Don't miss tak Low-intensity tai chi exercises gift. No Detoxification Support for Increased Vitality on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice taai your doctor or other qualified clinician. Since I had a C-Section back in my 40s, my stomach muscles have never been the same. While not an exhaustive list, the following are some of the more well-known mental and physical benefits of tai chi. Are there any precautions seniors should take when starting Tai Chi?

Low-intensity tai chi exercises -

A short form with smaller, slower movements is usually recommended at the beginning, especially if you're older or not in good condition. Qigong or chi kung. Translated as "breath work" or "energy work," this consists of a few minutes of gentle breathing sometimes combined with movement.

The idea is to help relax the mind and mobilize the body's energy. Qigong may be practiced standing, sitting, or lying down. The benefits of tai chi are generally greatest if you begin before you develop a chronic illness or functional limitations. Tai chi is very safe, and no fancy equipment is needed, so it's easy to get started.

Here's some advice for doing so:. Don't be intimidated by the language. Names like Yang, Wu, and Cheng are given to various branches of tai chi, in honor of people who devised the sets of movements called forms.

Certain programs emphasize the martial arts aspect of tai chi rather than its potential for healing and stress reduction. In some forms, you learn long sequences of movements, while others involve shorter series and more focus on breathing and meditation. The name is less important than finding an approach that matches your interests and needs.

Check with your doctor. If you have a limiting musculoskeletal problem or medical condition — or if you take medications that can make you dizzy or lightheaded — check with your doctor before starting tai chi. Given its excellent safety record, chances are that you'll be encouraged to try it.

Consider observing and taking a class. Taking a class may be the best way to learn tai chi. Seeing a teacher in action, getting feedback, and experiencing the camaraderie of a group are all pluses.

Most teachers will let you observe the class first to see if you feel comfortable with the approach and atmosphere. Instruction can be individualized. Ask about classes at your local Y, senior center, or community education center.

If you'd rather learn at home, you can buy or rent videos geared to your interests and fitness needs see "Selected resources". Although there are some excellent tai chi books, it can be difficult to appreciate the flow of movements from still photos or illustrations.

Talk to the instructor. There's no standard training or licensing for tai chi instructors, so you'll need to rely on recommendations from friends or clinicians and, of course, your own judgment.

Look for an experienced teacher who will accommodate individual health concerns or levels of coordination and fitness. Dress comfortably.

Choose loose-fitting clothes that don't restrict your range of motion. You can practice barefoot or in lightweight, comfortable, and flexible shoes. Tai chi shoes are available, but ones you find in your closet will probably work fine.

You'll need shoes that won't slip and can provide enough support to help you balance, but have soles thin enough to allow you to feel the ground. Running shoes, designed to propel you forward, are usually unsuitable.

Gauge your progress. Most beginning programs and tai chi interventions tested in medical research last at least 12 weeks, with instruction once or twice a week and practice at home. By the end of that time, you should know whether you enjoy tai chi, and you may already notice positive physical and psychological changes.

Although tai chi is slow and gentle and doesn't leave you breathless, it addresses the key components of fitness — muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and, to a lesser degree, aerobic conditioning. Here's some of the evidence:. Muscle strength. Tai chi can improve both lower-body strength and upper-body strength.

When practiced regularly, tai chi can be comparable to resistance training and brisk walking. Although you aren't working with weights or resistance bands, the unsupported arm exercise involved in tai chi strengthens your upper body.

Tai chi strengthens both the lower and upper extremities and also the core muscles of the back and abdomen. Tai chi can boost upper- and lower-body flexibility as well as strength.

Tai chi improves balance and, according to some studies, reduces falls. Proprioception — the ability to sense the position of one's body in space — declines with age. Tai chi helps train this sense, which is a function of sensory neurons in the inner ear and stretch receptors in the muscles and ligaments.

Tai chi also improves muscle strength and flexibility, which makes it easier to recover from a stumble.

Fear of falling can make you more likely to fall; some studies have found that tai chi training helps reduce that fear. Aerobic conditioning. Depending on the speed and size of the movements, tai chi can provide some aerobic benefits.

If your clinician advises a more intense cardio workout with a higher heart rate than tai chi can offer, you may need something more aerobic as well. An Introduction to Tai Chi Harvard Health Special Report.

Tree of Life Tai Chi Center: www. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

But tai chi also encourages relaxation, which helps ease stress. Those features are all important aspects of mind-body therapies, many of which seem to benefit heart health, says Dr. Gloria Yeh, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. The movements are easy to adapt to different levels of intensity, and you can even do certain movements while seated in a chair.

Tai chi doesn't require fully extending or stretching your joints, so it's also fine for people who are not so flexible. Tai chi can be a good gateway exercise for people who cannot or will not engage in more conventional exercise.

Even people who are out of shape can do tai chi, which can help build strength and confidence, both physically and mentally. And if you practice more vigorously or sink deeper into the poses, tai chi can provide a moderate aerobic workout.

But the meditative aspects of tai chi that teach body awareness, slowing down, and stress management are also important, says Dr. Yeh, who directs the Mind-Body Research program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

People prone to heart disease can benefit from holistic approaches that address their overall well-being, she adds. Studies exploring the health benefits of tai chi — which also include reduced pain and improved mood — date back to the s.

Tai chi may help lower cholesterol levels and dampen inflammation, both of which are linked to better heart health. But the best evidence seems to be for improving blood pressure, according to a review of 26 studies co-authored by Dr. Yeh in the journal Preventive Cardiology.

In people with high blood pressure, systolic blood pressure the first number in a blood pressure reading fell seven to 32 points, while diastolic pressure the second number fell by two to 18 points. Tai chi may be a promising addition to cardiac rehabilitation, a multiweek program of structured exercise paired with lifestyle and nutrition education.

Cardiac rehab, which is covered by Medicare, improves quality of life and survival after a serious heart-related problem, procedure, or surgery. But according to the American Heart Association, only about a quarter of eligible Medicare recipients participate in these programs.

Studies by Dr. Yeh and others suggest that for people who decline cardiac rehab, tai chi can help them ease into exercising more, losing weight, and enjoying a better quality of life. As this research continues to grow, tai chi may become a more popular option in conjunction with cardiac rehab, says Dr.

Many academic medical centers, including Harvard Medical School, have integrative medicine programs that offer tai chi classes. You also can find local tai chi classes at martial arts studios, community centers, health clubs, Y's, and senior centers.

Wear loose, comfortable clothing, and supportive shoes like sneakers or no shoes, if you prefer. During the class, the instructor will demonstrate graceful, slow arm and leg movements, often done with a slight bend in the knees.

You can learn tai chi from a watching a DVD, which you can also use to practice at home. But going to a class has certain advantages. It may be easier to grasp the concepts with a live instructor with whom you can interact, and being in a group provides both camaraderie and motivation.

The electronic version includes links to videos demonstrating the moves. World Tai Chi Day is celebrated on the last Saturday of April with free classes around the world; see www. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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