Tai chi (also spelled taiji) is like slow-motion kung fu. It takes movements found in Chinese martial arts and practices them slowly. Going slowly allows us to:
- Reduce impact on the body typical with fast, explosive movements usually found in martial arts
- Focus on our breathing so that we are coordinating our breath in and breath out with the movements in a way that in more natural.
- Focus on our footwork — including shifting our weight, watching our balance, and moving with intention.
Curriculum
Classes usually include a combination of:
- Warm-ups and stretching
- Stance work
- Tai chi walking
- Qi Gong — including exercises from Eight Brocade (八段錦/ba duan jin) and Qi Tien (氣天) sets.
- Yang 24-step form — a popular standardized form, also called the “short form” because it is shorter than forms like 42, 48, and 108.
Health benefits
The benefits of practicing Tai Chi include:
- Overall muscle strength
- Joint health
- Flexibility
- Improving balance and coordination
- Stress reduction
- Memory improvement
- Helping pain associated with fibromyalgia and knee osteoarthritis
Articles
Slow and Steady: The Health Benefits of Tai Chi
Cleveland Clinic
Health benefits of tai chi
Canadian Family Physician, PubMed Central® (PMC), NIH National Library of Medicine
Classes in Cedar Park
Classes are held weekly on Wednesday nights at 8:00 pm at Rockhold Karate.
Please try a class for free anytime.
Let me know of any injuries you might have.
Bring some water
Wear lose, comfortable clothing, we usually practice barefoot on the mat.