What are the main benefits of T’ai Chi practice?
Have you got an hour? I might be able to list all the benefits of T’ai Chi then, because there are so many! In a nutshell, T’ai Chi Ch’uan practice improves muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness. But so does almost every other form of exercise. So what, exactly, is different about T’ai Chi? There are five important ways T’ai Chi is unique and beneficial. • T’ai Chi develops synergist muscle strength. T’ai Chi practitioners seem to get immensely strong legs — without looking bulky or hyper-toned. This is because synergist muscles are generally smaller and deeper than the large prime movers like the quadriceps and hamstrings • T’ai Chi enhances balance and coordination. In T’ai Chi, the eyes are constantly following the movements of the hands as they circle and spiral, push, pull, grab and punch. This slow, controlled eye-to-hand coordination is actually a more advanced version of the techniques used to treat people with inner ear disorder, a common pathol
