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| 03/29/2008 - 20:30 |
Good things are happening at ChiForLiving
The popularity of our seniors fitness programs is growing
By June of this year the ChiForLiving program will be expanded into more assisted living centers throughout Northwest New Jersey.
Included in the list of teaching locations, either active or coming shortly are:
Paragon Village: Hackettstown
House of Good Shepard: Hackettstown
Bently Assisted Living: BranchVille
Little Brook: Califon
Bristol Glen: Newton
Many thanks go out to the Activity Directors open to new programs. To date, each location that has brought theh program in for a presentation to the residents has become a location for the ongoing class activity.
As more good news about the programs comes up, updates on the progress will be posted.
I am hoping to get a chance soon to post more topics relevent to senior fitness.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 03/29/2008 - 20:28 |
Good things are happening at ChiForLiving
The popularity of our seniors fitness programs is growing
By June of this year the ChiForLiving program will be expanded into more assisted living centers throughout Northwest New Jersey.
Iincluded in the list of teaching locations planned to date are:
Paragon Village: Hackettstown
House of Good Shepard: Hackettstown
Bently Assisted Living: BranchVille
Little Brook: Califon
Bristol Glen: Newton
Many thanks go out to the Activity Directors open to new programs. To date, each location that has brought theh program in for a presentation to the residents has become a location for the ongoing class activity.
As more good news about the programs comes up, updates on the progress will be posted.
I am hoping to get a chance soon to post more topics relevent to senior fitness.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 02/27/2008 - 13:33 |
A common sense approach to Seniors Fitness
Keeping it simple to make exercise accessable
I've been teaching my program for almost a year now and I've learned a lot about what my "ladies" want from what I teach them.
I say ladies since it seems most men in the facilities don't participate. That was lesson one.
The program I teach work on the basics of movement and how it feels to exercise. We work on balance quite a bit. Shifting weight, working on muscle sensing and learning basics.
We also work a lot of upper body flexibility, breathing, reaching and some anti-arthritic exercise.
The ladies tell me that I teach them things and and that they love that part of my classes. The program is about fitness, and we do stretch a lot. However, it is also about education. Knowing why we do what I show and understanding the different steps and methods helps them put the program in perspective.
I also teach ways to take the theory of the program and apply it to everyday living. Fitness, in my opinion is not just a class a week, it is a lifestyle that does not have to be difficult. To the contrary, the easier it is to add elements of exercise and movement to normal activities, the better the chance of folks doing some practice outside of classes.
As I work in more centers, I learn more about how to teach and have found that each class is different. You can say I play to the crowd. Some days, we just talk and do a few exercises, some days we do nothing but balance, and some, we do a full series of upper body movement.
Does the program work? a couple quotes from two of my students can answer that question:
“I feel much more stable since I have been taking your class, and my family has said I am much more stable with my walker”
Evelyn Clark, age 86 – Resident of Paragon Village
“I enjoy my classes with Stan. He will (help) and is helping me with my balance, mobility and flexibility. Thank you.
Helen Beels, age 84, Resident at Paragon Village
The bottom line is, I am a teacher, not a "demonstrator" or a "follow me while I do this" instructor. My goal is to help my groups increase their fitness capabilities and I need to pay close attention and refocus each class to make it a learning experience for that session.
It takes listening to their needs, providing a program they can understand and better yet, do, and quite a bit of common sense.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 02/07/2008 - 16:33 |
What motivates you to exercise?
After all, no one can force you get and keep moving
I really have to ask this question. What motivates you?
In all my years of going to classes, working on my skills and improving my balance and movement, I have done it for myself.
Of course my instructors worked to motivate me, but I have internal motivators. I do not want to injure myself again and have the kind of pain, fear and loss of freedom due to injury again.
So I have to wonder, as a teacher, how do I motivate students, or potential students.
As seniors, age has factors working for and against me. On the for side, aging people do not want to lose the freedom of mobility, flexiblity and balance. On the against side, if they did not like to exercise at younger ages, they don't have the mindset and motivation to start now.
Again I ask, what will motivate you, the person reading this, to get up, get in your car and go out and try a class. It can be my class, the gym, or any other class.
Of course I want to you come to mine, but sadly, I am just one person, in a small town in Northwest New Jersey. But, the question is just as valid here, if not moreso, as it is in Miami, Fargo or Milan.
If you cannot yet tell, as someone who really has something valid and worthwhile to teach, and a real desire to be a teacher, it gets frustrating.
So again, what is your motivation. Can you be scared into exercise by stories of seniors who go into downward spirals after sever falls due to a lack of balance and leg strength. Or introduce you to stories of people so depressed by their loss of mobility that they just give up?
Or should I stick to stories of how good it feels to be able to do more after a month of exercise than you did before. That even though you may need a walker, you are more stable, or even that you can stand through an entire class after a few weeks where you needed to sit halfway through when you started.
If you have stories to share with me for my research on senior fitness motivation please use my contact form
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/26/2008 - 21:56 |
Why do I focus so much on seniors?
Don't younger people need to exercise?
To be honest, anyone is capable of benefiting from my system of movement training. No matter what level of fitness you have, you can always use to work on balance and body awareness.
Besides, the movements in my program are not bound to any age or fitness group. The more fit you are, the deeper you can drop into a position, hold a pose or add to the repetitions and length of the sets.
So back to the question. Why do I focus on seniors? The answer is quite simple.
Most seniors need better programs then are currently available.
Sure you have the very active who can use gym equipment, run, bike, play tennis, golf and do whatever they want. But as with any age group, they are the exceptions and they are the ones most progams are geared for.
I feel that there are few programs that begin to address specific issues in their methods of senior mobility training.
Using my focus groups during development of my programs, I asked lots of questions and found that the over 60 group was not being served as well as it could be. Sure there are Tai Chi for seniors, Tai Chi for Arthritis, Yoga for seniors, Pilates for seniors and so on.
They do what they do well, but all have the same core issue as related to me by real people with mobility issues.
My students all gave the same response when interviewed. When asked about currently avaialble programs the overwhelming resonse was: "They don't give us what we need to enable us to do what we want to do".
OK, what makes ChiForLiving different?
For one, it is a teaching method, not just a follow along demonstration.
second, it teaches skills
and third, are the issues addressed in the programs.
To say more would begin to give away to many secrets for now. Look for more on the program as I develop my team to build the program outward.
If you are interested in being involved in a program that helps make a positive change in peoples lives, contact Stan Cohen
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/21/2008 - 16:36 |
The First Step in seniors fitness
Build a solid foundation
New to Seniors fitness?
Where do you start? With so many choices between Yoga for seniors, Tai Chi for seniors, Aerobics for seniors, Total Gym, and on and on and on it gets hard to know what is the right fit for you.
In most fitness classes instructors assume a certain capability level of the students.
This includes fitness levels of flexibility, aerobic, balance, co-ordination and the skills to put them all together into a moving package.
I have found that beginner seniors or those getting back into exercise and movement classes need to either build or rebuild their mobility skills.
A student may have great balance but no co-ordination, or can walk for miles on a treadmill but cannot balance on one leg while moving from one position to another. The whole package is something that should not be assumed and needs to be addressed.
Finding a class that teaches basic movement skills from an awareness perspective is a great way to learn how it feels to move and how your body works.
Building mobility skills and establishing a solid foundation of strength, co-ordination, balance, flexibility and overall fitness is critical to being able to avoid injury, enjoy classes enough to stick with them and move on to more advanced levels of fitness classes.
ChiForLiving is all about building this type of foundation. Get information on classes that I give in Hackettstown, NJ
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/18/2008 - 14:12 |
Attitude adjustments and senior fitness
When do we stop acting young?
It seems I hear this a lot.
"Where do those kids get all their energy. Look how they just run and run and run. If I had half their energy I could do so much more, but I just can't seem to find a way to get the strength to try"
I look at this attitude and really needing a good swift kick. For some reason, as we get older we stop moving. Is it because work got in the way when we were in our prime and we lost self decipline?
Is it because in life, we have to work so hard that we just forget to play?
Perhaps we get to the point where it hurts to move so we don't, which leads to more hurting, which leads to less moving and a vicious downward spiral.
I have to say, I have been working with a group up at Paragon Village who at least try to move along with the fitness program I have created.
Lo and behold, wouldn't you know, the more the woman do, the more they have said they are capable of. They realize their muscles have more elasticity then they remembered, and they have a greater range of motion then they thought. AND, yes this is a big AND, for heavens sake, when they try to do the routines, they feel better just from moving for an hour.
Now, these woman do not have to come to class, but they choose too. They find that exercising in a program that fits their needs make an improvement in their daily lives. Better mobility, more flexibility and a bit less pain.
This holds true for a varity of aging related ailments the women have. For some, it may only be a relief during class, but is not an hour of relief better than none.
Other find that my program of gentle exercise, slow gentle weight bearing movement to help improve balance, and upper body flexibility movements has increased their quality of life.
And yes, these woman are seniors, ranging in age from late 60's to their late 80's.
To top it off, I did not change their attitude about life, they did by making a decision to do something to try to improve themselves and live a happier, healthier lifestyle.
By making the program fun, adding in humor, some real life examples of why the exercises work and how to use them in everyday life, I am happy to say that I manage to help my "ladies" keep themselves "young seniors"
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/10/2008 - 17:47 |
Feeling fit and ready to rock on Jan 1st
sometimes you have to deal with roadblocks
boy was I looking forward to January first.
boy was I wrong to think that :)
It seems, for the first time in 10 years what seemed to be a case of early winters sniffles turned into an absolute horrible first 10 days of 2008.
Yea, I had sniffles, then a slight "cough".. then a mild but not to irritating sore throat, which quickie turned into swallowing razor blades, if swallowing was capable at all. All this with an body and mind shaking non-stop lung ripping cough.
So ok, off to the doc, who said in her mild mannered, not one to overmedicate sort of way, your issue is post nasal drip, irritating the larynx and throat. Stop all your medication (those oh so great over the counter ones which never seem to work on me). Let's have you try some Claritin to dry you out. Call me in a few days. That was Friday. By Sunday, I was no longer sleeping, midnights turned into eerie 3:00 shadow puppets and the coughing continued. By Monday morning, I was in bizarro land. 2 hours of sleep since Friday morning and I was back on as much cough syrup as I could find. None of which, again, seemed to work.
