Tai Shi is the art of body ownership that came from ancient China, sometimes called moving into meditation. Tai Shi strengthens and heals the soul and body, strengthens the psyche, purposefully and beneficially affects the physical condition of a person - improves flexibility, a sense of balance, muscle tone and allows you to perfectly master your body. This is an ancient method of relieving fatigue, related to controlling Shi energy, which circulates in our body. The basics of tai shi, its influence on the body, the advantages and features, as well as the basic exercises of Chinese gymnastics tai shi are outlined below.
The founder of Tai Shi is the Chinese monk Chan San Feng, who was a follower of Taoism. In his method of mastering the body, he invested the basic principles of this philosophical teaching: the universe is a harmonious movement of yang and yin, smooth flow from one season to another, from birth to death. According to the Thai philosophy, physical balance is the key to the peace of the soul and is in fact a kind of martial art of self-defense, closely associated with meditation. Only here from other martial arts taisha is different in that it does not carry the strength and aggression, but is based on peaceful coexistence with the environment and with itself.
The tai shi exercises are a long series of smooth movements that are executed one after another in a sequence determined by the founder. These movements help the internal energy of Shi to flow haphazardly throughout the body and thereby contribute to the emergence of harmony of the soul and body. Smooth controlled movements and rhythmic breathing are the essence of taisha and have a beneficial effect on the whole organism as a whole by improving the coordination and health of the body.
What does the taisha give us?
Tai Shi will help you feel better and more confident, will teach you how to control the work of your organs. Accurate repetitive movements alternate with gradual relaxation and tension and can give you a more complete picture of how your whole body works. This, in turn, improves the posture, helps improve coordination and a sense of balance, helps to relax tense muscles and reduce disorders in the bones and joints. In just one hour of training, you will lose 300 calories. and as a result you will get a more subtle and slender body. Your digestive system will work like a clock, which is important to maintain a sense of ease and good mood. But the main goal in performing exercises of Chinese gymnastics tai shi should be the acquisition of a normal physical and spiritual level. Slow and controlled movements correctly "load" bones and muscles in some parts of the body, regulating their condition and improving their performance. This is often overlooked when performing traditional traditional exercises.
Regular tai shi exercises will help strengthen the bones, increase the flexibility of the joints, and also it is a good prevention of such a common ailment among women as osteoporosis. Thanks to deep breathing, in turn, blood circulation improves and the walls of blood vessels are strengthened, saturating them with pure, enriched with oxygen, blood. A survey of people aged 50 to 60 years showed that after 6 months of regular training for 30 minutes a day, the strength of the limbs muscles of participants increased by 20%.
Following the advice of people practicing tai chi for many years, it is very important to follow the following rules:
- Be natural and relaxed, move calmly and freely, without straining your muscles very much. Breathe deeply and continuously, because the main requirement of tai Shi is strength and softness.
- Calm your mind, do not think about anything, but try to feel as much as possible, performing the commands of the body to achieve harmony of movement.
- Agree all your bodies of motion, tie their work together. Move as if you are in the water.
What is the advantage of Tai Shi?
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest advantages of practicing Chinese gymnastics in Tai Chi is that everyone can do it - adults and children alike. In some European countries, such as, for example, France and Belgium, taisha practice is used by many psychotherapists who believe that these exercises have an extremely beneficial effect on the psyche and even help in the treatment of various mental illnesses. Many athletes use tai shek to recover from severe injuries and complex operations. Tai Shi is recommended by many therapists for children with impaired posture. And this is not accidental, because tai shek exercises are characterized by exceptionally low risk of injury, which makes them suitable for the elderly and people suffering from problems with bones and joints. So, learning to improve their balance in the movement, they greatly reduce the risk of falls and fractures.
Forms of execution of tai shi
For centuries, the teachings of the taish have been divided into several different styles. They are few, but still most often practiced today is the style of Yang. It is characterized primarily by a series of vertical movements, carried out at a slow pace, and supplemented by a calm and even breathing. In any style there are several forms, the number of movements in one form can be from 12 to 108.
Have you heard about Pat's uniform? This is the most common way of performing tai shi. It is implemented as follows:
- As much as possible, relax your legs, just bend them slightly in your lap. The point of the left leg should be straight ahead, and the right one - slightly backward. This position is called "archer". With your right hand, make a "beak" and stretch mentally the bowstring, taking the arrow back to yourself. Hold your imaginary bow in front of you with your left hand.
- Transfer the load of the body to your left foot, lifting your heels. Move from the right side with an open palm down your left hand, while looking at your right arm.
- Turn your head to the left, while your view should be directed forward. Move the right hand forward again with the palm down, almost straightening it. The left arm descends along the body with the palm upward.
What you do not know about tai shek
Studies conducted at the University of Illinois confirmed the ability of the Chinese gymnastics taisha to restore balance in patients who survived a cerebral stroke. The study involved more than 136 stroke survivors who regularly performed taisha exercises. They were associated with breathing, practicing the habit of sitting, walking and remembering. After 6 weeks of 3 hours of exercise per day, patients showed impressive results. They restored motor ability, speech and mental activity.
In another study conducted at the American University of Emory in 1995, the results of three types of programs were compared, including tai chi on the likelihood of a risk of falls in the elderly. The following results were obtained: the first program included a number of strength exercises and endurance and balance exercises, the potential risk of falling was reduced by 10%. The second program included exercises only balance and this reduced the risk by 25%. The third program, which consisted only of taisha, reduced the risk of injuries and falls by 47%.
Finally
- Tai Shi improves concentration and control of organs;
- Improves balance and posture;
- Develops muscles, increases motor activity;
- Has a relatively low risk of harm;
- Many doctors recommend tai shi as a therapy for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system (arthritis, curvature of the spine), and also as an aid in recovery after surgery;
- Helps in the treatment of neuropsychiatric abnormalities and mental illness;
- And not least - it contributes to the spiritual growth of the body.
Chinese gymnastics tai shi is an art that requires consistency, patience and zeal. The more effort you put in, the more you will benefit from these exercises. After a few training sessions, you will notice improvements in your flexibility, your sense of balance, and your general health.