Tai Chi is a form of martial arts that was first developed in China several centuries ago. While it is a form of martial arts that trains in self-defense, it strays away from the traditional perception of martial arts training – strenuous training and physical contact with others to learn and improve your skills.
Where tai chi differs is that it places a strong emphasis on using the mind as well as the body. Much of tai chi is spent making slow and calculated movements in a rhythm that allows your mind and body to find an inner calm. The mental clarity that you gain from practicing this martial art allows you to better learn the physical aspects of the training.
So with as a form of fitness, it provides both mental and physical training, which leads to gaining health benefits in both these areas. Tai chi comes in many different training forms, which allows practitioners to find the best style to suit to their own fitness goals. It’s not hard to find a good tai chi class, as it remains very popular today. Take a look below and see for yourself the countless health benefits to be gained from tai chi:
Balance
There are many claims as to the various ways tai chi can improve your physical and mental health, and improving your balance is possibly the most well-known. Studies towards the benefits of tai chi are limited at the moment, yet those that have taken place regard the improvements in balance as very much true.
The slow and concise manner in which you move sections of your body is very deliberate in tai chi. For example, many exercises in tai chi involve moving the weight in the body from one leg to the other as you make movements with the upper body. This helps to improve coordination in movement of the body and how well it can balance.
For older people, this can be an immense improvement in their mobility as it is known to diminish over the years. Falling is a leading cause in injuries to older people, with many never fully recovering to their pre-injury capabilities.
Those taking part in tai chi long before they hit their twilight years can expect better mobility at this point in their lives, which can lead to a longer healthier life as you age. A study that compared 65-year-old males with, and without tai chi experience showed evidence that those with at least ten years practicing the martial art had much more health benefits as a result.
Balance was one of the key benefits here, along with flexibility and cardiovascular functioning. It’s safe to assume that anyone that takes up tai chi early in life can expect a much higher level of fitness as they age.
Confidence in Balance and Walking Abilities
While this could be considered the same as balance; it’s benefits come more so from the mental side of things. Older people are often placed with a fear of falling when moving around, as it can lead to serious injuries that can cause long-term limitations in movement and your overall fitness.
One study found that in a group of people age 70 years and above, those who regularly took part in tai chi classes had a reduction in fear of falling by as much as 15%. This can be an incredible benefit to your life if you are older or dealing with a disability that causes a similar effect with your mobility, as the confidence gained from not being afraid of falling and hurting yourself is immense.
You can walk around more often, which in turn allows you to maintain a higher level of fitness regardless of your age. Those who have trained in tai chi from a younger age will find they can stay fit well into their retirement years, which cannot be said of most people that age!
It doesn’t stop there, however! Read on to find out other ways in which your mind and body can benefit from tai chi.