Back to the docs, but this time to the head of the office, who on looking at me asked, can you even swallow. It seemed apparent to him that I had succumbed to some sort of bacterial infection, with ear infection, total sinus infection and , oh, just this side of bronchitis. (Thank you doctor number one for being on top of things)
Since Monday, with codeine, antibiotics and steroids (I'll never get to play ball again : LOL) I seem to be on the track back to my hitting 2008 running, which by the way, it to get my fitness program for seniors up and moving forward.
The question is, how can an office of professional doctors, look at someone with obvious symptoms and pass it off as some minor issue. Had I been someone less fit, and with a weaker constitution, I could be on my deathbed.
It also makes the point that we, as individual need to know our own body history. I don't mean medical, but how our bodies act and feel.
The practice of ChiForliving gets in touch with how you breath, how you move and how your muscles feel. You develop a connection to your system and when it is not right, you can tell.
With this understanding, when we know in our gut that a medical situation needs to be handled differently, and can help be better guides to our treaments.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 12/23/2007 - 11:22 |
2007 and my seniors fitness program
Giving thanks for a solid start and a good year
This year has been good to me.
I started with a plan to develop my idea of seniors flexibility and balance programs.
The process so far:
January: A trip to Florida led to discussions on the exercise needs of seniors. A program needed to be developed to assist my small focus group to regain flexibility and balance. The group made it clear that most available programs did not fit their exercise needs.
March: I went to California to an (a href="http://www.ceospace.com" class="copylink">IBI (CEOSpace) forum to discuss the concept of my program. The positive feedback was overwhemling. I met with a woman who set me on a good track for the process of developing my idea into a valid business model.
March - May: fleshed out the program and developed the teaching model
May: Began teaching my program at a local seniors assisted living center. Feedback was immediate positive response.
May to present: Continued teaching at Paragon Village. Seeing improvement in the balance, flexibilty and overall mobility of the seniors reinforces the program model.
November: Began teching my program to general public at Awakening Point in Hackettstown, NJ
December: Rave reviews from seniors at a demonstration of my program at Heritage House in Hackettstown.
So what is next? With lots of help, continued optomism and faith, the program will grow in 2008 and allow me to help seniors regain flexibility, have fewer falls and enjoy their independence with more agility and mobility.
Thanks to all, and a happy holiday season.
Stan
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 12/05/2007 - 20:52 |
Balance, strength, posture and standing
Getting safely from here to there
Think about it for a minute. We spend a awful lot of time standing around. Gravity is pulling at us yet we don't fall.
At least if if we have enough strength, co-ordination and balance we manage to stay upright.
One of the first things I teach is standing, getting familiar with a balanced stance and how to feel your muscles in relation to your posture.
If you look at walking, or moving from one standing position to another you go through quite a physical transition. Your body moves from a position of balance, to one of inbalance and hopefully back to balance without falling.
When we are young, strong and mentally alert the transition is, shall we say, easy as it can be. The older we get, the more work it takes, and in much older people becomes dangerous.
Something seemingly so simple, that we do everyday, yet can be deadly to our elderly poulation.
What happens? Non-medically speaking, our support muscles in our backs, legs and and core weaken. A lot of us get a forward lean which combined with a shuffle walk is a trip over a curb waiting to happen. The muscles in our legs weaken to the point of not being able to lift to step up, and even if they could, are not strong enough to push or lift the rest of the body.
BUT, this does not have to happen. A few minutes a day of gentle, low impact yet weight bearing exercise can keep a person active and able to maintain mobility.
You read it alright, Just a few minutes a day. Combined with other flexibility exercises people can maintain independence, stay active and ward off the potentially dangerous falls.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 11/06/2007 - 13:06 |
Slow moving, gentle on the body yet effective exercise
Tai Chi Reduces Falls in Older People: 2005 Study Confirms Earlier Reports
June 27, 2005 – A new study confirms what has been reported by other researchers since 1996 – Tai Chi, a martial arts form that enhances balance and body awareness through slow, graceful and precise body movements, can improve balance, build strength and reduce the risk of falls in the elderly.
The new study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing reported on a group of fall-prone senior citizens, with an average age of 78, living in residential care. Twenty nine undertook a 12-week Tai Chi course three times a week and 30 formed the non-exercise control group.
They found that the physical fitness of the exercise group showed significant improvement, with stronger knee and ankle muscles, improved mobility and flexibility and better balance.
For example, after the exercise program had finished, the time taken by the exercise group to walk six meters had fallen by 25 per cent, while the control group took 14 per cent longer.
"As people get older they are more likely to experience falls and this can lead to some very serious health issues" says co-author Professor Rhayun Song from the Chung Nam National University in South Korea. "Regular exercise is very important as we get older because when we get to 65 we start losing muscle strength at a rate of up to two per cent per year," Song added. Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art consisting of a series of slow, gentle, continuous movements, is particularly suitable for older people as it helps them to develop stronger muscles and better balance and concentration.
The exercise program used in the research consisted of 10 minutes of warming up exercises, 20 minutes of Sun-style Tai Chi movement and five minutes of cooling down exercises. Traditional instrumental music was used to help the group maintain slow and continuous movements and provide a soothing effect.
Both groups underwent a series of tests before the 12-week exercise program and again after it had been completed. This measured their muscle strength, balance and confidence in avoiding falls.
Participants were also asked to report any falls they experienced during the test period. 31 per cent of the exercise group said they had had a fall, compared with 50 per cent of the control group.
In the year before the research started, 66 per cent of the exercise group had reported a fall, together with 57 per cent of the control group.
"Our study shows that low-intensity exercise such as Tai Chi has great potential for health promotion as it can help older people to avoid falls by developing their balance, muscle strength and confidence" says Professor Song. "We believe that regular exercise should be a fundamental part of caring for older people living in the community and in residential care."
Earlier Studies
Two studies in the May 1996 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society claimed to be the first involving Tai Chi to be reported by scientists in a special frailty reduction program sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Not only did they find the risk of falls was reduced by Tai Chi, but they reported it may be beneficial in maintaining gains made by people age 70 and older who undergo other types of balance and strength training.
In the first study, Steven L. Wolf, Ph.D., and colleagues at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga., found that older people taking part in a 15-week Tai Chi program reduced their risk of falling by 47.5 percent. A second study, by Leslie Wolfson, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, found that several interventions to improve balance and strength among older people were effective. These improvements, particularly in strength, were preserved over a 6-month period while participants did Tai Chi exercises.
The projects are among several in the NIA's Frailty and Injuries: Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques, or FICSIT, initiative, launched in 1990 to improve physical function in old age.
Research from these and other FICSIT trials has demonstrated the benefits of strength training for older people and the value and cost-effectiveness of targeted, fall prevention programs for the elderly. It is estimated that each year falls are responsible for costs of over $12 billion in the U.S., and the costs due to physical frailty are much higher.
The news on Tai Chi is a reminder that relatively "low tech" approaches should not be overlooked in the search for ways to prevent disability and maintain physical performance in late life. "The FICSIT studies have shown that a range of techniques, from the most sophisticated medical interventions to more 'low tech' methods, can help older people avoid frailty and falling," says Chhanda Dutta, Ph.D., Director of Musculoskeletal Research in the NIA's Geriatrics Program. "We must make sure that we look at every approach, especially relatively inexpensive ones like Tai Chi," says Dutta. "People can do this at home and with friends once they have had the proper training."
The Wolf study included 200 participants age 70 and older. The participants were divided into groups for Tai Chi, computerized balance training, and education. In addition to 15 weekly sessions in which they progressed to more complex forms of Tai Chi, the participants were asked to practice at home at least 15 minutes, twice daily. Another group received balance training using a computer-operated balance platform in which participants tried to improve control of their body sway under increasingly difficult conditions. The education group was asked to not change any of its current exercise regimens, and took part in weekly meetings on a variety of topics with a nurse gerontologist.
Wolf's group compared several factors before and after the interventions, and found improvements in certain key areas. The most notable change involved the reduction in the rate of falling for the Tai Chi group. The groups receiving computerized balance platform training did not have significantly lower rates of falling. The Tai Chi participants also took more deliberate steps and decreased their walking speed slightly compared to the other groups. Fear of falling also was reduced for the Tai Chi group. After the intervention, only 8 percent of the Tai Chi group said they feared falling, compared with 23 percent before they had the training.
"The Tai Chi group seemed to have more confidence," says Wolf, noting that "they had an increased sense of being able to do all that they would like to do." Wolf notes that almost half of the Tai Chi participants chose to continue meeting informally after the study was finished.
The Connecticut FICSIT site used sophisticated techniques for balance and strength training. Some 110 participants, averaging age 80, received training for 3 months. They were divided into four groups: one group received balance training in 45-minute sessions three times per week, including a computerized balance platform (of a different type than the one used in the Wolf study) as well as low-tech balance exercises; another took part in resistance training and weight lifting three times a week to improve strength; a third group did both balance and strength training, and a fourth "education" group participated in sessions on fall prevention and stress management.
Everyone in the study took part in weekly Tai Chi classes for 6 months following the intensive training period.
The people in the study were evaluated before undergoing any training, immediately after the training, and after a 6-month follow-up Tai Chi program. The interventions of major focus in the study -- intensive balance and strength training -- produced marked effects. Participants had a 25 to 50 percent improvement in three different measures of balance after completing balance training, while strength training resulted in a 17 percent improvement in strength. Some of the gains immediately following the balance and strength training were lost after 6 months of the Tai Chi follow-up program. However, the participants tested significantly higher than they had before the interventions began.
Without a comparable group who did not receive Tai Chi training after exercise training, it is difficult to know for certain whether the Tai Chi contributed to maintaining gains in strength and balance. Wolfson noted that study participants might have done even better at the end of the maintenance phase had they continued the more intensive balance and strength training, but he also suggested that Tai Chi might be further studied as a less intensive way to hold onto the benefits of prior strength and balance training.
The NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health, leads the Federal effort conducting and supporting research on the aging process and the diseases and disabilities that accompany advancing age. The institute's program focuses on biomedical, clinical, and social and behavioral research, and supports the Claude D. Pepper Older American Independence Centers at medical centers across the U.S., whose research is aimed at maintaining healthy function well into old age.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 10/03/2007 - 16:37 |
50 may be the new 40 ... BUT
Excerpted from The Mature Market - by K.S.: 9/29/2007
Results from a new national "Pain Poll" survey of 50-something baby boomers (age 49-55) showed that while 77 percent of boomers think "50 is the new 40," unfortunately 55 percent of baby boomers said that their aches and pains have affected their ability to maintain an active lifestyle.
