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Tai Chi – Improves Your Overall Health
Tai chi is an exercise program really distinct from the
others because it enjoys all the benefits when compared to
the other exercise programs. The other programs provide stimulation only to the musculoskeletal system.
When you are
performing the Isometric workouts you apply your force
against an immovable object hence using only a set of
muscles in the body.
Calisthenics or weightlifting also
emphasize only on the individual muscles
although they provide a wide range of motion to
the muscles unlike Isometric exercises. All
these exercises do not improve your overall
physic.
Only the program of Tai chi helps
building your physical value. The advantages of
Tai chi are innumerable as studied by the
Medical Academy of Shanghai. |
They regulate the blood pressure in the body,
reduce stress and tone the musculosketal system
in the body. The functioning of blood
circulation in the body will be smooth. The
central nervous system will be stimulated and
eliminates all the gastric problems if present.
According to the tradition of
Chinese medicine, the ‘chi’
what is known, as intrinsic energy is very essential to the
body to keep you always fresh and healthy. If the cycle of
chi is disturbed it results in various illnesses. Therefore
the main objective of tai chi is to maintain the smooth
functioning of this cycle all the times. The exercise of Tai
Chi is indeed the unique program planned by the physical
experts.
Author Paul Cris has been providing answers to lots of queries through
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Tai Chi
The answer to this question
lies in another question, "What are you looking
for?"
If you are not happy with any area of your life
today, then Tai Chi can help you. I have been
studying and teaching the tai chi Health Arts
for over twenty years. During this time I have
learnt that the answer to all questions lies
within each of us.
The above may sound like a bold statement, yet
it is based on facts handed down over the
centuries. Because of the vast variety of
benefits available to everyone who practices tai
chi ,
many articles have been written on the subject.
The majority of the articles shroud the
understanding of the art of Tai Chi in mystery.
Today, Western Medicine is acknowledging that
Tai Chi can help many ailments and recently an
article appeared in the national newspapers
claiming that doctors agreed that Tai Chi worked
but they couldn't explain how.
I would like to share with you my own
understanding of Tai Chi which is taught purely
for health and is based on the principles of
Chinese Medicine.
Your own body's internal energy (Chi energy),
plays a vital role in the quality of your
health. Chi energy is with you from the day you
are born until the day you die. A person with a
highly developed Chi energy through practicing
Tai Chi experiences very few illnesses. That is
what we are all working towards.
Most of us understand how our blood flows
through our body and have a basic understanding
of how our organs work.
Did you know that a person
with highly volatile emotions, often has
stagnation in the liver and gallbladder? The
stagnation I am talking about is the stagnation
of your Chi energy. This is because the flow of
your body's internal energy is not moving freely
around your body and nourishing your organs
properly. My late master used to say 'If you
lose your temper or raise your voice you are
ill.'
The movements of the Tai
Chi Form start to work on the development of
your internal energy (Chi) from your very first
lesson.
Our movements are simple to perform and once
learnt and practiced regularly, the health
benefits will last you a lifetime.
Our Tai Chi Chuan Form provides the foundations
upon which all the other aspects of our arts are
based. It is the starting point of training, for
all those wishing to improve the quality of
their health.
To progress in any area of your life,
your mind needs to be calm. If you are tense ideas will not flow
freely and you will find the act of daily living a strain.
Because we teach these traditional movements in a modern way,
you will find that your mind becomes calm, as you learn the
mechanics, your balance and co-ordination will also improve.
This is because your mind is pleasantly occupied with the
constant repetition of trying to perfect the simple movements.
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Another vital aspect of our Arts is correct breathing, yet most
of us go through our lives without even giving it a second
thought. When I was at school I was taught to breathe in and
pull everything in. If we analyze what is actually happening to
the lungs when you use this type of breathing you will find that
only the upper part of the lungs are being used.
This allows toxins to form and build up in the lower part of the
lungs. If you watch a baby breathing you will notice that there
stomach appears to expand as they breathe in and contract as
they breathe out, this type of breathing allows the whole of the
lungs to be used correctly.
When your lungs are working correctly, this helps the rest of
your body to work efficiently, your blood will flow freely and
your body's natural energy (Chi) will move around your body;
taking care of your inner well being.
You will also find that your mind is more alert and ideas flow
easily to you, providing solutions to areas of your life which
may be causing you strain. People who suffer from breath related
ailments such as asthma have found great benefit from practicing
Tai Chi .
Because the movements of Tai Chi Chuan are gentle and practiced
without strain they are suitable for everyone. We encourage
people to progress at their own pace.
Remember if you are feeling under pressure in any area of your
life today, your mind, body and spirit are not in complete
harmony.
The movements we teach work, they have helped many people
suffering from ailments such as arthritis, asthma, back pain,
cancer...balance, circulation, knee problems, low fertility, heart
problems, hip problems, high blood pressure, low blood pressure,
insomnia, neck problems, M.E. M.S. shoulder problems, thyroid,
stress and many more. These ailments will be covered in greater
depth in future articles.
The subject of the Tai Chi is vast and the knowledge and
information I have to share with you has already helped many
people. I have many written testimonials from people who have
already reaped the benefits of practising Tai Chi.
For more information go to our website address is
www.lfataichi.com
About the Author
Sheila Dickinson has produced 8 books and 5 videos on Tai Chi
our website address is
www.lfataichi.com
Tai chi & the elderly
A 2001 British Journal of Sports
Medicine article reviews 31 controlled and clinical studies,
involving 2216 men and women, that evaluate the physiological
effects of practicing the Chinese exercise Tai Chi Chuan (TCC).
TCC integrates slow, deep breathing with a set of movements that
flow from one upright posture into the next. It began centuries
ago as a combination of exercise and martial art. In 1956, the
Chinese National Council of Sports and Physical Education
convened a meeting of Tai Chi masters, who followed differing
schools of practice, and asked them to develop a 'combined'
style. The resulting 24-movement form is easy to learn and takes
less time to practice than longer, more demanding forms. The
Chinese government, health agencies, schools, and sports-related
bodies have heavily promoted this simplified form. TCC has
become one of China's most popular exercises, particularly among
the elderly. Studies show that this moderate-intensity exercise
improves cardiorespiratory function and may increase immune
capacity in the elderly. It also improves muscle strength,
balance, flexibility, and range of motion in the arms--even
among those with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Review authors J X Li, Y Hong, and K M Chan explain, "Performing TCC depends on either double stance weight-bearing or single
stance weight-bearing manoeuvres, which further require the
pivoting of the whole body or the twisting of the trunk. In
performing TCC, the roles of the muscles continually change
between those of stabilizers and movers, weight-bearers and
non-weight-bearers, and between contraction and relaxation."
These movements are performed slowly in combination with deep
breathing. For reasons not yet understood, TCC practice reduces
the risk of falls among the elderly. In addition to its many
physiological benefits, Tai Chi exercise is known to reduce
stress. In a study by P Jin, participants reported less tension,
depression, anger, fatigue, confusion, and anxiety, when
compared to their baseline levels. Jin also found that TCC
practice raised heart rates, increased noradrenaline (norepinephrine)
excretion in urine, and decreased salivary cortisol
concentration.
In their Summary, the review's authors state: "... TCC exercise
has great potential for health promotion and rehabilitation,
particularly for the maintenance of good mental and physical
condition in the elderly. However, the effects of TCC exercise
on other age groups should be further examined with well
controlled experimental design studies."
Li JX; Hong Y; Chan KM. Tai chi: physiological characteristics
and beneficial effects on health. British Journal of Sports
Medicine
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, by Jule Klotter
COPYRIGHT The Townsend Letter Group and Gale Group
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