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If you're looking for a new way to exercise, but can't be bothered doing something that makes your heart pound fast enough to make you feel sick, try Tai Chi.
Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art that has many health benefits and can easily be done in the comfort of your home.
It doesn't look like much as it's often taught in slow motion, but it does involve a lot of hard work, with physical and mental effects similar to those seen in people who practice more vigorous forms of exercise.
What is Tai Chi?
When you think of tai chi, you’re probably picturing a group of people in the park performing slow, flowing movements. But did you know that tai chi is more than just a type of exercise?
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Tai chi is a form of martial art from 13th century China, but it’s a gentler more internal version, originally intended for defense and meditation – you won’t have to do any super fast kicks in tai chi.
Nowadays, tai chi is popular around the world as a mild form of exercise, focusing on gentle movements and deep breathing. This is aimed at boosting your balance, muscle power and posture. Relaxation and mindfulness are also part of tai chi.
Similar to yoga, tai chi focuses on the mind and body as it consists of very slow movements that are graceful and flowing.
It is divided into five major styles:
• Chen style
• Yang style
• Wu Hao style
• Wu style
• Sun style
7 Health Benefits of Tai Chi That Might Surpise You
Tai Chi has numerous advantages for both your internal and external health. The following are some of the more notable health benefits that you can gain:
Reduces stress and anxiety: Tai Chi's meditative aspect, paired with the physical exercise, can help you relax, focus, and even trigger the release of feel-good endorphins.
Benefits your brain: You're not simply training your body; you're also exercising your mind, thanks to the nature of the movements — each movement is meticulously defined. The benefits of properly performing a movement and memorizing the pieces of a complex motor sequence are linked to brain alterations.
Improves flexibility and agility: Tai Chi, like yoga, often involves body extensions that can help you enhance your flexibility and agility. It is useful in everyday life, but it can also help you become more flexible.
Enhance immunity: Regular tai chi sessions may help avoid a cold, according to UCLA research. Patients who received a vaccine and practiced regular tai chi over a 25-week period had an immunological response nearly twice as good as those who received the vaccine but did not do tai chi.
Maximizes strength and stamina: Tai Chi, like any other sort of physical activity, can help you improve your strength and stamina. With everyday practice you may notice that you're slimmer, your muscles are more defined, and you're able to exercise for longer lengths of time.
Keeps you calm: Because your attention is focused on the movements, problems and concerns of day-to-day life that disappears into the background, making this a meditation-like experience.
Lower dementia risk: A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease indicated that practicing tai chi on a regular basis for 40 weeks increased brain capacity. The loss of brain volume is linked to aging and, more specifically, dementia.
Who Can Practise Tai Chi?
The answer is simple: EVERYONE.
Tai Chi is a great form of exercise because it can be modified to fit anyone’s needs. Because it is a slow and progressive activity, Tai Chi is ideal for someone who wants to try something new but might not be ready for high-intensity workouts, like running or HIIT training.
Similarly, if you have arthritis, stiffness in the joints, or other mobility issues, Tai Chi can be done while seated in a chair. This makes it one of the most accessible forms of exercise out there today.
How Do I Get Started?
If you’ve never tried Tai Chi, there are many ways to learn. You may find an instructor through your local or community center. Many fitness studios and gyms offer Tai Chi classes. You can even learn through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
The bottom line
On the surface, Tai Chi seems like two things. It’s a form of exercise, and it is also a form of meditation. But if you dig deeper, you’ll find that Tai Chi is more than just those two things.
It’s connected to the physical and mental aspects of health in ways that most other forms of exercise do not.
And because of that, it deserves far more attention than it gets. Whether you want to learn Tai Chi for your own health or pass on what you learn to others in the community, it’s worth exploring further.
