Tai Chi in Tel Aviv, Near Givatayim and Ramat Gan, with Ron Melchet
Tai Chi (Taijiquan) is an internal Chinese martial art that combines movement, posture, breathing, concentration, and internal principles connecting body and mind.
At Internal Way, I teach Tai Chi for adults, from complete beginners to advanced practitioners, in East Tel Aviv near Givatayim and Ramat Gan. Training is available in small groups, private lessons, and live online sessions.
Tai Chi develops physical abilities such as posture, balance, coordination, and the efficient use of strength, but the practice goes beyond the physical. We also work on awareness, concentration, calmness, intention, and the ability to remain organized and stable under pressure.
One of the central ideas in Tai Chi is the connection between the internal and the external: between the body, awareness, and intention, and between the strength we develop within ourselves and the way it is expressed through movement and interaction with the world around us.
I am Ron Melchet, a certified Tai Chi and self-defense instructor, practicing martial arts since 1996. I teach Tai Chi through the connection between martial arts, body and mind, movement, and health.
What Is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi, or Taijiquan, is a Chinese internal martial art based on principles such as body structure, relaxation, timing, weight transfer, intention, and the efficient use of force.
Many people know Tai Chi for its slow movements, but moving slowly is not the goal. It allows us to feel more clearly what is happening in the body, recognize unnecessary tension, and learn to connect external movement with attention, intention, and our internal state.
As the practice deepens, we learn how softness and strength can exist together, how our internal state affects movement, and how the body and mind can begin to work as one system.
Tai Chi can be practiced for health, posture, and balance, while also allowing practitioners to explore its internal and martial principles more deeply. For me, these are not two different kinds of Tai Chi. They are different aspects of the same art.
You can begin learning Tai Chi without any previous martial arts experience, and without needing a high level of fitness or exceptional flexibility.
At first, we work on the foundations: stance, posture, weight transfer, breathing, relaxation, movement, and awareness of the body.
Gradually, students begin to understand not only how to perform a movement, but what is happening within it: how the body connects, where movement originates, where unnecessary tension is being held, and how intention affects the body.
The goal is not to learn many movements as quickly as possible. The goal is to build a solid foundation that can continue developing for many years.
For more experienced practitioners, the work gradually moves beyond the external performance of the form toward a deeper understanding of the principles that make it work.
We focus more on whole-body connection, the center, intention, issuing power, timing, sensitivity, and the ability to remain relaxed without losing structure or strength.
Advanced Tai Chi training takes place on Tuesdays at 8:30 PM in Ramat Yisrael, Tel Aviv. Participation requires my approval and is intended for students with sufficient experience and understanding of the foundations. Advanced students are also welcome to attend the regular Sunday classes at 6:45 PM.
Advanced practice also includes deeper exploration of the classical principles of Tai Chi and the relationship between the form, internal practice, and martial application.
The goal is for these principles to stop being ideas that are understood only intellectually and gradually become part of the way the body and mind actually function.
How to Choose a Tai Chi Class for Beginners in Tel Aviv
When looking for a place to learn Tai Chi, it's worth considering not only where classes are held, but also what is taught and how.
Tai Chi is an art that can be studied for many years. I believe it's important to understand the principles behind the movements from the beginning: posture, balance, movement from the center, relaxation, and learning to use the body as a connected whole.
At Internal Way in Tel Aviv, I teach small groups so that even complete beginners can receive individual attention. My approach combines the health benefits of Tai Chi with its internal and martial principles, adapting the training to each student's experience and ability.
Classes take place in Ramat Yisrael, East Tel Aviv, close to Givatayim and Ramat Gan. No previous experience is required.
The Internal Principles of Tai Chi: Body, Mind and Intention
Tai Chi is a very physical practice, but it is not only physical.
We work with posture, joints, the center, balance, and movement, while at the same time developing attention, intention, calmness, and the ability to feel what is happening in the body in real time.
Over time, a deeper connection develops between the internal and external aspects of practice. Between what we feel and intend to do, and the way the body responds and acts.
This can be understood as developing both internal and external strength, and more importantly, the connection between them.
The practice is not about escaping the body into something abstract. It is about bringing body, mind, and intention together into clearer, more unified action.
For me, this is one of the deeper aspects of Tai Chi. What we develop in training can influence not only the way we move, but also the way we meet pressure, difficulty, uncertainty, and ourselves.
What Is Tai Chi Walking?
Tai Chi Walking is a foundational practice in which we walk slowly and with control while paying close attention to weight transfer, posture, foot placement, the pelvis, and the connection between different parts of the body.
It allows us to isolate important Tai Chi principles and practice them in a relatively simple way. Tai Chi Walking can be used to work on balance, controlled weight transfer, movement awareness, and coordination.
But Tai Chi Walking is only one part of complete Tai Chi practice.
Tai Chi also includes body structure, relaxation, breathing, intention, movement from the center, forms, internal principles, partner work, and martial applications.
Someone practicing Tai Chi Walking can gain a great deal from it, but learning Tai Chi as a complete system connects these principles to a much broader practice of movement, body, and mind.
What Do You Learn in a Tai Chi Class?
In class, we work on posture and body structure, balance, weight transfer, coordination between different parts of the body, breathing, relaxation, and continuous movement.
A class usually begins with work that prepares the body and brings more attention to posture, the joints, breathing, and movement.
From there, we move into principles such as weight transfer, structure, whole-body connection, and movement from the center.
We then practice Tai Chi movements and forms, with individual corrections and explanations of the principles within the movement.
As students progress, we can go deeper into partner work and the martial side of Tai Chi, testing how the principles work when real external force is applied.
It is important to me that students gradually understand what they are doing and why, rather than simply memorizing a sequence of movements.
