Is Tai Chi a Good Form of Exercise?
Tai Chi practiced regularly can be a good form of exercise. Tai Chi will improve your overall health and benefit your fitness regimen. The health benefits from daily Tai Chi practice are massaging the internal organs, lower body strength, improved flexibility, better posture, balance, increased oxygen, calming, stress relief, and much more.
I practice Yang and Chen style, Tai Chi, daily. I have found that both forms help to improve my overall fitness level. Yang Tai Chi, when practiced correctly, gives you a vigorous leg workout. The Chen Tai Chi form I practice has lower postures and is more strenuous. I like to think that I practice the Chen form for the exercise benefit. There are many different styles of Tai Chi Chuan practiced. All have their benefits to increase and improve a person's overall fitness level. I am more familiar with Yang and Chen style Tai Chi Chuan.
Tai Chi forms practiced at a high-level offer tremendous health benefits and increases your fitness levels. A person performing Tai Chi in a dance-like manner will only get minimal health benefits.
If you are new to fitness, Yang-style Tai Chi can be an excellent start to a healthy life. Just begin slowly.
As a long-time practitioner of Tai Chi and someone who has placed daily exercise as an integral part of my health, I can honestly say Tai Chi should be only one part of the fitness equation. Your fitness and overall health are about balancing proper diet, strength training, cardio, meditation, and rest. Tai Chi is all about balance. So balance your mind, body, and spirit.
Learn more about Tai Chi for Fitness
Click here to read my guest post at daimanuel.com: Combining Bodybuilding and Tai Chi: What it Means to Your Health.
Read the article Using Tai Chi to Build Strength in the New York Times.