TAI CHI VILLAGE Issue 15 26th July 2020
DISCOVER TAI CHI
Welcome to the Tai Chi Village Hello everyone We've had a very busy couple of weeks since our last newsletter. We hold our first indoor tai chi class tomorrow since closing all our classes on 16th March. The work required to ensure we meet all the government guidelines has proved a mammoth task but worthwhile in end. At the moment we can only have 12 people in the space at AW School of Dance in the historic Dalton Mills complex. We've still got some places for tomorrow so why not come and join us? The class will run every Monday from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm.
MORE GOOD NEWS We can now have 15 participants join us in the beautiful surroundings of Cliffe Castle Park, Keighley. We meet every Monday morning from 10:30 to 11:30 am. Weather permitting you'll find us on the picnic area above the children's playground with fab views across the valley. For both classes please do book your place using our online booking service:
Don't forget Val runs a class at Cliffe Castle Park on a Tuesday morning with the same number of participants. Book your place with Val by visiting her website: https://trulyessential.co.uk/tai-chi-qigong/ We have a longer edition for you with a focus on the important role our muscles play in sustaining our health and wellbeing. We've linked to interesting blog posts, videos, and research to hopefully encourage you to think about taking on board the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officers for the UK that all adults engage in strength exercises at least two days a week. The good news? Tai Chi counts, so long as your instructors know and appreciate the important role strength training played in traditional tai chi practice. That's what we aim to explore in this issue. We hope it inspires you as much as it does us. Do let us know your thoughts and comments. If you have any questions please do get in touch. We love to have questions directed in our direction. Wishing you all the best
https://goteamup.com/p/3515195-discover-tai-chi/
Phil & Helen : )
Bright Border Planting at Cliffe Castle Park, Keighley by Helen Front cover photo by Alex Holyoake on Unsplash Image by Tom (Cliffe Castle Class)
Stay Strong Tai Chi for Strength Regular practice of any of our Tai Chi programmes helps people to build and maintain body strength. The slow movements found in Tai Chi offer a low impact way of building muscle tone without putting our joints or muscles under too much repetitive strain. And why is it so important to maintain all round body strength? Take a read of Dr. Howard Luks, Orthopaedic Surgeon, fantastic blog about Muscle Mass, Strength and Longevity. He's included an audio recording if you prefer to listen as well. By way of a slight tangent I'd like to introduce you to Gerda Geddes and Sophia Delza. Both woman are credited with introducing tai chi to the UK and USA respectively in the 1950's.
Sadly, very few people have heard of Gerda's and Sophia's important role popularising tai chi in the west. Interestingly, both Gerda and Sophia emphasized tai chi as an exercise that for strengthening and conditioning both body and mind throughout life. In this article by David Gaffney, who has visited Chen Village, recognised by academics today as the birthplace of tai chi, we see an image of an 80 kg stone block. One of many different sized stone blocks that the Chen family lifted on a daily basis to build their strength. You may like this blog article by Professor Ben Judkins he explores the role of strength training in the of physical culture of China. Check out the fun video on the next page. You can see one of those traditions, still enjoyed today by men and woman, young and old. Not that we plan to have you doing any such thing in our classes.
Bright Border Planting at Cliffe Castle Park, Keighley by Helen Image by Tom (Cliffe Castle Class)
Although, we don't not recommend throwing stone locks we do encourage you engage in activities that will maintain your strength. If you enjoyed our classes you'll remember the 'shopping bag challenge' and the sit-to-stands that we used to get ourselves moving. Why those two exercises in particular? Think about how many times you need to pick objects up from the floor and then put them down, or how many times you sit in a chair and then rise again, or climb and descend a flight of steps.
All these movements require us to hinge at our hips, unlock our knees, and flex at our ankles. We think the humble 'sit to stand' just might prove the most powerful way you can build strength that will enable you to do those things you like to do day to day. Before you start jumping up and down in your chair, just a couple of precautions: 1. Stop if you feel dizzy. 2. If a healthcare professional has told you not to do this kind of movement for any reason then don't do it!
Stay Strong Tai Chi for Strength You may like to check the image below, it's a diagram in a research paper on the phases we all pass through when we rise from a chair or sit back down. I've added the red arrows to show how we need to move our centre of mass or line of gravity over our mid-foot. First, find yourself a dining chair. Place it against a wall or get someone you live with to hold it steady from behind. Sit down - ah, that's better - but don't get too comfy just yet!
Shuffle forward toward the front of the seat and plant your feet under your knees, not too far forward, nor too far back. Do use your hands and arms for balance or assistance if you feel that would help. If you use a walking aid use it for support.
