Health

T'ai chi as exercise

For most people who practise it today, t'ai chi is first of all a form of exercise: something to do regularly that keeps the body moving. It helps to know what kind of exercise it is, what it offers and what it leaves for other activities to provide.

The main types of exercise

Public health agencies commonly describe several types of activity that work best in combination. MedlinePlus's page on exercise and physical fitness lists aerobic exercise such as walking, running or swimming, which raises breathing and heart rate; strength or resistance training, which uses weights, bands or body weight to build muscle; balance exercises, for which it gives tai chi as an example; and flexibility exercises. The National Institute on Aging makes a similar point for older adults: it is important to get aerobic, muscle-strengthening and balance activity rather than focusing on one type, and it names tai chi among its examples of balance exercises, describing it as a "moving meditation" that shifts the body slowly, gently and precisely while breathing deeply.

Where t'ai chi fits

Balance

This is t'ai chi's most obvious strength as exercise. Nearly every posture involves shifting weight from two legs to one and back, often while turning, and slow practice gives time to control each shift. The page on balance and falls describes what research has looked at.

Leg strength

Holding a bent-knee stance while moving slowly asks the thigh and hip muscles to work continuously. Lower stances ask more; higher stances ask less. For many people, t'ai chi is a gentle form of leg-strength training, though it does not replace dedicated strength work for the upper body.

Flexibility and mobility

Turning from the waist, opening the hips and moving the arms through large arcs keep joints moving through a comfortable range. Warm-ups in class often add gentle stretches.

Endurance

At a slow pace, t'ai chi is generally light activity. Longer forms, lower stances, faster styles and weapons practice can raise the effort, but most people who want aerobic fitness pair t'ai chi with something else.

Low impact

There is no jumping in most t'ai chi forms and no pounding of the feet, so the stress on joints comes mainly from holding stances and turning. That is why it suits many people who find running or high-impact classes uncomfortable. Low impact does not mean no load: deep stances and pivots on a planted foot can still strain the knees if done carelessly, a subject covered in knees, joints and a lifetime of practice.

Pairing t'ai chi with other activity

MedlinePlus's page on exercise for older adults describes endurance, strength, balance and flexibility as different types of exercise, notes that doing all of them brings more benefits, and suggests starting slowly if you have not been active and checking with a health care provider about what is right for you. A simple, balanced week might look like this:

• T'ai chi on most days, even briefly, for balance, coordination and calm.
• Brisk walking, cycling or swimming several times a week for endurance.
• Simple strength work, such as rising from a chair, wall push-ups or light weights, a couple of times a week.
• Gentle stretching after activity, when the muscles are warm.

T'ai chi also makes a good warm-down after a walk, and a walk makes a good warm-up for the form.

Building up gradually

1. Begin with short sessions and increase slowly over weeks.
2. Keep stances high at first and lower them only as comfort allows.
3. Practise on a level, non-slip surface.
4. Drink water, especially outdoors in warm weather.
5. Rest when tired; slow movement still tires muscles.

If you are new to the art, New to t'ai chi? explains what a first class covers.