Tai Chi is an incredibly relaxing and interesting form of performance art that had its origins in ancient China. We know that people practice it for the health benefits and it is accounted by many practitioners of Tai Chi that it has an incredible effect on the overall mental and physical health.
Tai chi is a form of exercise that requires no equipment, and it is easy to learn. While doing the art, you not only get into the depth of your mental and physical being, but it also has some spiritual effects that synchronize your thoughts into positive actions.
• Tai Chi Encourages Body-Positivity
By combining the slow and graceful movement of the arms, hands, and legs with calm breathing, you are able to concentrate on yourself. When you practice Tai Chi, you become more aware of your body movements, your capabilities and strengths, and weaknesses, giving you room to grow with every session. Whether you are young or old, performing Tai Chi makes you love your body and gives you a sense of acceptance no matter what type of body you have.
• Tai Chi has a Calming Effect
Everyone is stressed with work, family and other problems at certain points in their life, and stress on a daily basis can have a negative impact on the mental and physical health of a person. Tai chi is a form of exercise that can distract you from the stressful life by focusing your energy on something else.
While training Tai Chi, you have to concentrate on balance and synchrony which leaves little room for other thoughts. The slow breathing during the various postures calms your mind and increases your cardio, making you think clearer and make better life decisions.
• Tai Chi is a Form of Socializing
Tai Chi is an activity that can be performed by all age groups, different types of bodies and personalities. Since the activities are performed with synchronized movements in a group, there is no room for competition or judgments. It is the art of following a natural motion while focusing solely on you. The variety of people who practice tai chi is unlimited so you will surely find someone you can share a few conversations with!
• Tai Chi Improves Balance
The main reason why you might see a lot of senior citizens practicing Tai Chi is that it does improve the physical balance of the body. With various postures and form involved in the practice, it strengthens the arms and legs, improves the flexibility of the joints and muscles and develops better control of the body.
It is especially effective for senior citizens and people recovering from a certain illness that requires careful and calculated movements.
• Tai Chi Increases Endurance and Strength
Like other forms of aerobic conditioning exercises, Tai chi also improves endurance and strength. Even though the size and speed of the movement are minimal as compared to other exercises, holding a posture and stretching to form the variety of shapes keeps the muscles engaged. It does not have a sudden effect physically, but it prepares your mind to tolerate and calmly react to pain and external forces immediately.
• Tai Chi Helps You Focus
Tired from work stress or monotonous lifestyle activities? Try practicing Tai Chi whenever you feel like you cannot concentrate, or have a problem focusing on something. It teaches you to be mindful of your body and your surroundings, and if you practice it right, it helps you to focus on what is important by recharging your neurons with fresh cells while performing different activities.
• Tai Chi Does Not Affect the Joints
Many forms of exercises target the shoulders, knees, ankles, and back due to poor posture, repetitive and unnatural form. It eventually leads to serious joint complications of the years and may even cause permanent damage. But Tai Chi, being performed and developed through experience by multiple generations, the priority is set on practicing correct posture and movements from the beginning so that the practitioner’s joints are strengthened for repetitive practice for a long term.
• Tai Chi for Heart
Tai chi is a moderate exercise that even people with weak heart or cardiovascular problems can practice. It improves physical activity and does not strain the nerves. The slow breathing in and out activity improves the circulation of air through the nerves and heart while calmly increasing the strength of the heart, keeping it healthy.
• Tai Chi Inspires Your Natural Instincts
Since the practice of Tai is based on nature, the gentle movements resemble various elements in nature like the trees, air, water, and wind. By reflecting on these elements, you can practice Tai Chi for health as it clears your thoughts and mind of negative energies and focuses on positive elements that can inspire you to be a better version of yourself.
Tags: exercise, martial art, mental, physical, tai chi
