Physical Qigong,
Tai chi chuan
Tai chi chuan (literal translation "Supreme Ultimate Fist") is an
internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and
its health benefits. It is also typically practiced for a variety of
other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique,
demonstration competitions, and longevity. As a consequence, a multitude
of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond
to those aims. Some of tai chi chuan's training forms are especially
known for being practiced at what most people categorize as slow
movement.
Tai chi training involves five elements, nei gung, tui shou (response
drills), sanshou (self defence techniques), Weapons, and solo hand
routines, known as forms. While the image of tai chi chuan in popular
culture is typified by exceedingly slow movement, many tai chi styles
(including the three most popular - Yang, Wu, and Chen) - have secondary
forms of a faster pace. Some traditional schools of tai chi teach
partner exercises known as "pushing hands", and martial applications of
the forms' postures.
Health benefits
Before tai chi's
introduction to Western students, the health benefits of tai chi chuan
were largely explained through the lens of traditional Chinese medicine,
which is based on a view of the body and healing mechanisms not always
studied or supported by modern science. Today, tai chi is in the process
of being subjected to rigorous scientific studies in the West.[16] Now
that the majority of health studies have displayed a tangible benefit in
some areas to the practice of tai chi, health professionals have called
for more in-depth studies to determine mitigating factors such as the
most beneficial style, suggested duration of practice to show the best
results, and whether tai chi is as effective as other forms of exercise.
Chronic conditions
Researchers have found that
intensive tai chi practice shows some favorable effects on the promotion
of balance control, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and has shown
to reduce the risk of falls in both healthy elderly patients, and those
recovering from chronic stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure,
heart attacks, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and
fibromyalgia. Tai chi's gentle, low impact movements burn more calories
than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing.
Tai chi, along with yoga, has reduced levels of LDLs 20–26 milligrams
when practiced for 12–14 weeks. A thorough review of most of these
studies showed limitations or biases that made it difficult to draw firm
conclusions on the benefits of tai chi. A later study led by the same
researchers conducting the review found that tai chi (compared to
regular stretching) showed the ability to greatly reduce pain and
improve overall physical and mental health in people over 60 with severe
osteoarthritis of the knee. In addition, a pilot study, which has not
been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, has found preliminary
evidence that tai chi and related qigong may reduce the severity of
diabetes. In a randomized trial of 66 patients with fibromyalgia, the
tai chi intervention group did significantly better in terms of pain,
fatigue, sleeplessness and depression than a comparable group given
stretching exercises and wellness education.
Stress and mental health
There have also been
indications that tai chi might have some effect on noradrenaline and
cortisol production with an effect on mood and heart rate. However, the
effect may be no different than those derived from other types of
physical exercise. In one study, tai chi has also been shown to reduce
the symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in
13 adolescents. The improvement in symptoms seem to persist after the
tai chi sessions were terminated. |