Slow and Steady: The Health Benefits of Tai Chi
By: Cleveland Clinic
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Slow and Steady: The Health Benefits of Tai Chi
The benefits of tai chi include relieving stress, improving balance and strengthening joints. Tai chi's gentle movements help harmonize your body and mind.
People doing tai chi outside
In today's go-go-go fitness world, tai chi stands out for moving at a snail-like pace. Gentle, flowing movements and deep, soothing breaths define this ancient form of exercise rooted in the martial arts.
But can this slow-motion activity do much good for your body? Let's take a quick look with personal trainer and traditional Chinese medicine specialist Tim Sobo, MAOM, CPT.
Health benefits of tai chi
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Learn about the health benefits of tai chi.
Tai chi has been a pillar of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for centuries. Its highly coordinated movements are designed to energize and balance your body's energy, a concept known as qi (pronounced "chi").
According to TCM principles, when your qi is balanced, your body can function at its best.
"Tai chi is sometimes called 'meditation in motion' because it's a series of exercises that can help harmonize your body's energy and mind," explains Sobo.
And although the motions of tai chi may seem leisurely, they are bodyweight exercises with physical demands. "With its focus on strength and balance, tai chi is great for your muscles," he adds. "You'll feel it."
There are hundreds of studies on tai chi, and researchers have found that it may help with many health concerns. Here are some of the potential benefits.
Reduced stress
Tai chi brings a sense of quiet and calm that can help melt stress away. One study of "healthy but stressed people" showed that practicing tai chi for 12 weeks significantly lowered their anxiety levels.
Why? Chalk it up to mindfulness. Tai chi's focus on breathing and movement takes your mind away from whatever else may be bugging you.
"The practice of being mindful is a great stress reliever," notes Sobo. "You're focused on what you're doing rather than on everything else going on in your life. It puts your mind in the moment."
Better balance
Falls can be dangerous and even deadly, especially in older adults. Tai chi may be able to help.
A review of 10 studies on tai chi and balance found that people who practiced tai chi had up to 50% fewer falls than those who didn't. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Geriatric Society both recognize tai chi as an effective way to lower fall risk.
"Tai chi can help you build stability and strength, which is so important for balance," emphasizes Sobo. (Talk to your healthcare provider about how to safely start a tai chi routine if you're dealing with balance issues.)
Improved brain health
Want to take your thinking to a higher level? Tai chi may help.
Researchers found that older adults who practiced tai chi daily for 12 weeks had more activity in the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for higher-level thinking skills. This sort of boost can make it easier to switch tasks on the fly and react to changing demands.
Another study showed that when older adults with memory issues practiced tai chi three times a week for six months, they experienced "significantly improved memory."
There's also evidence that tai chi may help reduce complications of Parkinson's disease.
"At its most basic form, tai chi is a structured, organized exercise — and that can help your brain establish new pathways through neuroplasticity," says Sobo. "This sort of rewiring allows you to do or remember a little bit more."
Stronger lungs
Tai chi's focus on breathwork makes it useful as a complementary treatment for issues like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A review of studies shows that the exercise routine can improve breathing.
"The structured inhales and exhales can help strengthen your lungs," says Sobo.
Healthier joint function
Motion is lotion when it comes to how your joints work — and tai chi can keep your movable parts in good working order.
It's particularly helpful if you're dealing with osteoarthritis. Studies show that tai chi can help relieve pain from arthritis, particularly in the hips and knees. It's effective enough that the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Arthritis Foundation "strongly recommend" it to manage the condition.
"If you have arthritis, you typically want to move less and less because it hurts," recognizes Sobo. "Tai chi can help you work through that. As you move more and lubricate those joints, you'll notice and feel the difference."
Fibromyalgia relief
Fibromyalgia can cause full-body pain that can, at times, be debilitating. Research shows that tai chi may relieve symptoms even better than aerobic exercise, the most commonly prescribed non-drug treatment for fibromyalgia.
Other perks of tai chi
Here are a few additional checks in the "pro" column for tai chi:
- Affordable: You don't need special equipment or expertise to start doing tai chi. You can do it at home using instructional videos, making it a free or low-cost option.
- Low-impact: Tai chi doesn't call for the same flexibility as yoga, nor is it as strenuous as some other forms of exercise. "You're not going to get a dramatic heart rate spike," says Sobo.
- Accessible: People of nearly any age or fitness level can practice tai chi, and it's generally considered safe for people with various medical issues (including heart disease and COPD). You can even do tai chi while sitting on a chair!