The Pain Poll was sponsored by McNeil
Consumer Healthcare, the makers of TYLENOL® (acetaminophen), and conducted
by Harris Interactive®.
The good news for 50-somethings is that 72 percent of males and females surveyed by the Pain Poll feel mentally 10 years younger than the age on their driver's license; in contrast, the poll showed that 62 percent of 50-somethings feel physically the same as or older than the age on their driver's license.
Overall, the Pain Poll found that 92 percent of 50-somethings have experienced aches and pains, and 52 percent said they experience aches and pains on a daily basis. In reaction, health expert Dr. Rosa Solorio offers 50-somethings the following advice about the importance of staying physically active.
"Remaining active and exercising for 50-somethings may be harder because of increased joint and early osteoarthritis
pain, but at this age it is important to keep exercising because this will strengthen muscles and help to reduce stress on the joints that they support,"
said Dr. Solorio. "It's important to talk to your health care provider before beginning or changing your exercise routine."
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 10/03/2007 - 12:49 |
Bone Loss, Osteoporosis, Depression, Menopause and Tai Chi Therapy
By Bill Douglas, Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com
Emerging medical research indicates that an ancient health therapy may be the prescription for the future. Increasingly the menopausal problems of hormonal imbalance, often resulting in bone loss, are also affected by depression and stress. Change is stressful for all of us, even good changes, like changes of life. Maturity is a good thing, yet the stress of major life changes can result in stress and depression, which according to emerging research may further aggravate the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause. Is there any escape from this catch-22? Yes, although this may seem overwhelming in its scope, there may be great news. An ancient Chinese natural health therapy, known as Tai Chi, may help alleviate many of the aggravating symptoms of menopause in profoundly healthful ways.
Of course only your physician can help you decide what is right for your personal therapy as you enter the menopausal transition. However, you may find that you need to educate your physician regarding the benefits Tai Chi may offer you at this important time in your life. Or, perhaps if you ask around you may find a physician who has already educated himself or herself about the benefits Tai Chi may offer all women, but definitely has much to offer women entering menopause.
Emerging research indicates that Tai Chi can help reduce the incidence of depression, anxiety, and mood disturbance in regular practitioners. In a Prevention Magazine report entitled, “Tai Chi May Relieve Anxiety and Depression,” Donal P. O'Mathuna, Ph.D., a lecturer in Health Care Ethics at the School of Nursing in Dublin City University, Ireland says that, “. . . . evidence there is suggests that the benefits of tai chi extend beyond those of simply exercising. The combination of exercise, meditation, and breathing all may help relieve anxiety and depression. . .” In its article entitled, “Tai chi,” the Mayo Clinic staff at MayoClinic.com stated that preliminary research shows that practicing Tai Chi regularly may not only reduce anxiety and depression, but also increase bone mineral density after menopause. This was echoed by a report in http://www.intelihealth.com by Natural Standard and the Faculty of Harvard Medical School.
This is a very important finding, and begins to make even more sense, when you consider the National Institutes of Mental Health reports that the stress hormones found in depressed women caused bone loss that gave them bones of women nearly twice their age. Exactly why Tai Chi offers such benefit may be explained by a study from Australia’s La Trobe University that found that Tai Chi reduced levels of stress hormones more effectively than some other forms of activity. (Details at: www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?PageID=6055).
But, no matter how you slice it, research is indicating that Tai Chi may be a “very” effective multi-level beneficial therapy for women. A Chinese study reported in the December 2004 “Physician and Sportsmedicine” found that tai chi could retard bone loss among postmenopausal women significantly. Bone mineral density was measured before and after the study period. Both groups experienced general bone loss, but the rate of bone loss for the Tai Chi group was less than in the control group. In fact, the Tai Chi practicing group of women slowed bone loss by 2.6 to 3.6 times more. The study reported, “Bone loss was 2.6 to 3.6 times slower (p<.01) in the distal tibia in the [Tai Chi] exercise group compared with bone loss in the control group.”
Back in 1999, before these studies began showing that Tai Chi may actually improve bone density, or at the least dramatically slow bone loss, the “Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery’s” 1999; 7:19-31, reported that “…Coupled with drug therapy should be a comprehensive approach to exercise and fall prevention. Stretching, strengthening, impact, and balance exercises are effective. Of the balance exercises, tai chi chuan has proved to be the most successful in decreasing falls..” This was because falling injuries are a grave health risk for all aging Americans, but given the dangers of osteoporosis for women, an especially important concern. In fact the sixth leading cause of death for aging Americans is complication from falling injuries. However, research has shown time and time again in major medical studies, such as John’s Hopkins, that Tai Chi can reduce the incidence of falling injuries by 50% in those who practice Tai Chi. So, even before emerging research began to show that Tai Chi may contribute to stronger bones in menopausal women perhaps by reducing stress hormone levels and providing a gentle weight bearing exercise, it was know that Tai Chi was a powerful therapy to reduce falling injury.
Now, there may be even more benefit ancient Chinese health therapies can offer to relieve the discomfort of life changes. Tai Chi is known as a general therapeutic form of “Qigong” (pronounced chee gung) exercise. Qigong means “energy exercise” or “breathing exercise” in Chinese. This indicates that Qigong combines gentle motion, or physical stimulation, with breathing techniques, and visualization/relaxation techniques to achieve substantial health benefits. There are over 7,000 Qigong therapies in the Chinese Medica (the Traditional Chinese Book of Medicine). Tai Chi, again, is a highly sophisticated general health Qigong practice, therefore this Qigong research may be relevant to the Tai Chi’s applications for those in menopause. An interesting study at healthy.net, revealed that sex hormone levels may be balanced by the practice of Qigong exercises (http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?id=382). The report stated, “…female sex hormone (estrogen) levels tend to increase in men and decrease in women. Three studies indicate that qigong exercise can reverse this trend. The effect of qigong exercise on plasma sex hormone levels was determined for hypertensive men and women. The sex hormones levels were measured before and after qigong practice for one year…” Results showed that high estrodiol levels in men lowered to near normal, and low estrodial levels in women raised to near normal after qigong practice.
Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health’s March 3, 2004 update discussed the problems with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which had been the main treatment for menopausal symptoms. But in the update, Medline Plus, explains, “…the results of a major study -- called the Women's Health Initiative -- has led physicians to revise their recommendations. In fact, this important study was stopped early because the health risks outweighed the health benefits. Women taking the hormones did see some benefits. But they greatly increased their risk for breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.” The Medline article goes on to offer non-drug alternatives to reduce menopausal symptoms that included “yoga, tai chi, or meditation.” (See entire article at: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000894.htm)
In a great article at webmd.com, Dr. Herbert Benson, head of hypertension studies at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital and author of “The Relaxation Response,” goes further to suggest that Tai Chi’s moving meditation is “…vitally important in PMS, infertility, hot flashes, insomnia,…" (Read the entire article at: my.webmd.com/content/article/25/1728_57992.htm). Dr. Benson’s comments illustrate the vast multi-dimensional possibilities that Tai Chi offers everyone’s health on so many levels. The purpose of this article is not to prescribe treatments for you, but to help you expand your dialogue with your health professional to explore more possibilities for your health. However, the purpose here is also to encourage physicians to begin demanding more focused medical research on what Tai Chi may offer their patients on many levels.
Currently all alternative therapies research is only about one half of only one-percent of the National Institutes of Health’s budget, meaning that Tai Chi research is only a tiny fraction of that tiny fraction. Given the emerging possibilities of benefit Tai Chi is showing already with such limited research, this is inexcusable. Massive resources should be used to fully explore what Tai Chi offers, so that all hospitals can not only offer classes, but prescribe them. Tai Chi should be covered by medical insurance and national health insurance programs. The future is ours, by beginning to demand of our health system a natural and cost effective approach to our health and well-being. Share this article widely with everyone you know, but especially your health professionals, and your local media’s health reporters.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 08/01/2007 - 19:58 |
Progress on the ChiforLiving Seniors Fitness program!
Refining the movements at Paragon Village
Since April, I have been working with a group of women at the Paragon Village Assisted Living Center in Hackettstown, NJ. The program has been recieved extremely well by the core group of women in the class.
Ranging in age from early 60's to Mid 70's, and occasionally someone older, I have yet to find the program to difficult for anyone.
Classes run about 45 minutes and cover a wide range of motion exercises, leg strengthening and general flexibility. The exercises are based in traditional Tai Chi and Qigong forms.
Typical comments are:- "Your program works me harder then any of the other programs I have tried without wearing me out"
- "I have been doing the exercises you showed me and I am able to stand for longer periods of time than before we started"
Hearing the comments after each class, being able to help the women and knowing my ideas of teaching work in practice have me quite excited.
If you want to be on a mailing list to be notified when my DVD for my Seniors flexibility and balance program is completed this fall, please go to my contact form and send and email asking to be added.
Stan
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 07/24/2007 - 16:00 |
Lower Body Exercise for Seniors: Improve Strength and Balance
Before You Start: Safety Tips for Balance Exercises
Improving lower body strength will help to improve your balance, and better balance means reduced risk of falls. These exercises are recommended by the National Institutes of Health.
Before you start your exercise program, read these safety tips for lower body exercise:
- Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
- Hold onto a table or chair for balance when you used only one hand.
- As you progress, try holding on with only one fingertip. When you feel comfortable with one fingertip, try the following lower body exercises without holding on at all. Ask someone to watch you the first few times, in case you lose your balance.
- If you are very steady on your feet, move on to doing the exercises using no hands, with your eyes closed.
- Have someone stand close by if you are unsteady
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 07/05/2007 - 19:37 |
Are you too busy in retirement to exercise?
Remember, the older we get the more we need to stay fit.
Yea, I am pudgy, but at least I try to stay flexible. Over the next few months I will be working harder at this as I get ready to launch my new active and aging adult fitness programs.
"What", you say? "A fitness program yet you say you are pudgy. what is with this?"
Well, it seems I have a good way of teaching that seniors seem to relate to well. I am an intuitive and have found a way to turn my personal relationship with movement techinques into fitness programs.
