Getting started with Tai Chi is not at all easy if you try to use a body posture while breathing from the lower abdomen. Well, if you take such an approach, it will certainly be a great challenge, and you will be disappointed if you can not manage to do both. Getting started with Tai Chi means learning the body postures well so that you can continue with the actual flowing movements.
Find a good teacher before getting started with Tai Chi without any direct assistance. There are nevertheless video guides and with a good DVD you can start practicing Tai Chi at home. We do not recommend learning from books because you cannot see how to pass from one posture to another by that flowing movement that is specific to the practice as such. Therefore, there are few advantages in learning from a video tape than from going to a real Tai Chi class.
Before getting started with Tai Chi you can also get a look over the main styles so as to see what they have to offer. Differences are noticeable and so are attitudes, which is why you can make your choice based on the impression a certain style creates on you. Then, there is the issue of whether a certain style is available in your neighborhood or not. Getting started with Tai Chi has some challenges, and you need to work together with other people who take an interest in this ancient Chinese practice.
You will also have to get familiar with the idea of universal Chi before getting started with Tai Chi, as you will thus better understand the energetic mechanisms. Space will not be a problem as long as you choose some quiet location. Read some materials on Tai Chi in order to make an opinion about the specifics of this soft martial art.
Then, one other issue to consider before getting started with Tai Chi is your commitment to the practice. Normally, twenty minutes of training per day should be enough. But progress in your health condition and spiritual well being is only visible when you persist in practice. Do not take up this defensive martial art unless you mean to get something good out of it.