Building tai chi into your routine
There's no reason to feel intimidated by tai chi if you've never done it. "Whether you're a teen or in your 80s, you can do tai chi to your fitness level," enthuses Sobo. "Do it within your limits and don't push anything. You shouldn't feel any sharp pain when you're practicing tai chi."
There are different types of tai chi, each with its own series of exercises ranging from doing a handful of poses to more than 100. Sobo suggests starting small by mastering a move or two and then expanding your routine.
The more you practice tai chi, the better you'll get at flowing the moves together.
"Think of tai chi as a form of dance," suggests Sobo. "You can learn dance steps within a few days, but you can spend a lifetime mastering the dance. Once you've learned the tai chi moves, aim to get better at them each day. You'll learn to do them more smoothly and go deeper into them."
You can practice tai chi as often as you want, too. "Many people can safely do 20 minutes of tai chi every day," he continues. "Your body doesn't need a day to recover."
Is tai chi good for everyone?
Overall, yes — but you may need to adjust for specific needs like balance issues or difficulty standing. (In those cases, you may want to consider starting with chair-based tai chi movements.)
It's always good to talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise routine, particularly if you have existing health issues, recommends Sobo.
Is tai chi worth a try?
There are numerous benefits and few (if any) negatives when it comes to tai chi.
"It's worth a shot if you're looking for something to better your physical or mental health," reassures Sobo. "Tai chi has a lot to offer if you're willing to give it a try."
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A few years before even the thought of moving to China came to mind, I took a summer course in tai chi. We had a class of about 30 people of all ages taught by a tai chi master. It was very much as good as what is described in the article.
An interesting thing happened a year or so after I took the class. I happened to get up particularly early one Sunday morning as the sun was rising, and went out to take a walk in a local park. Lo and behold, in the park was a group of about a dozen Chinese people doing tai chi with an experienced leader and a portable tape player providing tai chi commands with background music, so what did I do? I joined them, did the tai chi with them, and they happily welcomed me to join them, which I did the following Sunday mornings as well. I learned a few basic Chinese words from them, like the Chinese words for hello and goodbye. It is probable that their friendliness and encouragement later helped me with my decision to move to China to teach English after I had retired from practising law.
I recommend to all who have enough interest to have read ths article and watched the video in it to try tai chi. It's so easy, and well worth the little effort it takes.
My wife has been researching Tai Chi videos. We may work on it.
You're both going to enjoy doing it.
Wiped off the board in less than a day. Looks like politics beats the shit out of anything different.
How did this happen?
How did this happen?
Only The Shadow Knows!
(IIRC he currently goes by the name "Lamont Cranston"... check your local listings)
Lamont Cranston, a familiar name, a ghost from the past.
As a kid I used to listen to The Shadow . . . on the radio. (IIRC that was before we had a TV!).
I've been doing it daily (at home) for many years. IMO its definitely worth doing.
I first learned it many year's ago. I spent a week at Kripalu. a wonderful place . I took an introductory course in Tai Chi.
They offer many courses (they are best known as a Yoga center but they offer many more things)
Good for you.
The instructor designed a daily practice for me-- a few moves that I could do at home by myself.
That, plus a short mantra meditation* twice a day is an excellent practice.
__________________________________________
*TM or something similar
I'm unable to open a google link - please describe what it is.
Oooops--sorry!
It ( *TM or something similar ) is a link intended to provide 2 sorts of information:
1. What that "TM" is. It is short for Transcendental Meditiation , one of several types of "Mantra Meditation",
2. The page it links to also lists the TM centers located in China.
IMO there are basically many variations of two types of meditation:
1. Visualization of desired results. One where you turn your mind towards specific goals you want to manifest (i.e. situations/things you want to create in your life) For example if you want to create a situation where you have lots of money, an excellent love relationship, perfect health etc. You visualize yourself being in that situation..
2. There are different dimensions of consciousness. In this type of meditation you do not visualize results. Rather you merely quiet the dimension of ordinary consciousness of the mind which then enables deeper levels of consciousness to come to prominence.
Usually this entails merely repeating a "mantra". (There are also other ways of doing this).
We previously had a dialogue about that, including that I had attended a lecture about TM in Toronto given by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who was the FOUNDER of Transcendental Meditiation.
There are some members here on NT who could really benefit from practising a little "Mantra Meditation".
Hehehe =|:-)
101 Powerful Mantra Examples for Mindfulness, Success, and Inner Peace
LINK -> 101 Powerful Mantra Examples for Mindfulness, Success, and Inner Peace - Modern Psych and Wellness