So what does this have to do with being too busy to exercise. The simple answer is. my programs are easy to learn, need no equipment and can be done anywhere. They focus onbody movement, balance, leg strength and range of motion.
I'll tell more about these programs over the next few months as things get rolling, so stay tuned.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 06/11/2007 - 14:19 |
Exercise Reduces Risk of Dementia in Older Adults
Growing body of research demonstrates link between exercise and dementia
Increasingly, research shows that older adults who engage in a consistent exercise program reduce their risk of developing age-related dementia.
How Much Exercise is Needed to Reduce the Risk of Dementia?
Older adults who exercised at least three times a week were much less likely to develop dementia than those who were less active, according to a study reported and funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Researchers pointed out that this study did not demonstrate directly that exercise reduces risk of dementia, but it joins a growing list of observational research that finds a correlation between exercise and dementia -- also known as cognitive decline -- which is associated with Alzheimer's disease.
How was this Exercise and Dementia Research Conducted?
This dementia study, reported in the January 17, 2006, issue of The Annals of Internal Medicine, was a joint effort of the Group Health Cooperative (GHC), the University of Washington, and the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, all in Seattle, Washington.
Researchers followed 1,740 GHC members age 65 or older for an average of 6.2 years between 1994 and 2003.
When the study began, the participants -- all of whom were tested and found to be cognitively normal -- reported the number of days per week they engaged in at least 15 minutes of physical activity, such as walking, hiking, bicycling, aerobics, or weight training.
The participants’ cognitive function was assessed, and new cases of dementia were identified, every 2 years.
By the end of the study, the rate of developing dementia was significantly lower for those who exercised more:
13.0 per 1,000 "person years" for those who exercised three or more times weekly
19.7 per 1,000 "person years" for those who exercised fewer than three times per week
Researchers determined that people who exercised at least 3 times per week had a 32 percent reduction in risk of developing dementia.
Reduced Risk of Dementia: a New Reason to Exercise
"Physical activity has been shown to be beneficial for health and aging in a number of areas," said Dallas Anderson, Ph.D., program director for population studies in the Dementias of Aging Branch of NIA's Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program.
"This emerging association between exercise and cognitive health is increasingly important to understand."
More Research Coming on the Effects of Exercise on Dementia
The NIA also announced its support for clinical trials which will test the direct effects of exercise on cognitive function, or dementia.
Anderson said this research should help sort out whether exercise reduces risk of cognitive decline or whether other factors related to exercise, such as increased social interaction, play a role.
Additional study also may provide information on the possible merits of varying types of exercise.
Credit for this article goes to Sharon OBrien from about.com:senior living
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 06/05/2007 - 10:38 |
Tai Chi from a science viewpoint
Tai Chi cultivates health benefits beyond those studied by western medicine. Tai Chi conditions the sleaves between muscles and nerves, the films that separate and support the organs, the facia. The acupuncture meridians of Chinese Medicine run through the facia. By conditioning these boundary layers between tissues, Tai Chi reduces chemical cross-linking, cellular rust. Move it or lose it, the Taoists say. The turning of the trunk flexes the spine, producing some of the same benefits as twists in Yoga (improved spinal flexibility, release of tension on the perispina muscles, alleviating imbalances that can lead to back pain while improving blood flow to the discs). And like Yoga, Tai Chi conditions the psoas, that deep muscle of balance that underlies the lower abdominal organs and mediates the relationship of the spine to the pelvis and legs. Proper Tai Chi practice places certain demands on the body: The sinking of the weight, over time, tells the legs to add muscle and bone mass, while the turning of the body, inconjunction with deep abdominal breathing, "wrings out" the organs, flushing blood out as they're compressed and allowing it to flow back in when the movement compresses. another part of the torso. This flexing and unflexing reduces pockets of stagnation in the various organ systems.
Physical strength peaks in the mid-twenties, declines modestly to age 50, and steeply thereafter. Studies showa loss of one-third of lower extremity strength by age 70. In advanced age, few people are able to stand on one leg for more than a few seconds. Premature decline need not be the case. Tai Chi exercises all the joints and major muscle groups in a slow, hythmic, mindful way, priming the body for whatever demands the day may make. Leg strength increases with practice, which pays off every step you take, every time you stand in line, every time you climb a flight of stairs. Your joints stay loose and flexible, so everyday chores around the house and garden don't take as much out of you. When you practice Tai Chi in the morning, it's just easier to move for the rest of the day, and concentrate on what you have to do. You waste less energy and attention on body static, so you have the stamina to ride out crazy days and long hours at work and still have something left for your family, your mate, your art. Tai Chi is for anyone who wants to move with greater strength, grace, and ease as they get older.
In the U.S., studies have shown that even people in their 70's and 80's can learn a simplified series of Tai Chi forms, and benefit tremendously: Study subjects show a marked decrease in injurious falls, reductions in blood pressure, and improved measures of balance and confidence. If Tai Chi can do this for geriatric beginners, think of what it can do for someone who starts a few decades sooner, and stays with it.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 06/01/2007 - 16:11 |
Tai Chi for the Elderly
Studies Show Exercise Relieves Pain, Improves Mobility in Seniors
By Michael Devitt
Once practiced almost exclusively in China, tai chi has grown to become one of the most recognizable forms of exercise in existence. A cross between yoga and meditation, tai chi consists of a series of movements and breathing exercises designed to build strength, restore balance and increase flexibility while helping a person attain a heightened state of being.
Although it is practiced by people of all ages, tai chi is particularly popular among the elderly. A pair of new studies involving older populations - one conducted at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio,1 the other at the Oregon Research Institute,2 - have found that tai chi can reduce pain levels in people with arthritis and increase mobility and physical functioning in otherwise sedentary senior citizens.
Easing Arthritis Pain
In the Case Western study, 16 men and women with chronic arthritis pain aged 68 to 87 were randomly assigned to a tai chi group or a control group. Those in the tai chi group attended 10 weekly one-hour tai chi classes. The control subjects, meanwhile, maintained normal daily activity.
Subjects in the tai chi classes were instructed in a series of movements from the first circle of the wu-style form of tai chi. The number of movements was gradually increased so that by the ninth session, participants were using a total of 16 movements. In addition to tai chi, they also performed warmup exercises and took a short break before participating in class, and were encouraged to practice daily (but not to worry about remembering or practicing every movement).
To measure the pain and general health levels of the subjects, the researchers used two instruments: a short-form pain questionnaire and a 36-item health survey. Each week, all of the participants were required to report their current pain on a scale of 0-10 (10 being the worst possible pain), as well as any changes in activity and medication use.
While no significant differences were found in overall health and the use of analgesics, pain scores for patients in the tai chi group decreased substantially, from an average of 3.25 at the start of the study to 1.75 after 10 weeks of exercise. Moreover, those who did not learn tai chi actually reported a slight increase in pain after 10 weeks.
The small sample size precluded the researchers from recommending tai chi as a form of pain relief, saying instead that more research should be conducted before a firm conclusion could be made. However, in an interview with Reuters Health,3 the researchers explained that tai chi may reduce pain by increasing circulation, which could help stimulate the repair of damaged joints and joint surfaces.
"In addition, it stabilizes joint structure by strengthening the soft tissue support of the joint," said Patricia Adler, the study's lead author.
Because tai chi requires little strain on the body and is relatively inexpensive to learn, they also believed it could increase activity levels in otherwise sedentary seniors.
"Often, older people will not come to class because they're afraid they are going to fall, they're afraid their needs won't be met, and they're afraid of the pain," Adler continued. "But when they see that tai chi is a gentle exercise that can help their pain, they become interested."
Staying Active Through Tai Chi
In the Oregon study, meanwhile, a team of researchers led by Dr. Fuzhong Li examined 94 seniors aged 65-96. All of the subjects were considered healthy, but were physically inactive at the start of the study. One group of 49 patients attended an hour-long tai chi program twice a week for six months; the others were asked to maintain their normal activities and were promised a four-week tai chi program at the end of the study.
The tai chi sessions consisted of a 15 minute warmup; 30 minutes of yang-style tai chi (involving a total of 24 movements); and a 15 minute cooldown period. The subjects were led by a certified tai chi instructor and replicated his motions and postures. They were also encouraged to practice the movements at home.
Just prior to (and just after completion of) the study, six areas of physical functioning were measured in each participant: "vigorous" activities, such as running or lifting heavy weights; "moderate" activities, such as carrying groceries or bowling; walking or climbing; bending, stooping or lifting; walking one block; and activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing or using the toilet. Participants were then asked to respond whether they felt limited in their ability to perform the activities in each area.
| Table I: Number of patients reporting "limited" in areas of physical function. | | Group/Condition | Baseline | End of Study | % Improved | | Tai Chi group | | | | | Vigorous activities | 30 | 13 | 57% | | Moderate activities | 24 | 10 | 58% | | Walking/climbing | 20 | 9 | 55% | | Bending/stooping/lifting | 20 | 6 | 70% | | Walking one block | 11 | 4 | 64% | | Daily living activities | 12 | 2 | 83% | | Control group | | | | | Vigorous activities | 32 | 28 | 13% | | Moderate activities | 20 | 14 | 30% | | Walking/climbing | 22 | 18 | 18% | | Bending/stooping/lifting | 17 | 14 | 18% | | Walking one block | 9 | 6 | 33% | | Daily living activities | 11 | 9 | 18% |
The investigators found that significantly more people from the tai chi group reported an improvement in physical functioning compared to those who remained inactive. Across-the-board improvements were seen in each area of physical functioning for seniors who participated in the tai chi class, from 55% in the ability to walk and climb to 83% in everyday activities.
The tai chi program was also found to be quite cost-effective. The main direct costs associated with the study were for instructor compensation. However, because tai chi classes are already offered at many local recreation centers and other community organizations - often for little or no fee - the exercise could prove an "efficient and cost-effective" preventive health service.
Of particular interest to the researchers was the fact that significant improvements were noted in the moderate and vigorous activity categories, criteria that are not always examined in tai chi studies. This led them to suggest that the benefits of such exercise extend "beyond basic activities of daily living" and may have a greater impact on one's overall health than first thought.
Li's team did point out some inconsistencies in the design of the study. For instance, an overwhelming majority of those who participated were white females, which may not give an accurate reflection of the elderly population in the U.S. In addition, since the sample was comprised of people who volunteered to take part in the study, Li theorized that those people might have been "more highly motivated to participate in physical activity" compared to the average senior citizen.
