My name is Jim Kohler. I am a retired engineer who worked most of my career in

the automotive and manufacturing industries. One of the parts of my responsibilities

as an engineer included teaching in one manner or another to all levels of personnel.

I found I had a passion for this type of interactionwith others.

My studies of Tai Chi began in January of 2008 at an adult education class conducted

by Sifu John Marchewitz. I was looking for an exercise routine that would be gentle

enough for my extremely beat-up body after spending so many years in high stress

environments, walking on concrete flooring all day long. A second problem to

overcome was my weight – when I began weighed just over 300 pounds. To my

pleasant surprise Tai Chi did not require expensive equipment or any kind of

specialized facilities and worked with the student’s existing level of physical condition.

As I started into the classes to learn the Form, I found it to be gentle enough to do

with my chronic lower back pain and swollen achy knees. After the first few classes

I began to realize increases in strength, range of motion and an overall reduction in pain.

A further bonus was that after the first series of classes, I was able to reduce one of

my blood pressure maintenance drugs. About this time I added in one of the senior

level classes which works on respiration and circulation through a series of stretching

exercises and concludes with a senior level of the Form or a meditation. About every

four months mow my doctor was eliminating one of my blood pressure drugs as my

circulation system became less stressed. At this point I knew I wanted to share Tai Chi

with others in similarly compromised physical states.

Still weighing in at 300 pounds I began following a new diet routine, Weight Watchers,

and gave my first Tai Chi demonstration in March of 2011. My first official class was

held in April and I have been working with seniors since. Currently I am teaching

weekly classes at a Clinton Township retirement home, at a church in Eastpointe

and a church in Clinton Township. As my weight began to diminish my physician

removed my last two maintenance drugs. I have since reached my goal weight

of 200 pounds.

In November of 2012 I was accepted as a disciple of Sifu John. I continue to take

classes and attend seminars under the teaching of Sifu John and Sibak (“Uncle”)

Mike Ashmore.