The Therapeutic Side of the Practice

Learn How You Can Benefit From Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that is practiced for a variety of reasons, from defense training to health and meditation. As you can imagine, with so many different ways to practice, you can experience a number of different benefits when you make tai chi a part of your normal routine. At Portland Tai Chi, we are proud to offer tai chi classes online for every level. If you are interested in one of our tai chi online classes, explore our website or continue reading to learn more about the benefits you can experience through tai chi.

Therapeutic Flexibility

Tai chi martial arts is a type of exercise that requires you to move slowly through different poses. As a result, many people find that they start to develop more flexibility. When you practice tai chi, going through the different movements and motions helps to stretch and strengthen your muscles, even if you don’t realize it at the time. By working those muscles, you gain better control and flexibility than you may have had before you started.

Strength

When you practice tai chi, you don’t use weights. Instead, tai chi is practiced using only your own body weight, and while that may not seem like much, exercising with body weight can be very effective with helping to strengthen your muscles. Tai Chi involves slow movements which requires restraint, and that restraint can help tone your muscles and make you stronger.

Endurance

If you’re someone who doesn’t exercise regularly, you may notice that exercising for just a short period of time wears you out. With that in mind, if you make tai chi a regular part of your routine, it helps condition your body and build up your strength. As you build up your strength, you may notice that your endurance has improved and that you are able to exercise and keep moving for longer periods of time before you start to feel tired.

Relaxation

Most people don’t associate exercise with relaxation, but tai chi is an exception. While you may be standing, moving your body, and exercising, tai chi can be extremely relaxing. Instead of pushing yourself to your limits or trying to get in one more rep, tai chi martial arts uses slower movements, allowing you to really tune into how your body moves and focus on your breathing, resulting in a relaxing experience.

Mind Body Awareness

If you’ve ever attended a yoga class, you may have been reminded multiple times throughout the class to focus on your breathing and how your body flows through each pose. Tai chi is similar in that the slow movements really allow you to connect your mind and body. As you move through each pose, you can notice how your breathing matches up with the movements and the way each movement feels in your limbs. As you practice tai chi more frequently, you will start to improve your mind and body awareness even more.

Energy Levels

It’s no secret that exercise often leads to increased levels of energy, and tai chi is no different. The main way tai chi improves your energy is in the way it helps to calm and relax your body. The mind and body connection and the relaxing movements help your body slow down and feel more at peace, which can reduce your stress and leave you feeling energized and well rested. Tai chi can also help improve your health, which can also provide your body with more energy.

Balance

Tai Chi is a great way to learn and practice balance. Some tai chi poses involve standing on the ground with both feet, but there are also some poses that require you to balance on one leg or even have your feet placed in such a way where balancing takes a little more effort. Tai chi instructors can help you improve your balance in a safe way, which is especially important for those who may have concerns about their balance. Luckily, the more you practice tai chi, the more your balance will improve.

Mood Improvement

Exercising in general is linked to improvement in mood, and tai chi is no exception from that benefit. In addition to improving your mood and feeling better and happier, tai chi also offers the benefit of a more relaxed and stress-free mind. As we mentioned earlier, tai chi is like moving meditation, providing you with the same calm and focus that you may experience after a deep meditation. As a result, you may notice that after practicing tai chi you feel rejuvenated and at peace in addition to being in a better mood overall.

Does tai chi sound like something you want to try?

Are you interested in experiencing the benefits for yourself? Portland Tai Chi can help! We offer tai chi for beginners, as well as tai chi online classes, making it easy for you to learn and practice tai chi, even if you can’t make it to the studio. What are you waiting for? Explore our website to learn more, and get started with your tai chi practice today!