Excerpt from The Essentials of Taiji (Tai Chi)Training for Older Adults: No Pain, Lots of Gain

by Yang Yang, Ph.D; Scott Grubisich; and Matthew Komelski, Ph.D.

Please join Matthew Komelski for Taiji at Lifestream on Saturdays. Beginners from 4 to 5 pm and Intermediates from 5 to 6 pm.

The genius of the taiji method is that it combines traditional Chinese martial arts exercises with meditation. This combination creates a system of practice that has many health benefits, including stress reduction and improved cardiovascular and immune system function. Moreover, taiji is among the foremost exercise interventions recommended for fall prevention in seniors. The three essential practices of taiji are meditation, martial arts form and partner training, usually called push hands. These three interrelated and interdependent elements of taiji promote holistic benefits by improving physical, mental, and spiritual well- being.

With a quiet, awakened mind and a relaxed aware body, the martial choreography of taiji simply becomes an extension of the work begun in qigong training. Taiji forms for beginners are typically executed slowly with knees slightly bent. Care should be taken not to over exert or bend the knees to an uncomfortable degree. There are a number of orthodox styles of taiji, each with its own patterns of choreography, yet the basic principles of taiji – natural breathing, attention to efficient posture and an awareness of the interplay between force and relaxation – can be found in all styles of taiji. While advanced choreographies can seem intimidating to onlookers, the simple, fundamental practices introduced to beginners are enough to yield profoundly beneficial results.

Bio: Dr. Komelski is the author of several articles on Taiji (The Role of Taijiquan in Supporting Adaptive Development in Adulthood; The Essentials of Taiji Training for Older Adults; and How Does Taiji Prevent Falls?) and he has made a half-dozen presentations in Blacksburg, San Francisco, and Washington, DC on Taiji.

Examiner.com: Dr. Matthew Komelski on Tai Chi & Qigong