What do you gain from Tai Chi?
“Balance, co-ordination (was seriously clumsy before), and the ability to relax.”
“The ability to approach my life from a position of relaxed alertness. I'm not saying this is possible all the time but my previous approach was often something like blind panic. This I achieved pretty much all the time. I have also gained more physical confidence. I did not realise it was a martial art that can help you feel handy defending yourself. Where else could you find a relaxation aid that also helps if you get attacked in a car park? And you don't have to remember to bring it with you.” “Confidence walking around.”
“Its very hard to say what you gain from Tai Chi, because different people gain different things from it. We're all out of balance in different ways, lets just say it gets you closer to being in balance.”
“Stronger Legs, Better Balance (I'm still working on that!) and a calmer disposition.”
“Fitness, discipline and relaxation.”
“Gaining a sense of balance and well-being from doing Tai Chi. I usually arrive knackered from a hard days work, and leave energised, and at peace with the world.”
“You find your reactions speed up and balance improves.”
“Tai Chi for me is a wonderful stress reliever and the depth of the subject never fails to amaze and keeps me interested.”
“A willingness to cope with change in all aspects of my life, a constant challenge, and a fantastic group of friends.”
“After a Tai Chi class I always get a very good nights sleep (except if we go to the pub).”
“Lots, health benefits, feel better physically, have a much better posture, able to apply Tai Chi principles in every day life for better body efficiency, in sport, limbs don't ache as much lesser back problems than at any other time in adult life, breathing improved. Mental benefits include calming influence, deeper thought more body awareness maybe a bit more attuned to other peoples ways, and saved me from getting a crack round the chops one night!”
“Clarity and calmness of mind when the world around me gets too busy.”
“I gain clarity, focus, stress reduction, good health and my youthful looks!!! - someone thought that I was 26 last week.”
“Makes me feel young again.”
“Time out ... and I don't just mean time out from work or typing etc. but doing a form, especially in a group and especially when it is a good form, is probably one of the few times my brain stops thinking. I'm using listening skills, but instead of listening to one's inner voice which thinks and processes and frets, I'm listening to the moves. At the end of a class I can feel less fatigued than when I arrived, I guess you could say that day-to-day stress stops the Chi flowing and brings on fatigue and Tai Chi reversed that.”
“The ability to look after myself through regular exercise and to constantly learn and appreciate tai chi practices.”
“A sense of well being. I walk away from the class feeling happy and healthy .... and that's before we get to the pub!”
“Relaxation, exercise - physical & mental, a continuous challenge.”
Frequently Asked Questions (page 4)
Here are Mountain River Tai Chi Students responses to a few questions :-
