Tai-chi as a tool for growing old

[Tangled Metal]

One of the full day training sessions my ju jitsu dojo ran had one of the many guest instructors who was a real expert in many disciplines. Whilst it was common for ju jitsu instructors to know karate, judo or aikido. This guy knew a few more including tai chi Chuan. An interesting guy. British but an instructor in multiple Japanese fighting styles and the tai chi from China. That was his evening job. His day job was Chinese medicine, acupuncture, acupressure and other aspects of Chinese culture/medicine. He certainly knew how to help dead legs through massage of pressure points.

There's a lot to be said for knowing more about the culture behind tai chi. However did that affect the benefits? Unlikely but it's probably a sign of quality in your instructor. Unfortunately near us there is only the gym hand waving style of Tai chi instruction. Btw I'm as critical of certain local martial arts companies local to us? They teach in schools and to kids but even my modest ju-jitsu training could tell the instructors at my kid's class weren't up to being instructors. The ju-jitsu version of hand wavers I reckon. He only did his one free trial class it was so bad. It's possibly why I'm so critical of Tai chi instructors.

[francovendee]

Heard of it, seen it done. No thanks, it's not my thing.

I might have thought that until I tried it and found the benefits

I have to fancy something before trying it, even food!

[mumbojumbo]

We had some Chinese neighbours who did it.I wonder if the process of preparation,and attending and travelling to and fro are helpful in themselves,by breaking routine,meeting new people etc have benefits rather than the slow mo break-dancing we see so often.Its not for me-dont want to grow old gracefully talking about pre-decimal currency,jobs for life et.c

[simonineaston]

I wonder if the process of preparation and attending and travelling to and fro are helpful in themselves,by breaking routine, meeting new people etc have benefits rather than the slow mo break-dancing we see so often.

I agree. The whole package is probably good for you in loads of ways that aren't immediately obvious.

[Jdsk]

I wonder if the process of preparation and attending and travelling to and fro are helpful in themselves,by breaking routine, meeting new people etc have benefits rather than the slow mo break-dancing we see so often.

I agree. The whole package is probably good for you in loads of ways that aren't immediately obvious.

Yes. Isolation is very bad for your health.

Jonathan

[Carlton green]

I wonder if the process of preparation and attending and travelling to and fro are helpful in themselves,by breaking routine, meeting new people etc have benefits rather than the slow mo break-dancing we see so often.

I agree. The whole package is probably good for you in loads of ways that aren't immediately obvious.

Yes. Isolation is very bad for your health.

Jonathan

Plus one. I would expand and clarify that to say that (IMHO) isolation can be, and I believe typically is, bad for your physical health and bad for your mental health. Of course some people thrive on periods of self imposed isolation, so it isn’t a black and white situation.

Social contact is a wonderful thing and part of the reason why members post here. Whilst I wouldn’t particularly welcome a Tai Chi class being little more than an arm waving event such classes still do have useful purposes if ones that have some links to but relatively little overlap with traditionally taught classical Tai Chi. Whatever, take what benefit you can from the activity - probably quite a lot of benefit - and label it as you will. I believe that the therapeutic aspects of Tai Chi (in any of its various forms) are little understood, rarely recognised and infrequently acknowledged.

[DaveP]

I'd go along with that. Maintaining the effort to get out and interact with others is crucial to your wellbeing once you have escaped / survived the discipline of going to work. Having said that, Tai chi has been quite a trendy thing and there are an awful lot of apallingly inept Tai Chi "teachers" out there.
My own initial interest was inspired by those clips of aged Chinese ladies demonstrating remarkable degrees of flexibility - If I have to get old, I thought, that's a better style than most - not a Zimmer frame in sight. But even that, apparently is a debased form of the discipline.
It started out as a way to help the peasantry resist assault and oppression. The idea was that if the body is used to maximum advantage then you will be able to strike harder than an untrained fighter and you will be more able to absorb blows and resist being pushed about. All good stuff. It developed into a healthy exercise system because it someone realised that this training also reduced bad backs and joint problems. Students learn a sequence of movements, executed slowly because, unless you are training for imminent combat ,the value lies in accuracy rather than speed or power. Once the basic sequence is learnt, ongoing study amounts to doing it better, with an underlying assumption that perfection is unattainable.
I've been practicing for nearly ten years. Is my body a deadly weapon? I'd love to say yes but, well I've learnt a lot about posture and relaxation and I've become much more sensitive to what my muscles are doing when I'm not paying attention... And as arthritis bites I do find it useful and wish I'd come across it earlier.
Seen through a window, I suppose a lesson can look like a bunch of weirdos waving their arms about but I generally come out tired, with throbbing legs. If you're doing it right your legs will work...and work. If you can find a teacher who demonstrates more concern for the health of your knees than for making precisely the "right shapes" with your body then you could be in luck, but real experts are quite thin on the ground.

