Some research indicated that traces of a wide acceptance of Tai Chi were found in the village of Chen. This was the time of Chen Wang Ting during the early 1600s. Documents have it that this is the place where Tai Chi was born.
One of the legendary and respected founders who created the idea of imitating the flow and motion of the different martial art and kung fu techniques is Chang San Feng. By combining the different principles of Taoism, kung fu, and the theory of Yi Jing, he created the ever popular form of meditation, Tai Chi.
Characteristic
Tai Chi stresses to its practitioners that they must observe proper breathing, and correct posture so as to facilitate the pattern of the flowing Chi. Tai Chi can also be used as a form of self-defense but as time moves forward, it is less stressed.
Schools
Today, there are four popular schools of Tai Chi-Yang, Wu, Sun and Chen. These four are all unique in appearance and method of instruction but all follows the fundamentals of the basic principles applied in ancient Tai Chi that consists of cultivation of chi, correct posture, and principles of breathing.
Yang Style
This is the most famous and popular form of Tai Chi. In this kind of style, the body emphasizes a consistency regarding its movement speed, smoothness and slow but refined motion with continuity through the entire session.
Chen Style
When the Chen style of Tai Chi is performed, it features a motion that is in slow portions but then builds a stronger inner chi. it also exhibits a more explosive form with a fast turning when attacking. The back foot remains the same with the Yang style but as to being straight, it maintains a bent back knee.
May be quite similar to the traditional style of kung fu San Diego wherein stances are opposite to that of the Yang and Wu styles. All stances are often done in a low state and have a bit of an external feeling.
Sun Style
This type of Tai Chi was created in the year 1914 by Sun Lu Tang. By combining the three together with the theory supported by Yi Jing, principles of Taoism, and Qigong, he created a new and unique style of Tai Chi.
Wu Style
Considered as the youngest, it represents high stances and much slower movements. The front stances are parallel. This type of Tai Chi introduces a lot of reaching and leaning movements that are more controlled and slower than the rest.
By combining the different principles of Taoism, kung fu, and the theory of Yi Jing, he created the ever popular form of meditation, Tai Chi.
When the Chen style of Tai Chi is performed, it features a motion that is in slow portions but then builds a stronger inner chi. By combining the three together with the theory supported by Yi Jing, principles of Taoism, and Qigong, he created a new and unique style of Tai Chi.
Tai Chi stresses to its practitioners that they must observe proper breathing, and correct posture so as to facilitate the pattern of the flowing Chi. Tai Chi can also be used as a form of self-defense but as time moves forward, it is less stressed. Incorporating Tai Chi, can enhance one’s martial arts longevity.
Original article and pictures take www.jamesmartialartsacademy.com site
Myth: You have to get your heart pounding and sweat glands pouring to get any kind of benefit from exercise. Fact: Even gentle forms of exercise like tai chi, or t'ai chi, and qigong can have major health benefits, according to research by Sala Horowitz, PhD, published in the journal Alternative and Complementary Therapies.
"T'ai chi and qigong are traditional Chinese mind-body disciplines that have gained popularity in the West for their health benefits," says Horowitz. "These interrelated practices have also received attention from researchers as complementary and alternative exercises for promoting overall well-being, as a fall-prevention strategy, and as adjunct therapies for addressing a wide range of conditions."
Not only are doctors and researchers recommending these meditative practices to their patients, but they're also doing them themselves. Both of the authors of Ultimate Immunity, Elson Haas, MD, and Sondra Barrett, PhD, have practiced tai chi and qigong, respectively, for more than 20 years each. "More than 20 years ago, I decided to study qigong," says Barrett. "I found a qigong master in San Francisco and studied with him to explore the energy of qi. In all this time, I've rarely caught a cold or the flu."
Most Westerners are more familiar with tai chi, however its origin is in its 5,000-year-old parent qigong. As practiced in the U.S., they are often interchangeable.
What Is Tai Chi
"Tai chi, a martial art that originated in China from qigong, emphasizes long, slow, continuous movements along with breathing and meditation," says Haas. The meditative state of this soft martial art comes from paying attention to the sequence of movement and keeping the body and mind present in the movement.
"As with yoga, there are many different forms of tai chi," says Sondra, "and medical research has demonstrated that when people who are 55 years or older practice tai chi, they can improve their balance, mobility, mood, and immune health."
The Benefits of Tai Chi
Improves Balance and Prevent Falls
According to Horowitz, tai chi is recommended by the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatrics Society to prevent falls because it targets balance, gait, and strength. This has been found to be true in healthy seniors as well as older adults with Parkinson's disease, adults recovering from a stroke, and patients treated for distal symmetric polyneuropathy.
Improves Immunity
Tai chi has favorable effects on cell-mediated immune parameters and antibody responses, cites Horowitz. This finding doesn't surprise the authors of Ultimate Immunity because of its connection to balance improvement. Haas explains, saying, "If you're afraid of losing your balance, you'll be less likely to be physically active, which is essential to your immune health."
Improves Heart Health
Various studies have found that tai chi can help lower high blood pressure, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, cites Horowitz.
Improves Quality of Life
Aerobic exercise may be able to improve your mood, but tai chi takes it to the next level. Horowitz cites studies that show that tai chi improves self-efficacy (or the belief that you have the ability to achieve your goals), locus of control (or the belief that you control the outcome of your life versus uncontrolled, external forces), and hope.
Lessens Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Rather than load up on painkillers and sleeping pills, Horowitz cites research finding that tai chi not only reduces the pain from fibromyalgia, but it also reduces the number of tender points and fatigue.
