Exercise, Move!

In an extensive article, the Guardian talks about the history of excercise, why we need it, lifestyle change, technology and more:

Our relationship with exercise is complicated. Reports from the UK and the US show it is something we persistently struggle with. As the new year rolls around, we anticipate having the drive to behave differently and become regular exercisers, even in the knowledge that we will probably fail to do so. Why do we want to exercise? What do we expect it to do for us? We all know we are supposed to be exercising, but hundreds of millions of us can’t face actually doing it. It is just possible the problem lies at the heart of the idea of exercise itself.

In Memory of Ben Lo

 

We mourn the passing of our t'ai chi elder, Benjamin Pang-jeng Lo. Ben, as he liked to be called, was Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing's senior student and taught in San Francisco as well as workshops around the world. Please see our full article at Taijiquan Journal.

Tai chi Getting Popular with Millennials

CNN reports that millennials are seeing benefits of tai chi practice for stress reduction. Locked into leaning over a computer for hours in stressful environments, they are learning to loosen up with this ancient Chinese art. "I live in Southern California, so driving on the freeways, it can be tempting to rush through traffic and go as fast as you can," one interviewee said. "But since I've been doing tai chi, I've been able to stop and pull back and just be like 'all right, here I am in the flow. I'm going to go with it, and if it's slow, that's OK.' "
Read the article here.

Tai Chi for Seniors.

 

"According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, an estimated 2.3 million U.S. adults had used tai chi in the previous 12 months. That number is growing among aging adults for practical reasons: Tai chi requires no special clothing, shoes or equipment, so it’s affordable; it can be done almost anywhere; its slow, relaxed, and fluid movements are less stressful on aging joints and muscles; when practiced with a group, it lends itself to socializing.
"Most important, though, are the physical and mental benefits that tai chi can provide. In studies by medical researchers, this form of exercise addresses common age-related conditions such as chronic pain, loss of balance and stress. Some studies even show that tai chi can increase flexibility, promote cardiovascular fitness, increase bone mineral density, lower blood pressure and increase aerobic capacity.^"

 Read this article in full at the National Academy of Sports Medicine website.

"6 Benefits of Tai Chi for Your Health"

 


A great article on the benefits of tai chi:

"My senior year of college, a friend and I signed up for a tai chi class offered on campus. We thought it would be an entertaining hour or two every week, and it gave us a few extra course credits. But a week or two in, I realized that the classes were actually something I really loved and valued as a part of my week. I looked forward to the few hours each week where I got to calm my mind and move my body at the same time." Read the whole article at Mother Earth News.