TCC In Print: Milpitas Postman by Day, T’ai Chi Chih Teacher by Night

Excerpts from an article in the Community News, Milpitas, CA written by Monica Yadegar. Titled “Milpitas postman by day, t’ai chi chih teacher by night” the article features TCC instructor, Fred Muckel.

Seeing what the art did to a woman who spent a year in a body cast after back surgery turned Fred Muckel toward tai chi nearly 20 years ago. Since then, the longtime Milpitas Post Office letter carrier has been practicing the Chinese art in its various forms. In recent years, he has become a teacher himself.

Originally Muckel studied “t’ai chi chuan,” which is considered a martial art. But after 15 years Muckel decided he could not perfect it to his satisfaction. While at a bookstore, however, he can across a book on the meditative art of “tai chi chih,” a form of Chinese yoga.

“I read it and tried some of the movements, found a teacher, Susan Hudgens, and started studying with her,” he said. “I went from student to teacher in 10 months with her, primarily because of my t’ai chi chuan background. It came pretty easily to me.”

T’ai chi chih, which has only been taught world wide since 1975 and has about 700 teachers, is a 20-movement meditative set designed strictly for relaxation and stress reduction. Although it is open to any age, according to Muckel, typically people in their 30’s to 60’s practice.

“A lot of senior people also really like the movements, (because) they’re nice and soft and gentle. There’s no physical strain to it,” he said. “It’s been known to do a number of things for the body — lower your blood pressure and it can aid in weight reduction. It’s been known for people who have had cancer to go into remission. Of course everybody has their own experience with it, but the people that I’ve taught really seem to enjoy it. It just takes a little dedication and a little effort to do the practice.”

Muckel, who became accredited as a teacher in 1993, instructs at various places in the area, including the Milpitas Community Center. Hudgens, who usually teaches the one-hour Wednesday night class, has taken some time off to care for a new baby. Muckel has been substituting for her at the center.

He also teaches regularly at the Church of Religious Sciences and [periodically assists at] the Warm Springs Community Center in Fremont.

Classes are usually an hour long and range in sign-up fees from $30 to $46 for six- to eight-week sessions.

“It’s really a wonderful thing and it’s helped me a lot, (because) I have a back problem,” Muckel said. “I enjoy teaching and don’t care if only one student is there.”