For balance and calm, you can’t go past Tai chi

Sinead Corcoran Dye has found a way to relax your body and mind.

Being old has always appealed to me. I can’t wait to spend my days living in a retired village playing bingo and lawn bowls, so she married a middle-aged man so she could get there early.

But why not try Tai Chi this time?

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that focuses on improving health, balance, and coordination through a series of slow, graceful movements.

I’ve struggled to find an official figure on how many Kiwis do it, but with an estimated 300 million practitioners worldwide, you can’t be wrong.

It’s a bit like yoga, but it focuses on breathing and state of mind, which makes it great for older people.

In fact, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) encourages its use because it can improve balance.

You’ve probably seen Tai Chi in the park wearing loose linen trousers and slicing and dicing your arms in very gentle slow motion. Sports definitely seem to attract older audiences.

Tai Chi was originally developed in ancient China for self-defense.

According to popular folklore, it was invented by Zhang San Feng, a legendary Taoist monk, while traveling on Mount Wudang.

It is said that the idea was inspired by the fierce battle between a crane and a snake. He took their offensive and defensive styles and adapted them into his own set of moves.

Since then, Tai Chi has evolved into a graceful form of exercise that is now used to reduce stress and improve a variety of other health conditions.

It is thought to improve cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, and help people with arthritis.

Regular Tai Chi practice also has emotional and mental benefits.

Intentional movement helps people feel more relaxed, grounded, and present in their bodies. This reduces anxiety, stress and depression and improves memory, concentration and sleep.

Like yoga, tai chi has different styles derived from different principles and methods. As a result, over 100 possible movements and positions are possible.

Regardless of the variation, all forms of Tai Chi contain rhythmic movement patterns that are coordinated with the breath to help achieve inner calmness.

That said, when I attended a post-Christmas Tai Chi class in West Auckland, I had an inner restlessness and was informed that I was the only one who bothered to attend.

The thought of having to do a one-on-one private lesson filled me with a terrible dread.

Thankfully, the 30 minutes flew by as the instructor taught us a series of very easy movements and poses that looked exactly like the people we saw at the park.

It was far from a workout, but it was totally fine with me. It was more gentle and closer to physical meditation. By the end of the class, I felt relaxed and zen, and almost forgot my embarrassment as a solo performer.

If you’re looking for an exercise class that burns calories and gets your endorphins high, this probably isn’t for you, not F45.

But if you want to give your mind and body a breath of calm, Tai Chi is the way to go.