Tai Chi is an ancient Asian martial art practiced by thousands of people daily. Often called meditation in motion, Tai Chi isn’t practiced with the same intensity as other martial arts. You may sometimes see a group in a park calmly moving in unison and wonder what they are doing.
They were practicing Tai Chi.
Why is it so popular, and who benefits from practicing Tai Chi? Join us as we discuss who should practice Tai Chi and the benefits of this martial art.
Older Adults
As we age, many activities may become difficult. Something as simple as walking to the grocery store can even pose a dangerous risk of falling and injuring yourself. While we cannot stop aging, we can keep our bodies fit and healthy with Tai Chi.
Tai Chi combines meditation and spiritual focus with low-impact movements and poses. This allows for anyone of any age and fitness level to participate. The movements are designed to be incredibly gentle, and while initially it was meant for defense, Tai Chi now focuses on muscle control, balance, stability, flexibility, and meditation. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, Tai Chi can be done by anyone, even people with limited mobility. A Tai Chi instructor can adjust the motions to your capabilities.
For senior citizens, Tai Chi can help them regain strength and balance. This can give them the confidence and freedom to be more independent.
People Suffering From Arthritis
When suffering from arthritis, exercise can help manage the symptoms. It’s common for people who suffer from different forms of arthritis to give up on exercising to prevent them from injury or pain. That’s understandable. However, Tai Chi is a form of exercise regularly recommended for people with arthritis. The low-impact movements can help improve strength and balance.
Because it’s soft on the joints and helps build muscle, Tai Chi can be a great way to manage pain and reduce the stiffness in the joints caused by arthritis.
Heart Health
The heart is a muscle, and aerobic exercises or cardio is typically what works out the heart to keep it healthy. Cardio exercises strengthen your heart’s blood vessels and improve oxygen delivery throughout the body. Usually, cardio involves maintaining an elevated heart rate for 30 minutes, and Tai Chi is a form of low-impact cardio exercise. This is beneficial for anyone looking for a cardio exercise that won’t leave them with sore knees or for someone who wants to minimize the risk of injury.
While Tai Chi is great for improving heart health, if you’re recovering from a cardiovascular event, Tai Chi can help recovering patients. It used to be that patients with heart conditions may have been too weak to participate in exercises, though now we know that Tai Chi is an exception.
Reduce Stress
Stress can not only affect your mind but your body as well. When not dealt with, stress can lead to higher blood pressure, increased risk of stroke, obesity, and other health problems. We’ve been talking about the physical benefits of Tai Chi, though, like we said in the beginning, Tai Chi is known as meditation in motion. Being able to meditate regularly is a great way to manage stress levels. Because Tai Chi also focuses on meditation, it’s been found that Tai Chi can help with many other mental health issues as well. It’s been shown to help improve mood, reduce anxiety, and help manage depression.
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