Tai Chi Can Bring Balance, Vitality, and Strength to Your Life
You have probably spotted groups of people practicing Tai Chi at local parks. With arms raised, they move slowly, gracefully, in unison. You may have even joined a class to discover for yourself what this ancient Chinese art is all about. If so, you’ve joined millions of others worldwide who practice Tai Chi – one of the most respected practices for exercise, meditation, and martial arts in the world.
Tai Chi is widely practiced for good reason. Those who study Tai Chi enjoy improved balance, greater strength, better hand-eye coordination, reduced blood pressure, increased energy, greater mental clarity, and emotional balance. Moving through the choreography brings concentration and coordination, builds balance and strength, and encourages happiness, self-confidence, and a sense of humor.
This movement activity is particularly well suited to older individuals because it is a non-impact exercise. A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association found that Tai Chi helps seniors improve their balance and reduce their risk of falling. In fact, in comparison to other exercises--including weight training, stretching, endurance training and balance training--Tai Chi has emerged as the most beneficial, reducing falls and their resulting injuries by 25 percent.
We recently introduced a class based on the Arthritis Foundation’s Tai Chi program. It is “designed to improve the quality of life for people with arthritis using Sun style Tai Chi…The movements don’t require deep bending or squatting, which makes it easier and more comfortable to learn.”*The class is led by a certified instructor and accessible to all fitness levels. You don’t need previous experience or special equipment to begin and can participate while seated or standing.
Anyone can benefit from the program, including people with mild to moderate joint impairment due to arthritis, and people who are looking for low-impact exercise.
To learn more about the Exeter House fitness program and Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi, please call us at (206) 215-1410 or email ahurt@exeterhouse.org.
You can find out more about the Arthritis Foundation and its programs online at www.arthritis.org.