[Morzedec]

It's a con.

Designed for those who think that, by waving their arms around gently for five minutes, it will make them fitter - it won't.

Just a psychological cop-out (oo, just look at me, exercising ...).

Correct food, gentle walking, less television, and a realisation of what being stupid means will have far more effect. It's as bad as the adverts on television where they deliberately use overweight female models to extract money from other fatties. Yes, FAT - no excuses, you made yourself like that, so who can you blame but yourself?

There has never been any alternative to a positive attitude and hard work.

Happy days (from a contented, fit, active, and un-connable cyclist)

[Jdsk]

It's a con.

Designed for those who think that, by waving their arms around gently for five minutes, it will make them fitter - it won't.

Just a psychological cop-out (oo, just look at me, exercising ...).

Correct food, gentle walking, less television, and a realisation of what being stupid means will have far more effect.

It's probably good for both physical and mental health, but the quality of studies is very poor. And for company, as discussed above.

Why set diet and walking against Tai chi? They're not exclusive.

Jonathan

[merseymouth]

Yo all, Freeze Frame Calisthenics, bit like your video has locked up!
Add a sword and it looks like the Seven Samurai .
Why no option in the poll for "You're having a laugh"? Maybe it should be combined with that Fung Shui stuff???
I'll stick to Number 52 with fried rice! MM

[Carlton green]

It's a con.

Designed for those who think that, by waving their arms around gently for five minutes, it will make them fitter - it won't.

Just a psychological cop-out (oo, just look at me, exercising ...).

Correct food, gentle walking, less television, and a realisation of what being stupid means will have far more effect. It's as bad as the adverts on television where they deliberately use overweight female models to extract money from other fatties. Yes, FAT - no excuses, you made yourself like that, so who can you blame but yourself?

There has never been any alternative to a positive attitude and hard work.

Happy days (from a contented, fit, active, and un-connable cyclist)

That’s quite a condemnation. I wonder if you have actually done any Tai Chi and if so then for how long and who with? As someone who did Tai Chi for several years I saw many people reap benefits from it. A con? Well I suspect that like many other recreational exercise classes Tai Chi teaching can be misused - I changed my Teacher once to avoid such seeming misuse - but if you select your Teacher with care then it is far from a con. That’s just my experience, having actually done it.

[francovendee]

Do you really have to try it to confirm it's a lot of old tosh?

[millimole]

Do you really have to try it to confirm it's a lot of old tosh?

It's his / her opinion, perfectly entitled to it.
We both think it's a wrong opinion. Lots of reasons have been put out to make the case otherwise - but 'to confirm its a load of old tosh' is asking to prove a negative - can't be done.
Lots of folk hold unsustainable opinions, that's their problem.

[Navara]

It's a con.
Designed for those who think that, by waving their arms around gently for five minutes, it will make them fitter - it won't.
Just a psychological cop-out (oo, just look at me, exercising ...).

Did you come to this conclusion from practicing Tai Chi or have you just written it off from observations?

[Vorpal]

What is Tai Chi conning anyone out of?

I practiced Tai Chi for years, and have recently considered taking it up again. It is good for your health and body in the same ways that yoga, pilates, and other gentle exercise is. It helps flexibility, muscle tone, and core strength.

It likely won't do much for cycling fitness, although it might help some folks sit their saddle a little less like a sack of potatoes. That doesn't make it deserving of condemnation.

If you want to do that some other way, or not all, then don't.