Improves Your Mind and Outlook
The mental benefits for tai chi include improved cognitive function, reduced ADHD symptoms, and reduced depression and anxiety. In fact, Horowitz points out that medication plus tai chi is a better treatment for anxiety than medication alone, and that adding the physical component reduces rates of relapse.
What Is Qigong?
"Qigong, the 5,000-year-old parent of tai chi, is a series of meditative movements that emphasize the cultivation and balance of qi (chi), or vital energy," says Barrett.
Haas explains that according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, qi flows through the channels of the body called meridians and a blockage or imbalance of this energy can result in illness.
Qi is stored in three "cauldrons" in the body called the dantiens, "The lower dantien is about two inches below your navel, deep inside, and is said to be the primary storage area where qi energy can be built. The heart-center area (the middle dantien) holds another quality of qi thought to be more the emotional center, and the upper dantien, on your forehead (the third eye area), holds "shen," or spiritual qi," says Barrett. She explains that we can feel qi the easiest in palms of our hands.
Even if you don't take stock in this approach, there are still benefits to the practice. (Going only by this list, it might seem like there are fewer benefits to this practice, but that's only because in the U.S., tai chi is more commonly practiced, so there's more data.)
The Benefits of Qigong
Reduces Frailty
It's a stereotype that the elderly population is fragile—one that those who practice qigong don't fit into. Horowitz cites research that found that previously frail individuals improved their grip strength, heart rate, and overall health by starting a qigong practice.
Reduces Pain
Qigong is good for all kinds of pain, according to Horowitz. It reduces chronic neck pain, pain from osteoarthritis, and pain from fibromyalgia.
Improves Mood
Stress can really crush a good day. That's why it's not surprising that Horowitz found that qigong, which reduces biological markers of stress, also improves mood.
Try It: The Core Wave
Not sure if your body will agree with tai chi or qigong? Try this core wave movement from Ultimate Immunity. (Note: While this movement should be performed standing, it can be adapted to sitting or lying down.)
For more on qigong routines, check out Barrett's downloadable video, Logging On.
Bring your hands below your lower dantien (below your navel) with palms facing down. Move them toward your sides, keeping them in front of your body. Lift your arms and hands until they're chest high. Lift and lower. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your arms soft and rounded. You may feel your back getting into the motion; go ahead and gently bend your knees and rise up. You are indeed doing wavelike movements.
Original article and pictures take www.rodalewellness.com site
Sifu David a.k.a. “The Mind and Body Mentor”, is one of the most influential and respected teachers in the personal success and development space.
David has always had a fighting spirit even at a young age and comes from a family with a deep martial arts heritage. As a physically smaller kid he was often bullied by the larger kids in his school. Fortunately, he would fight back which eventually caused the bullies to leave him alone.
Later in his life however, he was severely assaulted which led him to take martial arts training more seriously. It didn’t take long for him to gain the techniques and confidence needed to defend himself effectively.
In additional to being a 3rd generation Bruce Lee student and also 3rd Generation Ip Man Student, he has studied with masters from around the world, from various martial arts styles from wing chun, jeet kune do, tai chi, chinese kung fu to jiu jitsu and military combatives.
It is his passion and life goal to continually stretch his limits to attain knowledge, wisdom, success and new abilities while helping others in the process who are searching for their path.
His training style is unique as it transforms not just the body, but also the mind and spirit. He takes transformation to a whole new level with insight on meditation, body-electrics (chi), and spiritual technology.
He is truly one of the extremely rare teachers who successfully blends ancient martial arts principles into modern day life, spirituality and personal success.
To start your own journey with wing chun training, you can get his free Wing Chun 101 DVD here (just pay shipping):
If you think tai chi is something best left to Mr. Miyagi and TheKarate Kid, it’s time for an update. Adding a little tai chi to your life could help lower your risk for developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Researchers from the University of South Florida collaborated with Chinese researchers to compare the effects of tai chi—an ancient Chinese practice of slow, deliberate movements intended to help with relaxation and balance—on the brain. They split 120 elderly Shanghai residents into four groups: one group practiced tai chi, one walked, another upped their social interaction, and the last group just went about their normal routines.
The results? After 40 weeks, those who practiced tai chi three times a week had the biggest improvements in brain volume, an important part of cognition since gray matter typically shrinks with age. The social group also saw an improvement, but not as significant as the tai chi group. Researchers suggest that the high level of attention needed for the different tai chi movements could be what sets it apart.
This latest research adds to other science-backed tai chi benefits. A Tufts Medical Center study found that adults with knee osteoarthritis—the most common joint disease in midlife—saw up to three times greater improvement in both pain and joint function from biweekly tai chi sessions. And a study from Ireland found that a combo of exercise, meditation, and breathing helped relieve anxiety and depression among study participants.
Ready to give tai chi a whirl? Here are three ways to get started:
1. Take a class. “Tai chi classes are increasingly available and can be found at many community centers, hospitals, in corporate wellness programs, and even in temples and churches,” shares Bill Douglas, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi and QiGong. You can go to WorldTaiChiDay.org to search by city or state for classes in your area.
2. Watch a DVD. Live classes are best, but DVD instruction can work, too, says Douglas. Douglas’ Anthology of Tai Chi & Qigong DVDbreaks down some basic tai chi principles and moves without getting too technical. Another option: Discover Tai Chi for Balance and Mobility, a DVD by Scott Cole, a tai chi expert based in Palm Springs who’s been training in the art for 17 years.
3. Download an app. Yep, there’s an app for tai chi, too—actually, a number of them. Some good options: Tai Chi Lite offers options for beginners and advanced alike (free, available for iPhone and Android); and Tai Chi Yang lets you choose between a more traditional approach or a Western one ($4-$5.99, available for iPhone and Android).
Original article and pictures take www.prevention.com site
