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Tai Chi
What is Tai Chi?What is Tai Chi good for?
Before you go
What to expect from a Tai Chi session
Afterwards
What is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art. The "hand form" element of Tai Chi is what you will have seen groups of people perform in parks and open spaces here in the UK.
Tai Chi is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine principles relating to the flow of qi (life energy) through your body. The flowing movements of Tai Chi aim to help your life energy to move smoothly through the meridians and pathways of your body.
With a basis on the Yin and Yang principles, each movement in Tai Chi can be described as a defensive or offensive application, although each movement is slow, and one application flows into the next.
What is Tai Chi good for?
Whilst Tai Chi may not be considered "exercise" in the traditional Western sense (there's no running about or sweating), Tai Chi is believed to be effective in:
* increasing flexibility
* improving suppleness
* exercising your muscles
* aiding relaxation
* reducing stress
* focusing the mind
Before you go
Tai Chi is often performed out of doors, so you may want to check it isn't raining!
What to expect from a Tai Chi session
A typical Tai Chi class will start with a warm-up, designed to loosen your muscles and open your joints. The class itself will see you following a teacher through a progression of slow, methodical choreographed movements and poses. You will be encouraged to keep your breathing natural and relaxed, and focus your mind. Some Tai Chi classes will talk you through a guided meditation as you move.
Afterwards
You may feel energised, more awake, focused and alert. Tai Chi is a great way to start your day. Hundreds of thousands of workers perform the exercise before work each morning in China, so you're in good company!
See also:
* All fitness and wellbeing classes
* Tai-bo
* Yoga
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