It's common to get bored with your regular cardio and strength training exercises while striving to achieve your fitness goals. That's why it's a good idea to mix things up with some alternative forms of exercise to keep your workout routine fun and exciting. In this article, we will delve into Tai Chi, a form of martial art that originated in China. Tai Chi has been used for a long time to promote good health and to learn self-defense. If you're interested in trying it out, we've shared some tips to get started.
Overview of Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient technique that people in China have been using for thousands of years. Today, tai chi moves continue to remain popular. Its popularity has spread beyond just China or Asia - with people from all over the world now opting for Tai Chi as a way to build strength, relax, and focus on their health.
Main benefits that Tai Chi offers
To begin with Tai Chi, it is important to understand the benefits it offers. When we talk about tai chi for beginners, it’s crucial to know what you can expect so you can incorporate it into your daily routine. So, let’s discuss the main advantages of doing Tai Chi.
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Improves balance: You’ll notice that Tai Chi is really good for improving your overall balance. This can have an impact on your day-to-day life, as well as in cases where you do exercises that require perfect balance.
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Increases strength and endurance: Tai Chi exercises for beginners help improve your physical strength[1]. This means you’ll be stronger when lifting things and when you decide to do strength training. You’ll also notice improvements in your endurance.
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Reduces stress, anxiety, and depression: When you do Tai Chi, you’ll likely also find that your ability to cope with stress improves[2]. The exercises also help with depression and anxiety, which will improve your mood. Combine Tai Chi with NUU3 Keep Calm Gummies, and you’ll notice even more improvements. These gummies contain natural ingredients that calm you down and make you feel less anxious. They also help boost your mood and make you feel more motivated in your daily life.
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Reduces the fear of falling: As your balance improves with Tai Chi exercises, you’ll find that your risk of falling also declines.
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Improves self-confidence: Over time, your self-confidence will start to increase significantly. This is due to the physical and mental effects that Tai Chi tends to have on your body.
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Improves aerobic capacity: Tai chi for beginners can also help improve your overall aerobic capacity. This means you’ll be able to perform cardio exercises more easily.
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Enhances quality of sleep: Another important benefit is the fact that Tai Chi improves your sleep over time[3]. Sleep is really important, as it’s a process that your body uses to rejuvenate, consolidate memories, and prepare for the next day. Sleep also helps your immune system stay strong, and you can further benefit from this by taking a supplement like the NUU3 Multivitamin Gummies. These gummies taste great and give you all the most important nutrients your body needs daily.
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Improves overall well-being: Considering all of the benefits that Tai Chi offers, it’s clear to see that these exercises will ultimately contribute to your overall health.
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Eases pain: A lot of people who do Tai Chi also notice that they begin to experience less pain. Together with the NUU3 SuperGreens supplement, you can further improve your pain symptoms. This kind of supplement loads your body with antioxidants, which fight free radicals and reduce inflammation naturally.
What you should know about Tai Chi for seniors
Something important to consider about Tai Chi is the fact that it’s a gentle type of exercise. Since it's not so hard on the body, Tai Chi is a perfect option for seniors who want to keep their bodies and minds fit. Tai Chi for seniors usually involves some of the gentlest exercises that are part of this practice.
Tai chi for beginners: Tips to get you started
Tai Chi for beginners generally involves easing yourself into these exercises. It’s important not to overdo things, as this could potentially lead to injury.
Here are a couple of tips to help you get started:
- Focus on your posture, as it’s a really important element when doing Tai Chi.
- When moving in Tai Chi, your movements should be fluid and focus on your entire body.
- Understand what it means to be mindful and practice this while doing Tai Chi.
- Your mind should also play a role while moving your body.
Your Journey with Tai Chi - From Before to After
Before starting Tai Chi, you may realize that you are not as physically and mentally strong as you would like to be. Your instructor may take a moment to ensure everyone is comfortable before starting the class.
During the session, you can expect to perform flowing movements while following the instructor. Once the session is over, many people find that they feel both relaxed and very awake at the same time. Over time, regular sessions will make you feel like you’re in a better mood after each exercise.
10 Tai Chi workouts that target the entire body
Now that you know more about Tai Chi for beginners, let’s take a closer look at a couple of exercises to get you started.
- Standing meditation: This is a very basic exercise that simply involves standing up straight and meditating. It takes some time to get used to, as most people meditate sitting down.
- Parting the wild horse’s mane: This is an exercise that starts in the classic “Hold the Ball” position. You’ll be moving fluidly with your hands in such a way that it seems like you’re parting a horse’s mane.
- White crane spreads its wings: This is a taijiquan movement that requires perfect posture and alignment. One hand goes up into the air, while the other one remains low. It helps to train your reflexes.
- Grasp sparrow’s tail: This move is part of the Yang Style Tai Chi exercises. It involves four specific parts that you move through, which start with Ward Off, then go to Roll Back, Press, and Push.
- Single whip: This one forms part of different Tai Chi styles. You’ll end your exercise with your one palm pushing outward, and the other hand in a hooked form.
- Brush knee and twist step: Many consider this to be a fundamental part of Tai Chi. It’s a self-defense move that teaches you how to push someone away.
- Fair lady works at shuttles: This is another great choice not only for working on your health but also as a self-defense move. You should focus on your line of vision while performing this exercise.
- High pat on horse: This Taijiquan movement is very common and something you’ll likely see in a Tai Chi for beginners class. You’ll end the movement with your right hand high as if you are patting a horse.
- Needle at sea bottom: This move is often considered an excellent choice for those who want to work on their posture. It starts with a half step backward, rotation, and then pushing one leg and both hands upward.
- Carry tiger to the mountain: This is another posture exercise which is also known as Embrace the Tiger, Carry to the Mountain.
FAQs
Who should avoid doing Tai Chi?
Tai Chi isn’t recommended for people who aren’t physically fit, especially those who have been sedentary for a long time and those who have an infection.
Can you learn Tai Chi by yourself?
Yes, it’s possible to learn the technique by yourself. It is, however, advisable to have a guide in the beginning. It is also important that you go slow when you’re just getting started and avoid overdoing things.
How many times a week should you do Tai Chi?
If you’re generally healthy, then you can do Tai Chi every day of the week if you want to. That’s because you don’t need a lengthy recovery period, and the exercises don’t put a lot of strain on your muscles.
Conclusion
Tai Chi allows you to relax, unwind, and let go of stress. It’s also a great way to increase your strength and boost your endurance, while also helping to ease any pain you have. However, for beginners, knowing how to get started with Tai Chi is important. That’s going to make it easier to start without hurting yourself.
References
1] ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-tai-chi
2] ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9957102/
3] ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9959787/
Dr. Ahmed Zayed
Dr. Zayed, has years of experience in the field and has been contributing to public health awareness. Dr. Ahmed Zayed holds a baccalaureate of Medicine and Surgery. Egypt. Dr. Zayed believes in providing knowledgeable information to readers. His articles were featured on many websites like HuffingtonPost, Chicagotribune . Other than his passion for writing, Dr. Zayed spends his time outside the hospital, either reading or at the gym.
