from Country Clubs to medical facilities to the VA, community centers, cruise ships, etc. It really presents an endless opportunity with a trending form of exercise that is truly beneficial to the participants, and those benefits are now being documented by science at some of the most prestigious academic and medical facilities around the world.
🖥️ Want to start learning Tai Chi today? Enroll now or Try Free Classes!
