Written by Lisa Jillanza
Tai Chi is a popular mind and body exercise that traces its roots to Ancient China. It is a low impact activity that is aimed at promoting a person's well being regardless of age and general health condition.
Tai Chi includes a variety of slow, gentle movements. It improves breathing, promotes better circulation and is a great way of relieving stress. Practitioners believe that Tai Chi improves the flow of energy in the body, restoring the body's natural equilibrium and providing relief to many ailments.
Opening Position
- Stand erect, maintaining proper posture and spine alignment
- Spread your feet apart, and point both feet at 12 o'clock
- Relax, drop your shoulders and let your fingers hang loose
- Curve your hands and palms facing the sides of your body
- Bent your knees slightly
Awaken the Chi: Warm-up Exercise
Benefits: breathing exercise, stress reduction
- Opening position
- Bring your hands in front of your body, with your hands slightly touching and palms facing outward, about two inches below your belly
- Breathe in, and raise your hands upward to your breast level with the palms of your hands still facing skyward all in one continuous motion
- Breathe out; lower your hands in a pushing movement. Synchronize releasing the air and lowering your hands with the palm of your hands facing downward.
- Repeat the cycle 6 to 8 times and return to opening position
Balancing the Chi
Benefits: relieves anxiety, strengthens back muscles
- Opening position
- Bring hands in front with palms facing skyward, with the tips of your hands around two inches apart. Position your arms at the hip levels.
- Breathe in, raise your heels and bring arms to chest level
- Breathe out, lower hands in a gentle pushing movement. Turn your palms facing to the ground and plant heels on the ground
- Repeat movements 6 to 8 times and return to opening position
Beautiful Woman Turns the Waist
Benefits: Loosens tight muscles, strengthens back, improves kidney function
- Opening position
- Clockwise
- Position your hands at the back, with the palm of your hands pressing at your kidney area
- Straighten knees
- Push left hip out to left bend upper torso slightly right
- Push hips forward and allow upper body to bend backwards slightly
- Push right hip out to right and bend body slightly left
- Push bottom backwards and allow body to bend forward slightly
- Repeat movements 6 to 8 times and return to opening position
- Counterclockwise
- Push right hip out to right and bend body slightly left
- Push hips forward and allow upper body to bend backwards slightly
- Push left hip out to left bend upper torso slightly right
- Push bottom backwards and allow body to bend forward slightly
- Repeat cycle 6 to 8 times and return to opening position
Cloud Hands
Benefits: Improves coordination, strengthens back muscles, relieves neck tension, stress relief and enhances mind functioning
- Breathe in, turn your left arm towards the center chest area at shoulder level with the palm of your hands facing your body
- Drop right arm in line with your body and palm facing the side of your body
- Transfer your weight to your left leg
- Lock legs and turn body from your waist
- Turn left
- Let your arm follow the body's side movement
- Drop left arm in line with your body and palm facing the side of your body
- Position your right arm over the center chest area at shoulder level with right palm facing your chest
- Return to center from left
- Breathe out
- Transfer weight to center
- Transfer your weight to your right leg
- Lock legs and turn body from your waist
- Turn right
- Let your arm follow the body's side movement
- Drop right arm in line with your body and palm facing the side of your body
- Position your left arm over the center chest area at shoulder level with right palm facing your chest
- Return to center from right
- Breathe out
- Transfer weight to center
- Repeat exercise 6 to 8 times and return to opening position