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Many people over the age of 50 get tremendous benefit from doing Yoga and/or Tai Chi. I was wondering who on this board has tried either (or both) and which do you prefer. Have you seen any benefit, and what sort of benefit was it?
I've been doing Tai Chi for two months now and find it very good for stress reduction. Also, my balance is starting to improve. I suspect the stretching is also good for me. I'm studying Yang style, and I take classes at a martial arts studio because I wanted to learn the precise way to do the moves. I took a course at a community center, and it was kind of close but really not what tai chi is really supposed to be. (Of course, I have no way of knowing if my new instructor is any more accurate, lol )
I do both, and find that they complement each other. Tai chi helps with balance, while yoga helps keep me supple. (As far as a not-particularly-flexible person can be.) I enjoy the challenge of both.
I am quite a fan of yoga, which has helped me with flexibility (stretching) and balance, but I know nothing about Tai Chi. Can someone please give a brief description contrasting the two? Or, failing that, just a description of what Tai Chi is (since I know what yoga is)?
Years ago yoga and Tai Chi both would have been seen as weird fringe stuff, but they are becoming more and more mainstream, it seems to me. Even my HMO (Kaiser in Los Angeles County) recommends yoga. I am convinced yoga (or similar) is even more important for us older folks than it is for younger folks. The generation of my parents, now both deceased, just didn't have such things on their radar; my father became increasingly stoop-shouldered and round-backed with age and did nothing to counteract it. I think yoga would have helped him.
Years ago yoga and Tai Chi both would have been seen as weird fringe stuff, but they are becoming more and more mainstream, it seems to me. Even my HMO (Kaiser in Los Angeles County) recommends yoga. I am convinced yoga (or similar) is even more important for us older folks than it is for younger folks. The generation of my parents, now both deceased, just didn't have such things on their radar; my father became increasingly stoop-shouldered and round-backed with age and did nothing to counteract it. I think yoga would have helped him.
Yoga is reportedly a great aid in preventing osteoporosis. It helps to at least start off with a teacher, and when we gain the proper way to do it, use a video unless the class is preferred. There are some poses that are contraindicated for certain conditions like heart, so it's important to know which ones to pass on. Tai Chi is harmless in all aspects. Remembering the sequence in both is a challenge for some.
Tai Chi looks like a complicated, beautiful dance. It is actually a series of martial art moves done very slowly and gracefully. When you take the classes, they'll show you what happens if you do the moves quickly--you can actually do quite a bit of damage with moves that have innocent sounding names like Grasp The Swallow's Tail.
Tai Chi moves are complex, and it takes about 6 months to learn the entire form. It requires a certain focus, which is one of the reasons Tai Chi helps prevent Alzheimer's and also is excellent for stress reduction. You do not bend your back as much, but you it does help improve posture, and so is good for your back in that way.
Supposedly it helps improve blood circulation and energy levels (due to an emphasis on postures that allow chi to flow). It is also good for balance and strengthening.
Personally, I find it more interesting than yoga (but that's a matter of taste). Maybe I like it because it is more of a dance.
One other note that may just be my experience, but if you're taking a class to meet friends you'll meet more guys taking tai chi and more women taking yoga. Maybe it's because tai chi is martial arts?
[quote=Escort Rider;22792510]I am quite a fan of yoga, which has helped me with flexibility (stretching) and balance, but I know nothing about Tai Chi. Can someone please give a brief description contrasting the two? Or, failing that, just a description of what Tai Chi is (since I know what yoga is)?
Here's a link to a video showing someone doing tai chi in the simplified Yang style of 24 forms:
It's interesting how many doctors now recommend seniors take up one or the other. When I was taking my parents to the doctor, you never heard of a doctor bringing up yoga. Now it's almost a routine suggestion.
I think they tend to recommend yoga more often, not sure why. Any opinions on that?
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