Want to see if the training could be right for you? You can talk to me before deciding.
What Can You Develop Through Tai Chi?
Posture, Balance and Quality of Movement
The practice includes weight shifts, changes of direction, posture, coordination, and controlled movement. Over time, it can help improve balance, movement quality, and body awareness.
At the same time, we learn to recognize unnecessary effort and look for a more efficient and relaxed way to move.
Concentration, Calmness and Dealing with Stress
In Tai Chi, we learn to move without rushing and to remain attentive even as the movement becomes more complex.
Slow movement, natural breathing, and attention to the body allow us to notice tension instead of reacting to it automatically.
The goal is not to remain calm all the time. It is to develop the ability to recognize our state, stay present, and act in a more organized way even under pressure.
This is one of the places where the work we do in training begins to connect with life outside the class.
Tai Chi as a Martial Art
Tai Chi is a Chinese internal martial art, even though today many people know it primarily as a practice for health and movement.
The martial side teaches us how to use body structure, timing, sensitivity, direction, and weight transfer rather than relying only on muscular strength.
Partner work also allows us to test whether the principles we practice alone actually work when another person is in front of us and external force is being applied.
Training is gradual and controlled. Hard sparring is not necessary in order to begin understanding and developing the martial side of Tai Chi.
Tai Chi Classes in Tel Aviv, Givatayim and Ramat Gan
Internal Way Tai Chi classes are held in East Tel Aviv, in the Ramat Yisrael area, close to Givatayim and Ramat Gan. The location is also convenient for people coming from Bitzaron, Nahalat Yitzhak, Yad Eliyahu, and nearby neighborhoods.
Classes are taught in small groups and are suitable for adults, from complete beginners to advanced practitioners.
Online Tai Chi Classes in Israel
You can also study Tai Chi with me through live online training from anywhere in Israel.
Online training is suitable for both beginners and advanced practitioners who do not live near Tel Aviv, as well as for people who want to maintain continuity in their practice during periods when getting to an in-person class is difficult.
Self-Paced Online Tai Chi Course
Tai Chi Long Form Journey is a structured online course based on the Wang Shu-Chin tradition. It allows students to study the form, revisit explanations and demonstrations, and develop their practice at their own pace, wherever they live.
This is active training, not a class that you simply watch.
You practice in real time, receive explanations and corrections, and learn how to continue working independently between lessons.
Tai Chi Private Classes
Online or offline Tai Chi classes for begginers or advanced of all levels and ages.
About Ron Melchet
I am Ron Melchet, a certified Tai Chi and self-defense instructor, and I have been practicing martial arts since 1996.
I teach Tai Chi through the connection between martial arts, body and mind, movement, and health.
I am interested both in the martial ability developed through Tai Chi and in the internal work that takes place through practice: awareness, intention, calmness, persistence, connection with the body, and the ability to act with greater stability under pressure.
It is important to me that students do more than learn a form. I want them to gradually understand the principles behind it and become able to feel those principles in their own bodies.
Training at Internal Way is for people who want to learn seriously without a competitive or aggressive atmosphere. There is room for questions, exploration, practice, and an individual learning process.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tai Chi Classes
Do I Need to Be Fit to Start Tai Chi?
No. You do not need a high level of fitness or exceptional flexibility to begin. The practice is developed gradually and can be adapted to each student's ability and experience.
At What Age Can I Start Learning Tai Chi?
Tai Chi can also be started later in life. The level of physical demand and the pace of progress can be adapted to the individual.
How Often Should I Practice Tai Chi?
One regular class per week can be a good foundation, especially when combined with some short practice at home. The more consistently you practice, the easier it becomes for the principles to become part of the way your body moves.
Do I Need to Practice Tai Chi at Home?
You do not have to, but even a few minutes of practice between classes can make a meaningful difference. In Tai Chi, the body learns through repetition, attention, and time.
Can I Join a Tai Chi Group If the Other Students Have Already Been Training?
Yes. Different levels can work together in the same group. Beginners receive the foundations appropriate for their stage, while more experienced practitioners can explore the same principles at a deeper level.
What Should I Wear to a Tai Chi Class?
What Should I Wear to a Tai Chi Class?
What Is the Difference Between Tai Chi Walking and Learning Complete Tai Chi?
Tai Chi Walking focuses mainly on walking, weight transfer, posture, and balance. It can be an excellent practice in itself, but complete Tai Chi training also includes forms, movement from the center, intention, structure, internal principles, partner work, and martial applications.
Is Tai Chi good for High-Tech employees
Yes. Tai Chi practice is helpful to improve posture, reduce pressure improve mobility and much more benefits, mentally and physically..
Can Tai chi improve my day to day life?
The principles of Tai Chi with practice can be a part of day to day life, improving family life, work and friends relationship, and self improvement and wellness.
Where Can I Join Group Tai Chi Classes in Tel Aviv?
Internal Way offers small-group Tai Chi classes for adults every Sunday at 6:45 PM in Ramat Yisrael, East Tel Aviv, near Givatayim and Ramat Gan. Classes welcome complete beginners as well as experienced practitioners. You can attend a trial lesson to experience the teaching approach before joining.
Why is Tai Chi called internal martial art?
Internal martial art is unique in the connection of mental and physical connection while maintaining "song" which is relaxation while keeping the exact minimum controled pressure to adjust to the counter power. This relaxation type is a part of every move and is a vital part of Tai Chi
Want to See If Tai Chi Is Right for You?
If you are thinking about starting Tai Chi but are not sure whether the training is right for your age, fitness level, experience, or what you are looking for, you are welcome to talk to me before deciding.
Tell me a little about what you are looking for, and I can explain how the training works and what approach might suit you.