Nevertheless, they concluded that tai chi classes appear to be a "desirable activity" compared to other community-base activities such as walking or water aerobics, delivering low-impact, high-quality health benefits while increasing one's chances for social interaction.
"This study demonstrates the benefits of tai chi practice for older adults and the value and cost-effectiveness of a targeted community-based exercise program that promoted strength, balance, and improved overall physical functioning," they wrote. "· Given that the sample consisted of inactive individuals, we believe that favorable treatment effects are likely to be of great interest not only to older individuals with limitations in physical functioning, but to healthcare providers and practitioners as well."
References
Adler P, Good M, Roberts B, et al. The effects of tai chi on older adults with chronic arthritis pain. Journal of Nursing Scholarship 2000;32(4):377.
Li F, Harmer P, McAuley E, et al. An evaluation of the effects of tai chi exercise on physical function among older persons: a randomized controlled trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 2001;23(2):139-46.
Tai chi may ease arthritis pain in elderly. Reuters Health, March 19, 2001.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 05/20/2007 - 17:51 |
Tai Chi to Protect Bones: Does It Work?
Osteoporosis is a concern for older adults. Osteoporosis is a loss of bone mineral density (BMD). Loss of bone mass increases the risk for fracture. The Surgeon General has said that Tai Chi is a good exercise to maintain bone density and to prevent falls.
In this report, researchers review studies on Tai Chi. They target postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD). They also offer ideas for future studies to assess the benefits of Tai Chi on BMD.
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese form of martial arts. It includes breathing, movement, and meditation. Shifting weight from side to side can help with balance and the mechanical load placed on the joints needed for good joint health. Arm movements help improve natural arm swing while walking. Many other benefits of Tai Chi have been reported.
After reviewing the studies of Tai Chi for reducing rates of BMD loss in postmenopausal women, here's what they found:
- Tai Chi is a safe way to exercise for postmenopausal women with low BMD It may reduce the rate of BMD loss; Tai Chi practitioners have higher BMD
than people their own age who don't do Tai Chi - Tai Chi does improve balance and strength; it also reduces the number of falls in older adults
- The total available evidence isn't enough to prove Tai Chi actually reduces BMD loss
- The bottom line is that Tai Chi is a safe form of exercise for older adults. It has many benefits. For the postmenopausal woman with osteoporosis, even if it doesn't improve BMD, it reduces falls and fractures. That's an important benefit
Future studies are needed to find out if Tai Chi can prevent bone loss in the first place. Does it reduce how fast bone loss occurs? Does it work for men? If it does reduce how much or how fast BMD is lost, what's the mechanism behind it?
Peter M. Wayne, PhD, et al. The Effects of Tai Chi on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review. In Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. May 2007. Vol. 88. No. 5. Pp. 673-680.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 05/14/2007 - 13:32 |
Boomers contribute to spike in arthritis cases
By Bob Lamendola - South Florida Sun-Sentinel
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Florida will see the nation's biggest leap in arthritis cases by the year 2030 as today's seniors and baby boomers succumb to the age-related degeneration of the joints, federal researchers said Thursday.
Obesity and inactive lifestyles also will help fuel the boom in arthritis, driving up health costs and straining parts of the medical system. The authors of the new federal study called for people to exercise more and shed excess pounds, to stave off the disease and lessen its debilitating effects.
"The population is growing so quickly in Florida and is aging," said the lead author, Mark Freedman, a researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "But there are things we can do about (arthritis), things that work."
Elizabeth Zahn has already started. The Lake Worth, Fla., nurse, 67, who was disabled years ago by arthritis, said she barely got out of her chair until she joined a tai chi class given by the Arthritis Foundation.
"It's amazing the change," Zahn said. "I would just sit and do nothing all day. Now after eight weeks of tai chi, I've cut down on my pain medications, I've cut down on my steroid pills" and cut the use of an electrical stimulator for back pain.
The CDC study found that Florida, with 3.7 million arthritis sufferers, would see the number balloon to 6.3 million by 2030. That rise is larger than projected in any state and would make Florida second behind California in arthritis.
The researchers suggested more money for exercise programs and classes on coping with arthritis, which has more than 100 varieties. Only 11 percent of patients now enroll.
"I guess people are busy and they just don't want to commit," said Susie Rhodes, a foundation coordinator in West Palm Beach, Fla. "If the joints keep moving, they're less apt to be inflamed and sore and stiff. Just simple things like walking and stretching will help."
ARCHIVE GRAPHICS on MCT Direct (from MCT Graphics, 202-383-6064): 20041220 Arthritis
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 05/07/2007 - 11:31 |
Fixing the mind and body movment connection
Getting back to the basics is the first place to start
What is ChiForLiving.com really about?
ChiForLivingtm is a system of movement techniques to help seniors reconect to movement. It is based in traditional Tai Chi and Chi Kung. The initial program is geared to teach balance and flexibility using metaphors making the movements easy to visualize and learn.
The system can is a movement primer to help seniors regain leg strength, a sense of balance, flexibilty and connection to their bodies. Through practice and repetition, capabilities increase allowing the practitioners to move into tradtioan Tai Chi forms and expand thier studies.
The system is currently in development. Work with a local focus group begins this week so look for more news on progress.
For information on the program please use the contact page
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 04/30/2007 - 13:35 |
Chairbound seniors can still exercise
Many Chi Kung movements can be done standing or sitting
Being chairbound, either not able to stand long enough to do standing Chi Kung forms, or relegated to a wheelchair does not exempt us from movement exercises.
Chi Kung, the ancestor of Tai Chi works the upper body, trunk, cardiovascular and respiratory systems even while seated.
The arm and torso movements include chest high arm rotation exercises, side to side twists, overhead reaches, and trunk rotations in various combinations. These exercises are very gentle, however in combination and repeated steps work a full range of motion form the waist up and provide a quality workout.
Check out Chi Kung for Health ( Qi Gong ) - Six Seated Meditations
This program has to Five Star customer reviews.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 04/24/2007 - 12:41 |
Kinesthetic awareness through movement training
Tai Chi is the perfect system for learning coordination & balance
Kinesthetic awareness by definition is possessing a sense of your movements within space during activity.
How people move through daily activities becomes routine. Reaching, bending, walking - just about any activity is something we all just do. Through the course of our lives, our jobs, the sports we play and the stress we have change the way our bodys move. Our posture changes, we become stiff in many areas and become less fluid as we get further away from natural body alignments and movement.
Tai Chi as an art and exercise form work to bring the natural structure of our bodies back into alignment. The mind - body integration helps us regain fluidness of movement from one position to another.
You can think of it as creating a solid baseline of body position. From that base, training your body in movement, coordination and balance helps you move in any direction with more flexibilty, confidence and overall ease.
For example, many people walk in a forward lean, with the shoulders and head leading the body. A slight trip on a broken piece of sidewalk, especially with seniors could easily cause a fall since the weight and balance is already headed forward. Learning the Tai Chi method of walking, in a balanced step with weight centered over the hips, with a heel to toe roll and legs leading the body, creates a balanced walk, less likely to trip and fall.
Training to improve your kinesthetic sense, improves your ability to feel body position and to recreate proper muscle sense and form. The more your body tunes iteslf, natural movements become second nature. As a system of increasing movement and mobility, the more you do, the more you will be able to do.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 04/19/2007 - 15:36 |
Self reliance and keeping mobile for functional fitness
Exercise to maintain a level of strength, endurance and balance
Use it or lose it. Have you heard that anywhere else before? You can bet that saying is true for boomers entering retirement years. You may still be active. Playing tennis, golfing with your buddies and enjoying other activities. If you are, great and keep it up. But don't forget to stretch. The older you get, the more important stretching becomes.
What is functional fitness?
The answer is the ability to complete unassisted toilet functions, cook, do some light cleaning and keep your self reliance and independence. The emotional decline facing seniors with the loss of their ability to maintain their basic skills of daily living is a major contributor to the decline of overall health.
If you are not active and looking at retirement, you need to get moving and find a routine that you can work with at least every other day. Of course, consult a physician if you have not been active or have health related issues that will keep you from working in some programs.
The benefits of exercise are well documented. A search of google.com for seniors fitness will provide a vast number of websites offering any number or programs or information. My job in this entry it to get you thinking about it.
Why do we need to move?
Well, maintining our independence as we age is one reason. Avoiding serious falls and injury is another. How about routines that are anti-arthritic, can work our cardiovascular system and keep our internal organs toned and working more efficiently.
One of the best types of exercise for seniors and those entering retirement age is Tai Chi. The forms are very soft, weight bearing but low impact and provide a multitude of physical benefits.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 03/31/2007 - 12:28 |
Tai Chi Moves Seniors into Healthful Positions
Seniors improve their flexibility, balance and overall fitness
Source: Tufts University
July 25, 2001 (Reviewed: December 23, 2002)
A change of pace
If fitness walking and toning exercises are a little too run-of-the-mill, try Tai Chi. Aside from being trendy, this low-impact Chinese exercise apparently is good for you! Researchers reported in a recent Annals of Behavioral Medicine that Tai Chi movements helped seniors improve their physical functioning.
Ninety-six healthy, but inactive adults ages 65 to 96 were assigned to either a 6-month Tai Chi class or a control group. Those in the control group were instructed to maintain their current physical activities and were promised a four-week Tai Chi class at the end of the study. Both groups completed a physical activity assessment at weeks 1, 12, and 24. The assessment measured their ability to perform an array of activities, from vigorous exercise like running to tasks such as carrying groceries, walking up stairs or dressing.
Those assigned to the Tai Chi class met 2 times per week for 60 minutes. Each session consisted of a 15-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movements, and a 15-minute cool-down. The volunteers were also encouraged to practice at home.
Exercise made a difference
In the baseline physical functioning assessment, about 60% of the volunteers reported some physical limitation in moderate-to-vigorous activities and about 25% reported difficulties with activities of daily living (eating, dressing, bathing).
At the end of the study, more than half of those enrolled in the Tai Chi class who had reported functional limitations at the start of the study indicated improvement. This is consistent with other studies showing the benefits of Tai Chi for seniors -- most notably, in reducing falls. There was some improvement also noted in the control group, but much less than in the Tai Chi group.
