Part one described the Portland Taoist Tai Chi Society’s grand (yes it was) opening of their new studio at 2251 NE Glisan, Portland, OR on September 17, 2011. Though we’re not done with the Portland TTCS, “A grand opening, part two” simply opens the realm to tai chi itself: No balloons. No ribbon cutting. No colorful slide show. However, it is a topic pertinent to longevity and millions of people worldwide are practicing tai chi.
Is it tai chi [tie chee], taiji [tie chee], taijiquan [tie chee kwan]or tai chi chuan/t’ai chi ch’uan [tie chee chwaun]?
Any of the above, depending on context. For simplicity sake, we’ll stay with “tai chi.” The words are often translated from the Chinese to mean “supreme ultimate fist.”
Is tai chi a martial art or meditative practice?
It can be either, both and then some, depending on one’s study intent and focus. WIKI says in China taijiquan is grouped in the Wudang section of Chinese martial arts. This suggests it’s more closely allied to internal or meditative arts rather than those of the Shaolin group which are hard or external martial art styles. Descriptive terms are a bit slack in our country; one can even find shaolin tai chi classes. Nonetheless, specific martial art tai chi study can be competitive and used for self-defense. Tai chi is a form of qigong.
“The Taoist Tai Chi™ internal arts are not to be practiced as a martial art technique or in a competitive spirit, but rather as a means to cultivate every aspect of health.” –TTCS principles
How old is tai chi?
Like most such practices it’s had its own traditions, evolution and divergence—growing and branching into numerous styles and traditions. The study itself is said to be “thousands” or “hundreds” of years old depending on source. For sure tai chi followed Taoism which developed about 2500 years ago.
According to WIKI, any health benefits weren’t touted until the early 20th century. Tai chi was introduced to the United States only 72 years ago (in 1939) by Master Choy Hok Pang (1885-1958).
Style
According to WIKI there are five traditional styles: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun. Some traditionalists believe the health and martial arts aspects are equally necessary, describing such as “the yin and yang of tai chi chuan.” TTCS uses a style developed by Master Moy Lin-Shin (1931-1998) incorporating 108 moves emphasizing turning and stretching.
Currently tai chi practitioners or students are sometimes described according to whether they practice primarily for self-defense, for aesthetics (wushu) or for physical and mental health benefits.
Who can practice tai chi?
According to Cari Shurman, longtime tai chi teacher and primary advocate for children’s tai chi study worldwide, a person as young as 3 can practice, enjoy and benefit from tai chi. Results indicate that all children who practice find it easier to stay calm and focused. As the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health puts it, tai chi can offer children the possibility to “relax, release tension and feel good inside.” Kripalu offers a summer camp program for children ages 5-11.
Research on disorders suggests tai chi may be specifically helpful to anyone with cerebral palsy, arthritis, diabetes (in children and adults), hypertension, ADHD, ADD and people who are wheelchair-bound. As more and more of our children are developing heart conditions and experiencing strokes, it’s illuminating to find research suggesting tai chi—done for 30 minutes once a week—can help lower a child’s blood pressure by an average of 10%.
Research on the psychological aspects: medical research
Chenchen Wang et al, associated with Tufts University near Boston, published a systematic review in 2010 investigating research into the psychological effects of practicing tai chi. They concluded:
“Tai Chi appears to be associated with improvements in psychological well-being including reduced stress, anxiety, depression and mood disturbance, and increased self-esteem. Definitive conclusions were limited due to variation in designs, comparisons, heterogeneous outcomes and inadequate controls. High-quality, well-controlled, longer randomized trials are needed to better inform clinical decisions.”
Tripping through the Cochrane Library Reviews
The Cochrane Library is an excellent resource for finding current medical studies being conducted worldwide. Keep in mind that any study older than 10 years is considered possibly outdated, for most areas of investigation. Partly that’s due to the fact that research builds upon research with new additions contributing to a greater or different understanding.
Another thing to keep in mind about any research results is that quality varies according to how the study was designed and implemented. Who conducted the research? Was there any obvious or subtle conflict of interest? Was there a control group? How many participants participated? How long was the study? A week? Two years? And so on. Extremely well-designed studies, as true for anything of excellence, are a minority.
A secondary issue is that factors under study are necessarily limited. For example, a study on the effects of tai chi practice on rheumatoid arthritis concluded that tai chi may improve “the range of motion of the ankle, hip and knee.” Yet the researchers also allow “It is still not known if it improves pain in rheumatoid arthritis or that person’s quality of life.” Often scholars must conclude “more study is needed.” Another aspect particularly with tai chi, is that it’s rare for the type or style of tai chi to be mentioned.
General tai chi effects have been investigated in association with voluntary thermoregulation (deliberately warming parts of the body), possible beneficial effects on osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, stroke recovery, depression, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, physical balance, gout and more. Briefs of some of these findings follow.
§ Does tai chi help prevent falls in older people living in the community? Lesley D. Gillespiel et al (2008) concluded, “Exercise interventions reduce risk and rate of falls.”
§ So does it help physical balance? Janusz Maciaszek et al (2010) concluded that “participation in Tai Chi may improve the body balance of elderly [older than 60] people; however, more information is needed to determine the extent to which Tai Chi is more effective than other methods….”
§ Does exercise improve bone mineral density in postmenopausal women? Tracey E. Howel et al (2011) suggests “Exercise will improve bone mineral density slightly. Exercise will reduce the chances of having a fracture slightly. These results might have happened by chance.”
§ Does physical activity improve cognition, function, behavior, depression and mortality in people with dementia? Dorothy Forbesl et al 2008 review says, “There is some evidence that physical activity delays the onset of dementia in healthy older adults and slows down cognitive decline to prevent the onset of cognitive disability.”
A one-year Chinese study by Linda C. Lam et al, specifically using only tai chi as the physical activity, concluded that “Our interim findings showed that Chinese style mind body (Tai Chi) exercise may offer specific benefits to cognition … potential clinical interests should be further explored with longer observation period.”
§ How about lowering high blood pressure? Earlier it was mentioned that yes, children can experience an average lowering of about 10% BP. With adults it’s less clear. A review (2010) by Myeong Soo Lee et al investigating reducing resting BP rates in the elderly, concluded the evidence is limited. “Whether tai chi has benefits over [any other] exercise is still unclear.”
However, the Mayo Clinic blithely states, while allowing more research is needed, “evidence suggests that tai chi may offer numerous benefits beyond stress reduction, including:
· Reducing anxiety and depression
· Improving balance, flexibility and muscle strength
· Reducing falls in older adults
· Improving sleep quality
· Lowering blood pressure
· Improving cardiovascular fitness in older adults
· Relieving chronic pain
· Increasing energy, endurance and agility
· Improving overall feelings of well-being”
It’s important to recognize that benefits accrue with regular practice and it can be fun.
Resources:
Check with your county library for DVD, audio and book forms of pursuits. For more active involvement, know that tai chi is frequently offered at senior centers, YMCAs, health clubs, community centers and dedicated studios. Price range varies. For classes in Portland, Oregon City, Newport, Yachats, Waldport, OR and Vancouver and Bellingham, WA, the Taoist Tai Chi Society offers numerous classes. For all ages, including children, in the Portland area one can contact David Vanadia who offers tai chi, yoga and qigong classes by request at various locations, including schools and community centers.
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