Women's Menopause Health Center  February 15, 2006 Newsletter.

We'll begin this month with a series of Tai Chi from the University of Utah library of articles.

Is Tai Chi the Ultimate Exercise?
by Frank Petrillo Jr.
 

No one disputes the importance of regular exercise. Unfortunately, there are so many fitness programs available today, the general public is often confused as to which are the best. Consequently, they are the willing guinea pigs of every fitness fad that comes along.

The Chinese have always maintained that inactivity is the major cause of illness. Thus, they have developed numerous systems of medical gymnastics both to cure as well as prevent disease. Of the many exercises they have devised, they consider the martial art tai chi chuan to be the best.

Advantages of Tai Chi:

Tai chi chuan has many distinct advantages over other types of exercise. The biggest shortcoming of most systems of physical fitness is that they service only part of the body. They concentrate on certain muscles or muscle groups, while neglecting others entirely.

For example, isometric exercises tense one set of muscles against another set or an immovable object. Because this is a one-dimensional exercise, the benefits are minimal.

Another problem with isometrics is there is really no way to measure the correct amount of exercise. Unlike calisthenics or weightlifting, you cannot simply increase the number of repetitions and expect results. Recent evidence has also found that isometric exercises render joints more vulnerable to injuries.

Calisthenics produce a wide range of motion and give the muscles more staying power than isometrics. Unfortunately, calisthenics also concentrate on only individual muscles and thus have little benefit on overall health. This is also true with weightlifting.

Tai chi, on the other hand, brings into play every part of the body and benefits all bodily parts, not just the musculoskeletal system.

Other Benefits of Tai Chi:

Scientific research conducted at the Medical Academy of Shanghai, the Tangshan Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital in New York City has shown that tai chi chuan stimulates the central nervous system, lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and gently tones muscles without strain. It also enhances digestion, elimination of wastes and the circulation of blood. Moreover, tai chi's rhythmic movements massage the internal organs and improve their functionality.

Perhaps tai chi's greatest attribute, however, is the fact it channels the flow of chi (intrinsic energy) through the body's meridians. According to traditional Chinese medicine, as long as this flow is uninhibited, a person will remain healthy. If the flow of chi becomes obstructed or unbalanced, illness will result. The correct practice of tai chi chuan guides the individual's chi through the meridians and restores its balance
throughout the body. None of the aforementioned exercises offers any of these benefits.

From the University of Utah article library
http://www.utah.edu/stc/tai-chi/articles.html

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