5 minute read
WELLNESS
Better Health with Tai Chi
TAI CHI IS A FORM OF MEDITATIVE EXERCISE CONSISTING OF A SERIES OF 19 MOVEMENTS AND ONE POSE.
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by Ann Marie Kennon
Tai chi is a Chinese martial art that focuses on the mental and spiritual aspects of wellness integrated into movement. For senior adults, the circular, slow-moving forms are an ideal activity to aid the mind and body. It is a low-impact, relaxing, and requires about 20 minutes a day for great reward.
MEDITATION AND MEDICATION IN MOTION
In a study conducted by Harvard Medical School, tai chi was found to offer a number of physical benefits. In addition to preventing falls, reducing the effects of arthritis, and improving lung capacity, tai chi has been shown to be helpful for a number of medical conditions, including low bone density, heart disease, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, sleep disorders, and stroke.
It doesn’t end there, however. Tai chi has also shown to be helpful in increasing strength, improving mobility and flexibility, boosting the immune system, and losing weight by getting in touch with hunger cues.
ORIGINS
Tai chi is thought to have been developed in the 13th century by a monk named Zhang Sanfeng. He was inspired to create the discipline after watching a fight between a crane and a snake and called it tai chi chuan. Tai chi translates to supreme ultimate, and chuan means fist. Today, it is used for anything but as a form of self-defense.
THE BASICS
There are a number of styles of tai chi, but all involve a choreographed series of movements—known as postures—called a form or a set. Each set has a certain number of postures. The movements are slow and deliberate and many say it can feel a bit like dancing because movements involve shifting weight from one foot to another.
All the movements are designed to create an awareness of how the feet are connected to the Earth. Throughout a set, the body is often slightly crouched, with knees flexed. This posture helps to strengthen glutes and leg muscles, which are important muscles for balance.
It’s also important to keep the back as straight possible. Over time, this postural awareness can help improve posture in everyday life.
Georgetown has a number of studios and dojos that offer Tai Chi, and the Sun City Tai Chi and Chi Kung Club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. Scan the code or classes offered by Georgetown Parks & Rec.
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COMMUNITY PARTNER
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