How does it work?
Tai Chi movements combines balance, flexibility, aerobic, and toning exercises through slow, graceful actions. Each of these aspects of fitness contributes to overall health. Improved balance can minimize the risk of falling, while flexibility enables you to reach into the top cupboard. Good leg strength makes it easier to get up from a sitting position, and strong lungs mean you can walk without getting winded.
While each of these aspects of fitness can be gained through other activities, Tai Chi is particularly well suited for older individuals because it is a non-impact exercise.
East meets west
In China, it is not unusual to see individuals or groups practicing their Tai Chi movements -- rolling their arms and posturing themselves into various positions -- in local parks or other outdoor spaces. In the United States, however, you're more likely to find the same motions going on at a YMCA, senior center, or adult education class. Like acupuncture and other traditional Chinese remedies, the benefits of Tai Chi are proving a useful adjunct to western medicine.
Source
An evaluation of the effects of Tai Chi exercise on physical function among older persons: a randomized controlled trial. F. Li, P. Harmer, E. McAujey, et al., Ann Behav Med., 2001, vol. 23, pp. 139--146
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 03/20/2007 - 16:07 |
Is Tai Chi a weight bearing exercise?
Clearing up a minor misconception on Tai Chi
A common misconception which is what the term "weight bearing exercise" really means. Non weight bearing exercise would be swimming for example, because although you are using muscles, you are not bearing your weight against gravity.
In reading a quote from an osteoporosis site you'll see that indeed tai chi does fall into the weight bearing category as it really just means bearing one's weight against gravity. In fact, if you analyze tai chi further it is about 200% weight bearing because all through the tai chi form you are putting all your weight on one leg at a time.
Here's the quote:
"Types of exercise
Weight-bearing exercise such as walking, running, tennis, weight training and aerobics are the best forms of exercise to help reduce bone loss associated with ageing.
During these activities your bones are supporting your weight against gravity and so strengthening the bones. They then react to the forces exerted on them by becoming stronger.
These types of activities actually stimulate the osteoblasts, the cells which produce new bone tissue. For example, for the spine, aerobic exercise classes, 2 to 3 times a week, appears to improve bone density by 2-5%."
My friend Linda from Canada writes:
One of my fellow teachers, and friend just turned 87, teaches 2 hour tai chi classes 4 days a week and is osteoporosis free. 20 years ago before she started tai chi, she had bone loss, and was considered moderately osteoporotic. Now she has the bones of a 40 year old.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 03/20/2007 - 15:49 |
Tai Chi and the immune system
Thanks to Linda for another article on Tai Chi
Tai-Chi boosts immunity: study
Bob Beale
ABC Science Online - Thursday, 25 September 2003
The Chinese exercise practice of Tai-Chi can significantly boost the body's immune system response to virus infection and may, in particular, help ward off painful shingles outbreaks in older people, a new study has found.
The research, by Dr Michael Irwin of the University of California Los Angeles and colleagues is reported in the current issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
The controlled study in the U.S. on 36 men and women with an average age of 70, showed that those who used Tai-Chi's combined elements of movement and meditation over several months enjoyed a 50% increase in immune cells that target the shingles virus. The research is thought to be the first to show that a behavioural intervention can positively influence a virus-specific immune response: "Our findings offer a unique and exciting example of mind over matter," Irwin said.
The herpes virus - known as varicella - that causes chickenpox in younger people remains alive in nerve cells in the body and is the cause of shingles later in life. Shingles outbreaks can occur when an infected individual's immune system is weakened by stress, illness or advancing age, allowing the virus to re-emerge and cause skin rashes that can remain painful for months or years.
"There is no standard medical treatment to prevent shingles, or medical means to boost the immune system and decrease the risk of shingles," Irwin told ABC Science Online. "Novel interventions or treatments are needed to decrease the risk of shingles in older adults at risk for this viral disease."
None of the study subjects had suffered from shingles but all had chickenpox earlier in life. Half were randomly selected to take a Tai-Chi course for 45 minutes, three days a week, for 15 weeks, while the remaining half acted as a control group and did not do Tai-Chi.
A week after the end of the study period, physical check-ups and immune-system tests showed that on average the Tai-Chi group did not simply feel healthier but had sharply increased levels of memory T-cells that specifically recognise and attack the varicella virus, although individual responses varied.
Tai-Chi involves making slow and precise movements co-ordinated with controlled breathing. Subjects in the Tai-Chi group also showed improvements in physical functioning, especially those who before the study had problems with common tasks, such as walking and climbing stairs. For them, Tai-Chi's benefits were "comparable or exceeded that reported for hip-replacement surgery or for heart-valve replacement in older adults," said the researchers.
Tai-Chi Chih - as it is formally known - is a westernised version of Tai-Chi Chuan, an exercise form that has existed as a martial art in the Chinese culture for 2,000 years and as an exercise for elderly people for around 300 years, Irwin told ABC Science Online.
Irwin cautions that the study group was small and that a placebo effect might account for the results: "What is important about this study is [the effect] that this 'power of the mind' - if that is the effect of Tai-Chi Chih - had on objective measures of immune function."
More research is needed to discover whether Tai-Chi's effects on specific immunity are long-lasting and whether it might be useful in boosting the immune response to other infectious diseases.
The study was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 03/09/2007 - 16:08 |
Baby Boomers Flexibility and Fitness
How many of us are there out there who need to get moving?
Today, Boomers represent 28% of the U.S. population.
During the baby boomer years, 1946-1964 (inclusive), 75.8 million Americans were born. The biggest year of the boom was 1957, when 4.3 million boomers were born. For the 5-year period between 1956 and 1960, inclusive, 21.2 million boomers were born, the largest for any 5-year period in the 20th century.
With so many of us aging, how do we plan on staying fit, able to walk, bend and move like we always have, or wish we still could.
The older we get, the more brittle we become. We will need low impact exercise that we can do at home, since travel will be come more of a chore than a luxury. (more and more of our parents are staying home which is a trend we are likely to continue as we age)
Tai Chi based exercise is the perfect solution for this need. It is a soft exercise yet works all parts of our bodies in gentle stretching movements. Added benefits work the cardiovascular system, overall muscle tone and increase deep breathing capacity.
Also consider that this form of exercise:
Helps to keep people mobile well into old age
Helps to improve balance
Helps to reduce asthma
Helps people to recover from certain injuries
Helps to boost the immune system
Helps to lower blood pressure
From my own experience, this form of exercise works just as the many tests done on elders and the history of the Chinese practictioners of Tai Chi have shown.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 03/03/2007 - 07:00 |
Tai Chi basic stretching for seniors
seniors can regain flexibility through Tai Chi based exericse
Tai Chi is exercise. Sure it is slow movement, soft and non weight bearing.
However, if a person, seniors especially has done little to keep limbre their muscles need time to relearn.
The soft gentle movments of Tai Chi work the arms, chest, trunk and legs in gentle stretching. Starting off slowly and letting your body tell you how far to carry a stretch is very important. Over extending a shortened muscle will put undo stress and could result in injury.
When you work within your limitations you get gradual and safe improvement in your Tai Chi performance.
A few good stretching movements done as warmup to loosen up the muscles, joints and tendons are a good way to help avoid injury.
I will be posting some photos and video of some warmup exercises over the coming months.
With any exercise program, just starting out will cause some minor muscle soreness. With repetition the movement become easier with more extention of form.
As always, consult your health care provider before starting any new program of Tai Chi exercise.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 02/26/2007 - 20:49 |
"Chi Kung on the beach on a cold windy day"
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What is Tai Chi really all about for Stan?
It has to mean something right?
I have found articles and posted them. I'll continue to post information about Tai Chi, Chi Kung and other age related fitness information, but this time around, it is about my perceptions.
Tai Chi has been a wonderful discovery. The softness of the art fits my personality very well. Working the forms leaves me peaceful and very in touch with how I move.
I find it just makes sense. I may not quite get it from the martial arts or self defense aspect, but, I get it from the movemenet for movement sake aspect.
The stretching, opening of the chest in arm movements, shifting weight and waist turns, and balance. Yes, it all makes sense.
A friend asked me if I feel the energy, or Chi, flowing. Without a doubt I told him. It takes very little effort now to feel the heat build up in my hands and feel the energy flowing in my fingers.
So, I understand the movements, I feel the energy. So what?, some may ask.
My answer is, it means that the essence of Tai Chi has taken hold of me. It effects how I move, not just during practice but in everything I do. I cannot stand still, I move. I am always in motion while I stand.
I think about my body motion and balance and how I have improved. I have this desire to always become more flexable, more limber and just more.
I have mentioned off and on that this is an art, where the more you do, the more you can do. Add to that, the more you want to do.
Even more, I want others to get to know it, to understand it, and to feel the improvement it can make in their lives.
Can you see why I call this ChiForLiving?
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 02/23/2007 - 22:09 |
Keeping boomers flexible through retirement years
Aging and fitness programs will become more important than ever
On that note, this becomes of great interest to many:
Several studies have shown that regular tai chi practice has benefits: It can reduce falls in the elderly or those with balance disorders and sometimes dramatically. In one 1996 Atlanta study, elderly people who practiced tai chi for 15 weeks reduced their risk of multiple falls by 47.5 percent.
Falls are a particular danger for elders and others with brittle bones, or osteoporosis. For such people, falls frequently result in broken bones.
How high is this risk?
Approximately one quarter of community-based persons aged 65-74, and one third of persons 75 and older fall annually; about half experience multiple falls. The incidence of falls rises steadily after middle age and tends to be highest among elders 80 years of age and older. Older women are more apt to fall than older men.
How does building leg strength and balance through Tai Chi come into play?
The most common activities associated with falls are walking (on both level ground and going up/down stairs), and transferring from beds, chairs, toilets and in/out of the bathtub or shower. Frail elders are more apt to fall in the home while performing basic activities of daily living, whereas healthy elders are more apt to fall when they are active, both in and out of the home.
Common sense tells us that the practice of Tai Chi, while having many other benefits, should asisst in reducing the number of potential falls in our aging population
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 02/15/2007 - 13:05 |
Tai Chi as a ward off against muscle loss
Keeping seniors legs strong to avoid falls
As I do my Tai Chi I find my leg strengh keep growing. My wife comments regularly on my increased balance and they way I glide as I walk.
