Walk through any of Bath's parks on a bright morning and you will often spot a small group moving slowly and in unison, hands rising and falling as though pushing against water. Plenty of adults pause, watch for a moment, and then talk themselves out of ever joining in. The reasons tend to be the same handful of misconceptions, and almost all of them are mistaken.

"I'd Need to Be Flexible Before I Start"

This is the most common worry, and it works in exactly the wrong direction. Flexibility is not a prerequisite for tai chi — it is one of the results. Beginners are never asked to bend deeply, kick high or twist into shapes their bodies do not yet want to make. The movements are small to begin with: gentle weight shifts, soft circles of the hands, arms lifting only as far as the shoulders allow.

A good teacher will offer options for every posture. Hands can stay low rather than rising to shoulder height. A wide stance can become a narrow one. If your knees complain, you can sit through part of the class and still learn the arm patterns. Over a few months, most people notice their hips, shoulders and hamstrings loosening simply because they have been moving them regularly and without strain. Nobody in a beginner's class in Bath is touching their toes on day one, and nobody is expected to.

"It's Too Slow to Count as Real Exercise"

Slow is not a compromise here — it is the method. Moving deliberately recruits the small stabilising muscles around the ankles, knees and hips that fast movement skips over. It also exposes any weakness in your balance, which is precisely why it improves it. Holding a posture for five slow breaths while your weight rests on one leg is quietly demanding work.

Do not be surprised if your thighs ache after your first session. The cardiovascular effect is moderate rather than dramatic, but it is real and sustainable. You can also dial the intensity up: sink a little lower into the stance, hold each posture for longer, or repeat a qigong sequence more times. Many adults find this suits them better than a gym class, because they finish feeling loosened rather than drained.

"It's Only for Older People"

Tai chi has a reputation as something you take up in retirement, but that sells it short. Adults in their thirties and forties come to it for stiff necks, aching lower backs, desk-bound shoulders and a mind that will not switch off. Runners use it to loosen tight hips; cyclists use it to open the chest. Because it is low impact and joint-friendly, it works well for anyone returning to movement after injury or a long break.

What unites the people in a typical class is not age. It is a preference for steady, thoughtful movement over pounding and pushing.

"I'll Never Remember the Sequences"

Worrying about memory is understandable, because the traditional forms look long and intricate when performed by someone with years of practice. In reality, you learn in very small pieces. A teacher will demonstrate two or three movements, you copy them, and you repeat them until they settle. Nothing needs to be memorised before you arrive.

Qigong is even more forgiving. Many sets are built from a handful of simple, repeated movements with clear names, so you can follow along from the very first session. The longer tai chi forms are made up of the same few principles recycled in different directions. Repetition across weeks does the work, not willpower on the night.

"I Have to Empty My Mind"

Mindful movement does not require a silent brain. The instruction to clear your thoughts trips up more beginners than any physical posture. A more practical approach is to give the mind something simple to do: follow the breath, notice the shift of weight from one foot to the other, feel the air against your palms.

When thoughts wander — and they will — you simply notice and return to the movement. That returning is the practice. Most people find the mental quiet arrives as a side effect of paying close attention to the body, rather than as something they have to force.

What a Beginner's Class Is Actually Like

Sessions usually run for an hour to seventy-five minutes in a hall or community space, with chairs available. Expect a gentle warm-up, some qigong, a short section of form, and a calm finish.

• Wear loose, comfortable clothing and flat, flexible shoes — trainers are fine.
• Bring water, and tell the teacher about any knee, back, hip or heart concerns before you start.
• Ask about class sizes; smaller groups mean more individual correction.
• Try two or three sessions before deciding. The first class often feels strange; the second starts to make sense.
• Aim for ten minutes of practice at home between classes rather than an hour once a week.

The honest truth is that tai chi asks very little of you to begin. It asks only that you turn up, move within your comfortable range, and let the benefits accumulate quietly in the background.