Hear “tai chi” and you immediately think of people moving fluidly and effortlessly in an almost meditative state. But there’s more to tai chi than meets the eye. Tai chi makes efficient use of your body’s physical and mental energy to create an alert yet relaxed state of mind. It also doubles up as exercise for your body. Here’s why you should consider adding it to your fitness and wellness regimen.
1. Counts As Resistance And Aerobic Exercise – But With A Difference
In case you’re writing off tai chi as too gentle to burn any calories, let’s put it in perspective. The average 125-pound person can burn 120 calories doing tai chi in every 30-minute session. A 185-pound person can burn as much as 178 calories in that time. That’s comparable to what you burn with gymnastics, water aerobics, horse riding, and walking at 3.5 mph. In other words, it won’t be a miracle weight-loss remedy, but it can keep you physically active and burn calories too.
If you increase the intensity, you can make it the aerobic equivalent of a brisk walk and work as a resistance exercise such as vigorous weight training as well.
But that’s where the similarity ends with these other exercise forms. Unlike aerobic exercise where you need to tense your muscles and push them harder, with tai chi your movements will be effortless and flowing. Tai chi also relies on fluid movements that segue into the next without any visible pause or interruption, unlike other forms of exercise like an aerobic workout.
2. Is A Low-Impact Exercise For The Elderly And A Good Workout For The Young And Fit
CureJoy, excerpt posted on SouthFloridaReporter.com, Jan. 3, 2018
