Learn Tai Chi
Learn Tai Chi. It’s an exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels. The movements of Tai Chi are non-strenuous, relaxed, slow-moving, soft, and flowing.
It has often been described as moving meditation, as it relieves stress and improves concentration. It is the gentleness and slowness of Tai Chi that makes it so applicable to everyone as a form of exercise.
When you watch Tai Chi being performed, it looks effortless, but this comes from a considerable amount of practice.
When practised for health and fitness, the slow-motion movements of Tai Chi provide three basic benefits:
- Tai chi improves physical movement.
- Tai chi calms and releases stress from the nerves and mind.
- Tai chi develops chi or life-force energy.
Harvard Health published – The health benefits of Tai Chi.
Practising 15-30 minutes a day can have dramatic health benefits. The gentle, low-impact movements are far less damaging than high-impact exercises/sports. So, Tai Chi can be practised by virtually anyone regardless of their age or current state of health.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu
A Tai Chi class might include these parts
Warm-up. Easy motions, such as shoulder circles, turning the head from side to side, or rocking back and forth, help you to loosen your muscles and joints and focus on your breath and body.
Instruction and practice of tai chi forms. Short forms — sets of movements — may include a dozen or fewer movements; long forms may include hundreds. Different styles require smaller or larger movements. A short form with smaller, slower movements is usually recommended at the beginning, especially if you’re older or not in good condition.
Qigong (or chi kung). Translated as “breath work” or “energy work,” this consists of a few minutes of gentle breathing, sometimes combined with movement. The idea is to help relax the mind and mobilise the body’s energy. Qigong may be practised standing, sitting, or lying down.