Vacation Reflections highlight benefits of Tai chi Chen Style Practical Method
Many people come to Tai chi PM with a background of martial arts of various types. Not me; I came for the health and well-being benefits, having never participated in any kind of martial art previously. When I retired, going to the gym became boring after a few months, so I decided to try Tai chi. Recently my teacher listed these benefits for PM:
Cardio
Strength
Balance
Stability
Stretching
Coordination
Flexibility
Energy/Qi
Inner calmness/Zen
Brain power
Complete fitness—Body and mind
It’s one thing to read the list, another to experience them for yourself. I can say after almost four years that I have experienced all of these. Not all details can be taught by your teacher; you will have self-discoveries relating to your own body. Earlier this year, after months of working on balancing, I realized I had no issue on one side (leg), but the other side was problematic. I spent a whole evening analyzing what was going on for one side vs the other side and finally figured out I was sticking out my left hip in a strange way. It didn’t have anything to do with Tai chi per se, it was the way I had carried myself for years. I had to push that hip in and then everything lined up and I could more easily balance. At first, I really had to concentrate during Yilu to keep that hip pushed in the entire time. It took several more months for it to become a permanent part of my form and a permanent part of my life. To me it was a thrill to stand in a crowded Tube in London, hanging onto the strap and feeling how straight my hip lined up. I’m 70 now, but I believe this will help with my stance and gait as I age. If I hadn’t noticed this while doing Tai chi, it is likely I would have never really focused on it.
Balance and stability jumped to the fore twice on my trip. Entering a bodega to pay for a couple of apples, I tripped over a slight lip in the doorway. My feet bobbled for a few seconds but my upper body remained perfectly still and upright as I moved forward. A similar situation occurred where there was one more little step going down than I realized. I went down further than I was expecting, but ended up standing in place as if nothing had happened. (there’s a lot of steps in getting around London!)
On another note, Tai chi PM is my only daily exercise and it provides stamina too as I usually clocked about 6-7 miles a day while in London.
If you’re considering learning Tai chi PM for reasons similar to mine, don’t hesitate to give it a try and prove it to yourself. It’s a great journey. Changes are not instantaneous by any means and you must be willing to put in the work, but the rewards are worth it.