Closing in on 53, I think about getting older. At 40, it seemed eons away. Now, I see 60 closing in with 70 not far away. I think about my lifestyle, and to be honest, it is a bit scary to think of becoming fragile and weak.
My recent visit to my mother who just turned 80, my weekly visits to the seniors nutrition center and contact with other elders keep me well aware of the effects of aging.
Knowing how Tai Chi has worked on my body, I feel a desire to tell everyone I know about it. Like, hey, you really need to try this, practice it and incorporate it into your lifestyle.
Following below is an article I ran accross on accupuncturetoday.com.
Tai chi chuan (tai chi) is one of the most popular forms of exercise in China (and arguably the world). Originally practiced as a form of martial arts, tai chi consists of breathing exercises performed in conjunction with a series of body postures. These movements, practiced in a slow, sequential pattern, are designed to improve balance and alignment and enhance agility and coordination. People who practice tai chi often report attaining feelings of inner peace and a heightened self-awareness.
Although the advantages of tai chi have been known for hundreds of years, only recently have its effects on the human body been studied scientifically. One such study was performed earlier this year by a group of scientists at the National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei, the results of which were published in a recent issue of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.1 The researchers found that tai chi "may be beneficial to elderly individuals for muscular strength and endurance enhancement," and that it is safer, more cost-effective and easier to perform than other forms of exercise.
A research team led by Dr. Ching Lan evaluated the effects of tai chi on a group of 32 volunteers (15 men, 17 women) between the ages of 53-64. Subjects participated in a voluntary six-month tai chi program, which took place every morning in a park near the university.
Each session consisted of a 20-minute warmup period, 24 minutes of Yang tai chi training, and 10 minutes of cooldown exercises. Each set of tai chi included 108 postures, with some repeated body movements. During the exercise, subjects were led by a tai chi instructor and performed the same movements and postures at the same speed as the instructor.
Before the start of the program, the strength and endurance of each patient's knee extensor muscles were tested at various degrees, with patients undergoing several sets of extension-type exercises on their dominant and non-dominant legs. A dynamometer was used to measure changes in the muscle during both the concentric and eccentric phases of contraction.
Results and Conclusions
Both men and women appeared to show "significant" increases in muscle strength after participating in the tai chi program. In the male group, concentric knee extensor strength increased between 16.4-20.0% in the dominant leg and 15.1-19.7% in the non-dominant leg. Eccentric extensor strength increased between 15.1-23.7% in the dominant leg and 19.1-22.6% in the non-dominant leg.
Similar changes in strength were seen in the female group. Concentric knee extensor strength increased 13.5-19.3% in the dominant leg and 17.7-21.8% in the non-dominant leg; eccentric strength increased 18.6-23.7% in the dominant leg and 18.3-20.0% in the non-dominant leg.
While men and women experienced significant gains in extensor strength, increased extensor endurance levels were also reported for both groups. In men, endurance increased 9.6-18.8%; in the women, endurance increased 10.4-14.7%.
The researchers noted many advantages that tai chi may have over other conventional exercise routines. Unlike most physical activities, tai chi requires no specialized equipment and can be performed in a variety of locations, making it both practical and cost-effective.
"Low-technology exercises deserve more attention because they can be more easily implemented in the community," they said. "TCC is a low-technology approach to conditioning that can be implemented in the community with very low cost."
They also noted tai chi "seemed safe" compared to other exercises, particularly among elderly populations. For instance, while a small number of patients dropped out of the study because of lack of interest or health problems, none of the patients were forced to stop exercising because of injury. And while the different motions and postures can place considerable demand on the knee extensor muscles, most of the movements in tai chi are performed in a closed kinematic chain, which may prevent excess stress from being placed on the knee joints.
Some study limitations were also noted. As is the case with many pilot studies, no control group was used, weakening the scientists' overall findings. Lan's team also suggested that more than one test might be necessary to determine the strength of the subjects' extensor muscles because of a traditionally low reliability in test results among elderly patients.
Despite the limitations, it appears that tai chi does provide a benefit to its subjects, and that more studies are warranted to determine its effects not just among the elderly, but in a wide range of patients. As the researchers stated in their conclusion:
"TCC has the potential to reduce expenditures associated with poor health by facilitating a lifestyle that promotes wellness among people of all ages. From the perspective of exercise prescription, TCC is a promising alternative for strength training because of its efficacy and safety · Further controlled study is needed to validate this evidence."
Reference
1. Lan C, et al. Tai Chi Chuan to improve muscular strength and endurance in elderly individuals: a pilot study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil May 2000;81:604-607.
Editor's note: If you would like to comment on this article, please contact Acupuncture Today by fax (714-536-1482) or e-mail ( ">editorial@acupuncturetoday.com ). You are also encouraged to discuss this article on Acupuncture Today's online discussion forum at www.AcupunctureToday.com/forums.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 02/04/2007 - 18:37 |
Balance, Movement, Flexability and Aging
What I noticed on my recent trip
My recent trip to Port St Lucie included a lot of time spent with seniors. My mother just turned 80 and we spent much time with her, and as a result, her friends in the seniors community.
I found two types of seniors in their late 60's and 70's and 80's. There were those who attempted to stay active and seemed younger then their years, and those although in the same age ranges were showing signs of decline.
They all had an acceptance of the aging process. The active seniors seemed more inclined to "want to stay fit" and avoid the mode of accepting the decline as a way of living.
I went through some Chi Kung forms with my mother and a couple of her closest friends who all were impressed with how the movements made them feel. My mother was concerned she would not have enough balance and strength for Tai Chi. I explained to her the purpose in the study of Tai Chi is to build the strength and balance she had lost.
Now, an interesting thing I observed at a party was my cousin, a few years older than my mother, having a blast dancing the Macarena.
My cousin has been active all her life. Although in her 80's, she continues as best she can to play tennis, stay active and keep moving. She looks great and has a positive attitude.
She and I discussed Tai Chi and she was aware of it and is considering it as an alternative. She is beginning to lose the ability for strenuous activities but wants to stay active.
I came away with the reinforcement that staying active keeps you younger at heart, healthier throughout your life and happier in spirit. The practice of Tai Chi as a guard againt the aging process is an excellent way to keep fit and grow older with grace.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 02/03/2007 - 13:34 |
Chi Kung on the beach
sounds, sand and one with the elements
Normally, up here in Washington, New Jersey, I do my Chi Kung and Tai Chi in the quiet of my home, the quiet room in the gym, or in class.
The winter beaches of the Tresure Coast of Florida, out on Hutchinsan Island, proved to be an interesting challenge.
I knew I wanted to do beach Tai Chi and Chi Kung on my vacation. I was hoping for warm and sunny. I got cold and windy, and luckily sunny. The day was a very good balance test as the wind wanted to push me over on every stance. Combined with the soft sand, the forms were much more of a challenge than the solid flooring I was used to.
I managed to get through everything, and even though it was cold and windy, the sound of the ocean, the fresh air winds and ocean bird calls were a real treat.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/28/2007 - 10:01 |
Working with seniors on flexibility
A visit to a south Florida seniors community
My mother just turned 80 so a visit to her seniors community was in order. I have been discussing my study of Tai Chi with her for a few years now, and on this trip she asked more about it. Since one of my goals is to instruct elders on movement and flexability, I found this to be an interesting time to test my descriptive skills of the slow movement exercise of Tai Chi.
You have to realize that my mother used to be very active, however now at 80 years old, this is no longer true. It bothers her that freedom of movement has become so difficult. We worked the first day on some very basic side to side weight transfer and some Chi Kung hand and arm movements. Day two brought on some simple Tai Chi walk and some more Chi Kung.
On day three my mother asked in the evening; "so can we do some Tai Chi, I am stiff. I want to see if it helps me". She has found that she can feel parts of her bpdy stretching and moving that she has not felt in years, and now, she is looking forward to taking a class at the local health center.
I asked how she found my instruction. She replied: "you speak and move very gently and I was able to understand and follow along with no problems. You explained thing in a way that made it easy for me".
She had one of her girlfrinds stop by and we all did some minor Chi Kung exercise. Her friend is now considering the local classes as well.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/20/2007 - 13:12 |
How does the practice of Tai Chi reduce stress?
Linda was kind enough to send me this great article she wrote!
QIGONG AND TAI CHI
Qigong is thousands of years old, and is sometimes referred to as "Chinese Yoga". It is the predecessor of Tai Chi. Both are martial arts exercise systems, but they are also internal arts as they move or exercise the "CHI" or vital energy. The two in combination creates a powerful health system.
If our energetic systems are in good working order, we have the ability to keep our body in a healthy state. So why do we have to work at, or cultivate our "CHI"?
Why doesn't our body balance itself automatically? We have a common enemy against this natural process, and that is STRESS.
KINDS OF STRESS
Prenatal: We are, even in the womb, subject to stress. Our mother's lifestyle, environment, diet, heredity and emotions affect us.
Mental/Psychological: loss of loved ones, family illness, abuse, war, financial worries, children's welfare, relationships, work and time pressure.
Physical/ Environment: temperature, shelter, air and water quality (pollution), food (starvation, excess or poor diet), food additives, pesticides, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, injuries, exposure to contagious disease.
FIGHT OR FLIGHT?
Our bodies are not just mechanical devices. The mind is highly connected to all our body's functions. When we are stressed, we produce hormones that affect our heart rate, blood pressure, respiration etc. These hormones are useful in the short term; they give a boost to our breathing, allowing faster circulation, delivering more oxygen to our muscles so that we may escape from danger! But if stress causes these emergency hormones to be produced full time, it may cause negative side effects.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
The flow of chi is natural, but stress can cause it to become blocked and thus challenge our health. One way we can assist its flow through our energy pathways (meridians) is to practice these slow moving, breathing, loosening exercises.
The meridians are not physical like blood vessels or nerves. They are the paths where the energy flows, similar to the magnetic forces around the earth; they are unseen, but present.
We can positively influence the flow of the "CHI" to move efficiently along the pathways by achieving both external and internal relaxation by:
- Aligning the skeletal structure.
- Breathing slower, deeper.
- Loosening the muscles, tendons.
- Emptying the mind by focusing on the moves (meditation).
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/18/2007 - 21:29 |
Tai Chi is a lonely, selfish form of exercise
There are no banners, balloons or raving fans
Tai Chi is a martial art. Like any of the others, you practice your forms time and time again. Somedays it seems like you never have balance, your mind wanders and the search for perfect form seems years away.
