What are the Benefits of Tai Chi?
By Joseph Nordqvist , last updated August 30, 2018
Reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, MS, NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS
Tai chi is a non-competitive martial art known for its self-defense techniques and health benefits. As a form of exercise, it combines gentle physical exercise and stretching with mindfulness.
Deadly Falls in Older Americans Are Rising. Here’s How to Prevent Them.
This article appeared in the New York Times in print on June 4, 2018.
“A study published last year found that among adults over 70 who practiced tai chi twice a week for an hour, the incidence of falls was reduced by 58 percent.”
By Katie Hafner
The rate of deaths after falls is rising for people over 75, a new study shows. But falls are avoidable for most seniors. We have some tips.
On Relaxation – June 2019
By Margaret Olmsted
Comparing the Benefits of Tai Chi and Meditation on MS Symptoms
UMass Amherst researchers enrolling people in community-based study
Tai Chi and Pregnancy by Gerrie Sporken and Margaret Olmsted
A student recently asked if it was okay to do tai chi when pregnant. The short answer is Yes!!
Here is an article from the NY Times. This article appears in print on Feb. 18, 2019, on Page D4 of the New York edition with the headline: Aging: Best Exercises to Prevent Falls.
The Best Exercises to Prevent Falls
Activities that required standing up rather than sitting, such as tai chi, were the most effective.
By Nicholas Bakalar
A large review of studies confirms that exercise can be a good way to help reduce the frequency of falls in the elderly.
It delights me that the YMCA has added Tai Chi to its roster of classes.
Tai Chi has given me a tried and true method of integrating mind - body - spirit. As I am aging, I became acutely aware of my increased chances of falling, The Tai Chi practice is my antidote to this problem. It keeps the mind juicy, the body responsive and the spirit young.
It appears that we are doing very little, when in reality I am breaking a sweat in the first 15 minutes.
The eight active ingredients of Tai Chi
Excerpted from an article by Peter M. Wayne, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Director of Research, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
Dive into Danger! Learning Tai Chi on Skis
By Pat Gorman. Reprinted from Tai Chi Press of 1995
Uncle Wayne Nichols, master of skiing and tai Chi of the mountainside, was 83 when I met him. My tai chi friends, Ty and Helene (he a luge Olympian, she an expert ice skater) said, “Go to Alta and study skiing with this man.”
Tai Chi Books and Videos
Looking for a different sort of gift for a friend or loved one or even for yourself? While no book can replace learning tai chi in person from a teacher, reading about tai chi can be inspiring, and pictures can help you practice. Books on philosophy can increase your self-awareness. We also include a few videos that facilitate learning tai chi.
