I’ve been taking a Tai Chi class for several weeks. We’ve got two lessons left. Our instructor is very patient and takes each lesson slow and easy.
Some may think Tai Chi is Chinese for Hokey Pokey. They would be wrong. While I don’t know the actual translation, many refer to it as “shadowboxing” because some of the moves in boxing are very similar. In Tai Chi they are done in a slow and steady manner.
Tai Chi is good for seniors because it can increase both your lifespan, which is how long you live, and your “health span,” which is how long you can function independently. In fact, when it comes to overall lifespan, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that this activity can reduce mortality, much like jogging. My jogging days are gone, so it’s Tai Chi for me.
Our class has about twenty students, down from the thirty that started. We originally had five men in the group, but we’re down to just two. Most of the women are more graceful than the two surviving males, but I didn’t sign up to be graceful. I’m happy to fumble through the moves. I want to strengthen my core to improve my overall balance. It’s working.
The instructor, Amy, shows us the moves and we mimic her. We begin each class with a series of warm up exercises that include a lot of stretching. We start with the neck and work our way down to our feet. We repeat each stretch three times before moving on to another part of the body. The stretching takes about six of the fifty-five-minute class.
Amy calls out the moves and we follow her lead. We repeat each section several times before moving on. Most of the time she calls the moves, but a couple of times during each lesson she has us do the moves without being called. I prefer the non-called method because I find it flows more smoothly. I sometimes find myself waiting for the next call, which make my movements herky-jerky. My goal is to move through them seamlessly. I’m not there yet, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s all about the practice. I need to commit to doing the work outside of class. I’ve seen the finished product and it’s beautiful to watch.
If you’re interested in self-improvement through Tai Chi, the video of Amy below may be a starting point. These are the moves we’ve learned thus far.