The Benefits of Tai-Chi
This extremely enjoyable form of traditional Chinese art and exercise has various immediate benefits for anyone who engages in it.
Tai Chi has many physical and emotional benefits, and what makes it even better is that you will need minimal equipment and space to practice. It is truly an art and it has existed and been practiced in China for over two thousand years.
1. It Improves Balance & Strength
Tai-Chi has shown benefits in helping prevent falls in older adults. It is proven to be an exercise with significant benefits in the areas of balance, muscular strength, endurance, as well as flexibility.
2. It Helps Release Stress
Tai-Chi uses both the mind and the body, so it is the perfect distraction from chaotic everyday life. It requires you to engage, breathe, move, and fully mentally concentrate in order to get the most out of the practice. While doing so, your mind and body are strongly connected, this helps with your overall relaxation and feeling of calmness.
3. It is Great for Joint Health
While other ordinary forms of exercises put pressure on your joints over time, the classical Tai-Chi is known to fully enhance proper posture and cultivate movements that protect and strengthen one's joints over time and through consistent practice.
4. It Improves the Health of the Internal Organs
Because of its fluid bending movements, as well as its breathing and meditation components, it enhances the functioning of internal organs and frees them from damaging ordinal factors, such as stress, poor posture, and difficult working conditions. It is also an effective management tool for people with chronic heart failure, cardiovascular issues, lung issues or breathing problems, and poor functioning of the digestive system.
The History Behind Tai-Chi
According to some records, Tai-Chi dates back as far as 2,500 years. Its history is rooted in Eastern philosophies. The word Tai-Chi (太極) in Chinese means “supreme ultimate”, meaning it is an extremely vast art, which contains everything existent in the universe.
This ancient art has its roots in traditional Taoism and Chinese medicine. In order to understand Tai-Chi's origins better, it's important to acknowledge the basics of Taoism. Taoism is an ancient tradition of philosophy that dates from ancient China. Its main focus is performing a balance between the two well-known opposites: Yin and Yang. To understand more about this traditional Chinese art, join our Tai-Chi instructor, Seung Song, for a calming and peaceful experience! (Sources: medicalnewstoday.com, health.harvard.edu, healthline.com, lifehack.org, medicinenet.com)
