Tai Chi Chuan for the Elderly

Tai Chi Chuan is a Chinese health exercise and martial art that should be practiced daily. Usually eight to fifteen minutes a day. However, the meditative and stress reducing effect is amplified if practiced for longer periods. Even seniors can benefit since it really has no age restriction.

Tai Chi is as a slow moving exercise that promotes stability, balance, and coordination. Balance is enhanced as the forms are practiced consistently and over a long period of time. The forms are coordinated with the practitioner’s breathing. The movements are flowing and it is a single weighted form; the practitioner’s weight distribution is such that one foot at a time has most of the body weight.

It is stress reducing as a meditative exercise as well as an effective martial art. Not only does it help promote deep breathing, but it is meditative so that helps reduce stress, particularly when practiced every day at the same time. After it is practiced for a longer period of time (usually years) the energy flow or chi feels stronger. Palms start to feel warm during practice and, as fighting art (you must remain relaxed), the energy flows with more intensity. This can translate to punches and kicks becoming more powerful.

Senior’s decrease their chances falling by practising tai chi for a period of time, as it enhances their physical balance. As important is the reduction of their fear of falling; this enhances their emotional balance.

Both equally important!

What does “chi” man and what does it feel like. When practicing the Tai Chi Chuan forms the energy, or “chi” is enhanced. Its development can only be effective if you are relaxed.

After a period of time, usually three to six months, fundemental learning of the tai chi form itself should be mastered. The next steps entail a focus on breathing and balance.

This is the beginning of developing your chi.

I’m a certified instructor and student of Master William C.C. Chen for over 40 years and still take private lessons every Saturday morning. Master Chen is internationally known as a leading practitioner and teacher of Tai Chi Chuan for five decades. He was the youngest “live in” senior student and favorite disciple of the Grandmaster Professor Cheng Man Ch’ing, who was a student of the famous master Yang Ch’en-Fu (1883-1936).

Introduction

At first glance, it may seem to someone, as it did to me, to be contradictory for Tai Chi Chuan, to be a Chinese health and meditative exercise, and, at the same time, this exercise comprises moves that can be applied as an effective martial art. After careful examination, as we focus on the slow dance-like movements, we call forms, the rudiments of neutralizing punches and kicks will be observed. These daily forms are practiced deliberately; when practiced slowly they develop accuracy, balance and rooting, even while the practitioner is in a meditative like state, and as your body establishes a type of “memory”, the forms become natural movements to you. It is clear that this exercise can be practiced from the early teens to someone who is 80+ years old; regardless of age enhanced balance control and coordinated breathing can be beneficial.

As these movements or forms are practiced, they result in providing overall health benefits; while promoting relaxation, the practitioner achieves enhanced physical and emotional health; while developing deep breathing, better balance, and patience. This provides you with more energy, the self-defense movements can actually become a by-product. Daily repetition of the forms or movements should be practiced in a slow and controlled manner and should take seven to ten minutes a day.

It’s easier to maintain the discipline of everyday practice by setting aside the same time every day to practice.

If you are actively practicing any physical exercise: running, weight lifting, dance, swimming, or just walking, of course, you have to learn how to breathe properly. When practicing the forms, the accompanying breathing patterns should become automatic. In order for your training to result in an ability to use tai chi to enhance balance and coordination, a relaxed meditative “mind-set” must accompany your movements. Only when you can be relaxed enough to move without getting tense, while being able to direct your energy, body power or “chi”, can you be effective. Tai chi movements are your foundation; breathing properly by coordinating with these movements must become “second nature.”

If you’re diligent, you should feel increased energy levels, develop balance and control of how your body moves; as you get more coordinated from practicing the forms. Your energy, which is called your “chi” becomes focused and directed.

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