Best Tai Chi Private Lessons
in Chicago
The most direct way to learn Tai Chi. Your body, your pace, your questions — and the form built carefully around all three.
Why Go Private
A practice built around your body — not the average one.
Group classes have their place. They build community, rhythm, and a long-arc commitment to practice. But there is no faster, more careful, more responsive way to learn Tai Chi than one-on-one. In a private session, every minute is yours.
Yaakov teaches private students the same way his teachers in China taught him: slowly, in detail, and corrected in real time. The form adjusts to your knees, your shoulders, your history. Questions get answered when you ask them, not at the end of class. Whatever stage you're at — never practiced, recovering from injury, or refining technique after a decade — privates meet you exactly there.
Prefer to practice at home? Yaakov can come to you and teach private lessons in your own space — a familiar, comfortable setting, with no travel on your end.
Best For
- First-time students who want a careful, unrushed start
- People with injuries, mobility issues, or specific physical concerns
- Athletes integrating Tai Chi into existing training
- Returning practitioners refining the form
- Anyone with a schedule that doesn't fit group classes
- Students who'd rather be taught at home, or by video from outside Chicago
Built Around You
The Form Adapts to You
Privates aren't a fixed curriculum — they bend to whoever walks in. Choose where you're starting from.
Starting from zero
No experience, no athleticism, no flexibility required. The first sessions are mostly standing, breathing, and a single opening movement — taught slowly enough that nothing feels rushed. You leave knowing exactly what to practice and why it matters.
- Foundations before form
- One movement at a time
- Zero pressure, zero comparison
Working with what your body brings
Knee replacements, lower-back pain, frozen shoulders, chronic fatigue — Yaakov has taught through all of them. The form is endlessly adaptable, including seated work when standing isn't an option. We build around your limits, not against them.
- Movements scaled to your range
- Seated adaptations available
- Coordinated with your recovery
Adding depth to how you move
Runners, climbers, lifters, dancers — privates rebuild the small stabilizers, the breath, and the recovery your sport quietly depletes. The internal mechanics of Tai Chi translate directly into more efficient, more resilient movement everywhere else.
- Breath and recovery training
- Balance and root under load
- Integrates with your existing program
Refining what you already know
Returning after years away, or polishing a form you've practiced for a decade — privates give you the detailed, real-time correction a group class never can. We work on the things only a teacher's eye catches.
- Detail work and corrections
- Push-hands and application, optional
- The why behind each movement
What's Included
Every Session, Tailored
Each private lesson is shaped around what your body needs that week. The four core elements are always present.
Posture Assessment
Each session begins with a quiet look at how you're standing today — what's holding, what's compensating, what's asking for attention. The form is built on this foundation.
Form Instruction
The Chen-style short form, taught movement by movement. New students learn opening sequences; experienced students refine details that group classes simply can't address.
Breath Work
Specific exercises to recover the lower breath — the diaphragmatic, settled breathing that supports the form and changes how you carry stress through your day.
Take-Home Notes
After each session, you receive a brief written summary — the movements covered, the corrections to remember, and one or two things to practice in the coming week.
How It Works
From Inquiry to Practice
A simple, no-pressure path from your first message to your first session.
Reach Out
Same-day replySend a brief WhatsApp message or email. Tell Yaakov a little about yourself — any prior experience, any physical considerations, what brought you to Tai Chi. No form to fill out, no commitment yet.
Short Conversation
10–15 minutesA quick call or message exchange to make sure private lessons are the right fit, answer your questions, and choose between in-person, in-home, video, or hybrid format. Yaakov will tell you honestly if a group class would serve you better.
Book Your First Session
Within the week, usuallyPick a time that works. You'll receive a confirmation with the address (or video link), a few notes on what to wear, and what to expect in your first hour. The first session is a full 60 minutes, paid in advance.
Practice Together
OngoingMost students settle into a weekly or bi-weekly rhythm. Some come monthly for refinement. There is no contract, no package required — pay session by session, or save with a package if you know you want to commit.
Choose Your Format
Three Ways to Practice
Each format has its strengths. Most students start with one and discover over time what works for their schedule and learning style.
At the Studio or Your Home
A quiet space in the Chicago area, set up for movement — or your own home, if you'd prefer Yaakov come to you. Best for students who want the full benefit of being corrected by touch.
- 60 or 90 minute sessions
- Hands-on adjustments
- At the studio or in your home
- Free parking nearby
Mix In-Person & Video
The most popular choice for working students. Meet in person when schedules allow; continue online the rest of the time. Same teacher, same continuity.
- Alternate weekly formats
- Consistent progress between sessions
- Travel-friendly
- Easy rescheduling
From Anywhere
Video sessions over Zoom for students outside Chicago, or for weeks when life makes travel impractical. More effective than people expect.
- 60 minute sessions
- Recorded review available
- Works for students worldwide
- Same Mandarin or English instruction
Your First Session
What to Expect
Most new students arrive a little nervous. Within ten minutes, almost nobody is. Here's what the first hour actually looks like.
A few questions about your body, your goals, and any history that matters. Tea, if you want it.
The foundation of every Tai Chi practice. We start here regardless of experience level — it's where everything begins.
The opening of the form, taught slowly. You'll learn one or two complete sequences, with all the time you need to feel them.
A moment of standing, your questions answered, and a brief summary of what to practice — and what not to worry about — until next time.
Questions
Common Questions
Are private lessons better than group classes?
"Better" depends on what you need. Privates are faster and more responsive — you'll make more progress per hour. Group classes are slower and more community-oriented. Many students do both: privates to build a foundation and refine technique, group classes to stay in a regular rhythm of practice. Yaakov will tell you honestly what fits best for where you are.
How often should I come?
For most beginners, weekly is ideal for the first 8–12 weeks while the foundations are being built. After that, every other week is often plenty — many students settle into a monthly rhythm once they have their own practice going at home. Privates are not meant to replace your daily practice; they're meant to refine and support it.
What if I have an injury or limitation?
This is exactly what privates are for. Yaakov has worked with students recovering from knee replacements, lower back pain, frozen shoulders, chronic fatigue, and a wide range of other conditions. The form can be adapted in countless ways. Mention what's going on when you reach out — he'll tell you honestly whether private Tai Chi is appropriate, and what to expect.
Can you teach at my home?
Yes. Yaakov can come to your home and teach private lessons there — many students prefer practicing in a familiar, comfortable space with no travel on their end. Mention where you're located when you reach out and he'll let you know what's possible.
Do video sessions actually work?
Better than you'd think. The main limitation is no hands-on correction. Everything else — visual demonstration, real-time feedback, breath cues, and the careful pace — translates well over video. Many of Yaakov's long-term students are video-only. For first sessions, in-person is recommended if possible, but it's not required.
Can I bring my partner or spouse?
Yes — couples from the same household can practice together for an additional $40 per session. In fact, the impetus for many couples to begin is the desire to have their spouse participate. Classes work well even if partners do not start at the same point. Talk it through with Yaakov.
What's your cancellation policy?
24 hours' notice for a full refund or reschedule. Less than 24 hours, the session is forfeit — but emergencies happen, and Yaakov is reasonable about genuine ones. Sessions from packages can always be rescheduled freely within the package window.
What if I don't know if Tai Chi is right for me?
Book one session. That's the whole answer. You'll know within an hour whether the form interests you, whether Yaakov's way of teaching works for your learning style, and whether you want to keep going. No pressure to commit to anything beyond that.
Begin
Your practice starts
with one conversation.
Send a message. Ask anything. Yaakov will reply personally, usually within a few hours, and help you decide whether private lessons are right for where you are.