Let's Start Now, lean your body and head forward, hinging at your hips, to get your centre of mass moving over your feet think, 'nose over toes'. Keep that momentum going and commit to rising from the chair seat. As you find your balance straighten up through your hips and knees until you're standing upright.
Now sit back down - this can feel more difficult. Try not to fall back into the seat use your muscles to lower yourself back down. How many sit-to-stands should I do? Aim for 10 if you can? 10 too many? Try five. Five too many? Try three? Three too many? Then just start with one. Strange as that may sound that's how I started my rehabilitation learning to walk again. Just one sit to stand and back down again, all with the aid of parallel bars and two physiotherapists waiting catch me if I fell. Fast forward several months and I could walk 15 feet. It took even longer before I could walk with any proficiency. How many times a day should I do this? • Aim for three times a day if you can? 10 in the morning, 10 at lunch time, and 10 in the evening.
"In fact, follow-up tests suggest that... the sit to stand exercise can activate as much muscle as the recommended gym-based resistance exercises (in this case a leg press exercise and a knee extension exercise where individuals are lifting 60% of their one repetition maximum)." That's very significant! They go on to say, "...if you’re over 65… introducing the sit-to-stand exercise into your routine twice a day could be the single most important thing you do to maintain your strength and independence." We've had reports from participants who have made the sit-to-stand part of their routine say just how much they noticed an improvement in their ability to climb and descend stairs, go for longer walks, and enjoy their gardens. The added bonus is you'll find your enjoyment of tai chi will rise too!
Once that becomes easy let Helen and me know. We have some ideas on how you can add a little more load to give you even more strength gains.
You'll find you feel more stable on your feet and your ability to make those smooth transitions from one stance to another so much easier.
It's not just us who extol the virtues of the humble sit-to-stand either.
So, why not give the humble sit-to-stand a try for just two weeks every day and see how you feel?
You'll find this lovely quote in the BBC programme, Trust me I'm a doctor series 8, episode 2, on how to stay strong:
Let us know how you get on?
Inspiration The video on the left shows the LIFTMOR trial in Australia. It's one of those pieces of research that ies in the face of convention - women, and men, with osteoporosis and osteopena, lifting heavy weights and jumping from height. The project has done so well it's being rolled out across Australia and is gaining traction in the UK and USA. If you have an interest in research you can check out the esteemed Cochrane library for more on the LIFTMOR project. And for something a little more down to earth let me introduce you to Virginia in the video on the left - she's, 91 years old. Finally, you may like to read this review in Frontiers of Physiology for an indepth exploration of just how important maintaining muscle mass and strength is for our long term health and wellbeing.
Helen and I have learnt so much about the role our muscles play in sustaining our health and wellbeing that we've created a sister Facebook Page @ironmedicine to complement our Discover Tai Chi page - do pay us a visit, we'd love to see you there. We aim to share information and resources that encourage and support people, especially older adults, to feel conďŹ dent about starting strength training for life.
Live Tai Chi Classes
On Demand Tai Chi Classes
Where Can I Learn Tai Chi?
Tai Chi for Wellness Available to buy as a pre-recorded course at: TeamUp or Tai Chi for Wellness Course
Monday's Cliffe Castle Park, Keighley 10:30 am to 11:30 am - 15 people with Helen AW School of Dance Dalton Mills, Keighley, BD20 4JH 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm - 12 people with Helen and Phil Wednesday's Online Zoom Tai Chi Foundations 11:00 am to 12:00 noon - not limits with Phil & Helen Online Zoom Tai Chi for Wellness 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm - no limits with Phil & Helen Booking with Helen & Phil visit: Discover Tai Chi via TeamUp Booking System
Tai Chi Foundations Our on demand series of Tai Chi lessons and Qigong movements from our dedicated site: Discover Tai Chi via Patreon Thank you to all our members. ---------------------------------------------------------
If you like this newsletter and our work but can't join us you can also buy us a coffee: Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee already at ko-fi.com. It makes such a difference to know you appreciate our efforts.
Do you have a smartphone or tablet device? You may wish to keep track of your bookings via the TeamUp Members app: On iPhone/iPad: Team up on the Apple App Store On Android phones or tablets: TeamUp on the Google App Store
GET IN TOUCH T: 07528 959091 Facebook: @discovertaichi Twitter: @discovertaichi
For more information on all Val's sessions and to book, do go to her website here: Tai Chi & Qigong – Truly Essential
Instagram: @discovertaichi E: huntunwellbeing@gmail.com
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