What Is Tai Chi?

One of the oldest civilization of the world, the land of mountain forest, China is an ocean of various forms of prowess both to enhance the peaceful sense of mind and the physical endurance. Another such form of martial arts that originated in China is the ‘Tai Chi’. Tai Chi Chuan can be translated as ‘Supreme Ultimate Force’ which can be associated to the Chinese concept of yin-yang. Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial arts practice both for the defense training and its health benefits. It is a martial art form with hard and soft techniques which are performed in slow continuity. To understand the meaning of Tai Chi in depth and to learn more about what it offers, glance through.

 

The practice of Tai Chi was created by Zhang Sanfeng, a martial artist who lived in China in the late 16^th century. Sanfeng was said to have dreamt about a snake and a crane engaged in a battle. The graceful moves of both snake and crane in that battle inspired Sanfeng to develop his non-combative style of martial arts. This ancient form of martial arts has been practiced in China since centuries and still forms the part of the daily routine of thousands of people there, especially the elderly. Tai Chi was first introduced to United States in early 1970s and since then has gained immense popularity.

 

Tai Chi is a martial art form that uses together all the major muscle groups for the slow and gentle movements that it involves. This low-impact, weight-bearing exercise helps in improving the sense of balance, flexibility and coordination in a person. it also helps in strengthening the bone structure, improving agility and stamina in a person who practices this art form regularly.

 

Tai Chi is also a form of meditation that helps in soothing our mind driving it away from anxiety and tension, enhancing the levels of concentration in a person and keeping the blood pressure and heart rate under check.

 

Tai Chi also facilitates the process of proper breathing in a person. it helps the person to exhale all the toxins from the lungs and inhale plenty of fresh air. This exercise which Tai Chi provides enhances the lung capacity, stretches the muscles involved in breathing and helps in releasing any form of tension. Tai Chi also helps in improving blood circulation to the brain boosting mental alertness. The practice of Tai Chi also provides the body with fresh oxygen and nutrients.

One of the glaring benefits of practicing Tai Chi is the improvement of the sense of balance. Tai Chi movements being slow and deliberate with shifts of body weights from one leg to another in coordination with the upper body, it challenges the body balance and helps in improving it. This further helps in lowering the fall-related injuries in old people.

 

Practice of Tai Chi does not alone improve balance and reduces the injuries from falling; it also brings down the frequency of fear of falling. It provides the person the confidence of not falling and also helps in improving the self-confidence of a person in general.

 

A Tai Chi practice by elderly also helps in providing them greater muscular strength, stronger bone structures and more flexibility, stamina and agility. Tai Chi is a potent intervention that improves balance, upper and lower body strength and endurance and provides flexible and stable old age.