I first discovered Tai Chi in my early twenties when I took an evening class, and I haven’t looked back since.
As well as being good exercise, it taught me how to manage my stress levels and practice relaxation techniques to find my inner calm after a busy week.
With all the worries in the modern world, it is now more important than ever to restore balance to your body and soul.
Choosing the right form of exercise can be a vital part of your overall wellbeing, and Tai Chi is a sustainable way to help you feel happier and healthier in the long-term!
Here I’ll be discussing the many benefits of Tai Chi, as well as the differences between Tai Chi and Yoga…
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Tai Chi vs Yoga
Most of us have tried Yoga at some point, and, while there are a lot of similarities between the two disciplines, there are some key differences as well.
To begin with, they originated in different places:
Yoga is an ancient Indian practice based in the principles of Hinduism
While Tai Chi has its origins in China, possibly as far back as the 13th century.
Both Tai Chi and Yoga involve gentle, low-impact exercise to help improve your strength and balance, and both include an emphasis on meditation to promote spiritual wellness.
As with Yoga, Tai Chi focuses on deep breathing and relaxation techniques, and it has been proven to reduce stress, enhancing your overall mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
But while Yoga is a more static type of exercise, Tai Chi was originally developed as a martial art, so it includes a lot of flowing movements performed while standing, and in some styles, it can still be practiced as a form of self-defence.
Speaking of which: there are a lot of different styles of both Yoga and Tai Chi, all varying in intensity, so it’s important to do your research and choose the one that best suits your needs!
So what are the benefits of Tai Chi compared to Yoga?
Firstly, as I mentioned earlier, it provides a great work out.
It can improve muscle strength and posture, and even help you to lose weight, while still being a non-strenuous form of exercise that reduces risk of injury.
Secondly, it can be easily adapted for people of different fitness levels and abilities, which means most people can enjoy it!
So if you’re looking for a good all-round work out that helps to promote a healthy mind as well as a healthy body, then Tai Chi might just be the answer.
It can fit in easily around your lifestyle, whether you decide to practice it at home or join a class (although I’d recommend joining a class initially, if only to learn the basics!).
The meditation and breathing exercises are ideal for helping you achieve peace after the worries of daily life. If reading this has inspired you to delve deeper into Tai Chi – or even to give it a go yourself – then I wish you the best of luck!