Other days you are right on, your lines are perfect, and each step leads right into the next with no loss of concentration, motion or balance.
Don't bother looking around on those days, there probobly won't be anyone to say "nice form" or to pat you on the back and give you motivation to carry on.
Tai Chi is a way of live. You do it for yourself, and the benefits to your body and your mind are their own reward.
On the rare day you do get a compliment from a fellow student, or your instructor, well, that is just gravy.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/17/2007 - 15:04 |
What is this Chi Energy I hear about?
That feeling of energy pulsing in your body is Chi!
When I practice my forms I can feel the enery flowing into my hands, my palms heat up, my fingers feel like they expand and want to pop from the fingertips, and the magentism flows from hand to hand as they pass each other.
The sensation of "feeling the air" and it flows over my skin is enhanced and my body feels calmer and in tune with it's surroundings.
Can I explain why. Not in so many words.
For an explaination of Chi by Mark Allen, please read on.
To understand what Tai Chi is really about, you need to go into its roots and the principles of the Chinese approach to health.
Around sixth century BC, Lao Tsu, an older contemporary of Confucius, created a 'religion' (possibly the oldest) called Taoism, which was not so much a worship of deities or gods, but was more reflective, a personal political and philosophical treatise upon a way of living. This was split up into eight areas, or Taos, which were ways of living one's life according to various principles, including that, amongst others, of philosophy, sex wisdom, eating, and what is known as the Tao of Revitalisation. This Tao is what provides the fundamental basis of Chinese medicine - that of Chi.
The Chinese believe that as well as the body being made up of individual organs, they interact with each other on a global or holistic level - a fundamental interconnectedness of all (Twentieth Century Western physics has a parallel with aspects of quantum physics). If a particular organ is sick, never look only at that organ, but at the whole body to find the cause. Flowing throughout the body is what is known as 'Chi' or energy, which runs along a complex series of pathways, known as meridien lines, closely related to the nervous and vascular systems, connecting all parts of the body. The Chi is found at a molecular level, and to find a western parallel, it could be the force that holds the atoms in orbit around each other - electromagnetism.
When the Chi runs throughout the body very strongly, the body is at its best and most efficient. When it is weak, or the meridien lines are blocked at certain points, then the body sickens. The body should be in perfect equilibrium - yin and yang, a balance of aggressive or outward forces, and passive or inward ones. This does not just relate to the physical body, but to the mind as well (many imbalances, and sicknesses stem from the brain, including stress). A number of practices use these principles, including Shiatsu, Acupuncture, and Chi Kung. Chi Kung, older than Tai Chi, is a complex series of breathing excersises which revitalise both body and soul by working on the Chi energy. Tai Chi uses breathing and movement for similar ends, and the two forms are generally practised side by side.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/14/2007 - 14:24 |
Spreading the word about the benefits of Tai Chi Exercise
Thanks to Chris from www.sysice.com for a great link
This post is set to generate traffic to a blog search site. The more folks find out about and link to my blog, and site, the better we all will be :)
So here we go: Technorati Profile
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/13/2007 - 13:51 |
Is Tai Chi really a form of meditation ?
The practice of Tai Chi forms are very refreshing and energizing
The practice of Tai Chi requires focus, which in turn creates the need to empty your mind of outside interruputions. As you learn and become more familiar with each movment, and muscle memory takes over, your mind is clear relax and clear itself.
I find this very refreshing and energizing. especially after working on a particularly difficult project, or conversing with with a difficult client.
Following below is An Article on Tai Chi as meditation by Sifu William C. Phillips
In order to understand Tai Chi Chuan as meditation, it is first necessary to have a working definition of meditation. This obtained, we can see how Tai Chi Chuan fits that definition and exactly what it is about Tai Chi Chuan that is meditation.
The definition of meditation that I use is the following: Meditation is the process of conscious, controlled focus of the mind which may take place when the thinking processes, both in pictures and in words, have been stopped.
In our examination of Tai Chi Chuan as meditation, it is necessary to introduce and define one additional term: satipatthana (progressive attrition) exercise. The purpose of a satipatthana exercise is to quiet the mind-- to get it to stop output-- but keep it busy with inputs until it develops a habit of becoming quiet ( refraining from all thought ) during the exercise. When this has been achieved, the mind is ready to begin to meditate.
Meditation breaks down into two varieties, which, to use terminology which will be readily understood by Tai Chi Chuan practitioners, may be termed yin and yang meditation.
Yin meditation is the clearing of the mind of all thought, both pictures and words, and the holding of that mind in a focused and alert state.
Yang meditation is the concentrated focusing of the mind on something. The "something" can have almost infinite variety. Common subjects of this type of meditation are: mantras, chakras, colors, shapes, prayers, and affirmations.
Having defined what meditation is, I think it is important to reaffirm what meditation is not. Contrary to persistent and popular misconception, meditation is not a trance state, a sleep state, nor a state of nothingness. Meditators, if successful, are always alert, relaxed, and in control of their minds.
Correlating these concepts with our practice of Tai Chi Chuan, several points become apparent:
1. The serious student of Tai Chi Chuan is practicing a satipatthana, whether that student is aware of it or not.
2. Tai-chi Chuan, as a satipatthana, can be an extremely complete discipline. In addition to body movement, the student may also be aware of the tan tien, the breath, the straightness of the spine, the texture of air that one is moving through, the flow of the chi throughout the body and the root, to name a few of the more obvious subjects of attention.
3. When a reasonable ability at the skill involved in T'ai-chi ch'aun as satipatthana has been attained, there will be two results:
a. The mind will monitor all the things mentioned with a small part of its attention.
b. During the process of attaining that ability, the mind will have developed the habit of becoming quiet during the practice of Tai Chi Chuan.
4. The ability to do yin meditation during the practice of Tai Chi Chuan will result.
I find Tai Chi Chuan to be an extremely valuable tool in the practice of meditation because within one form, one exercise, one discipline, you have both a potent yin meditation and a complex satipatthana. The shift from. satipatthana to meditation is completely internal, with no shift in outward physical activity. Because of this the process can flow progressively from one to the other as mastery develops.
Up to this point, I have explained how and why Tai Chi Chuan is a valuable meditative practice. However, the consideration of Tai Chi Chuan as meditation is by no means unique to me.
In the early 1970's my Tai Chi Chuan master, Cheng Man-Ch'ing, was asked if he meditated. His answer was that he did Tai Chi Chuan. When pressed if he did seated meditation, he answered that he did not. He stated that Tai Chi Chuan was all the meditation that he ever needed. While I never again heard Professor Cheng mention meditation as such, he would occasionally tell us to keep our minds empty of thought during our practice of Tai Chi Chuan. To keep one's mind empty, you will recall, is by definition, yin meditation.
By way of conclusion, let me say that I am fully cognizant of the fact that many people practice Tai Chi Chuan form exclusively for health or as a prelude to Push Hands or self defense. As many of the people do not make any particular effort to keep their minds empty during their practice of Tai Chi Chuan, for them Tai Chi Chuan is probably not meditation.
I am not, therefore, trying to say that Tai Chi Chuan must be, or even should be, a meditation for everyone. I have merely tried to show how and why T'ai-chi Chuan is meditation, and as such, can be of value in one's mental and spiritual as well as one's physical discipline.
Originally published in Tai Chi: Perspectives of the Way and Its Movement, December 1982, Vol. 6, No. 6
Also published in:
- A.S.I.A. Journal (The Journal of the American Society of Internal Arts), Fall 2003
- Qi - The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness, Spring 1991, Vol. 1, No. 1
- The Tai Chi Journal (a Rochester Tai Chi Chuan Center publication), Spring 1987, Vol. 1, No. 4
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/11/2007 - 15:49 |
Do you ever think about breathing?
Relaxation and the complete breath
Learning to breath deeply and fully during class has made such a difference in the way I do my forms. The slow, full, deep in and out breathing paces my moves and fills me with oxygen.
The following is excerpted from an breathing article by By Aaron Hoopes (Founder and Chief Instructor of Zen Yoga)
The Complete Breath:
The Complete Breath is a dynamic breathing exercise that is both simple and complex. Regular practice expands lung capacity, which, in turn, slows down unconscious breathing and makes it smoother and more regular. In addition, The Complete Breath maximizes oxygen intake and enables oxygen-rich blood to flow to the extremities. It also cleans and invigorates the lungs.
In the beginning it is best if The Complete Breath is practiced from a lying-down posture so maximum concentration can be placed on the exercise itself, which consists of four separate aspects: inhalation, retention, exhalation, and suspension.
Inhalation
Inhale through the nose. Expand the lower abdomen, pushing out and down, just as if you were starting Abdominal Breathing. Once the abdomen is full, continue inhaling and expand the chest, filling the upper lungs. Raise the collarbone and shoulders as you continue inhaling. Fill the throat and the nose. Stop.
Retention
Hold the breath in. Bring your attention to the fullness of the body. Feel the expansion circulating the oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. Continue to hold the breath in for a count of ten.
Exhalation
Exhale through the nose. Contract the lower abdomen pushing in and up. Continue to exhale by squeezing the air from the lungs and chest. Lower the collarbone and shoulders. Blow the air from your throat and nose. Empty it all out. Stop.
Suspension
Hold the breath out. Bring your attention to the emptiness of the body. Feel your body like an empty balloon waiting to be filled. Continue to suspend breathing for a count of ten.
Repeat
On the next inhalation don't gasp for air. Calmly and smoothly inhale just as before. Feel the air reaching far beyond your abdomen, filling every corner of your body like an expanding balloon. Notice the sensation of your body as the new oxygen is brought in.
Do the complete set five or ten times each day.
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/09/2007 - 15:18 |
Today at the gym as I did my Tai Chi
waits, weights and crowds
Just another day at the gym (I won't say which one).
Looking around while I did my warmup stretches I observed every type of person you could imagine. Big, little, fit, unfit, and yes, what I call overfit. There were the treadmillers, weight grunts and wait times for the most popular pieces of equipment.
Watching the grunting force of the weight addicts made me cringe. I enjoy fitness but find the desire for huge muscles non-existant. Now that my Tai Chi forms are ingrained in my muscle memory, I do however plan on using light hand weights while practicing the forms.
I was glad to be there for the mirrors in the quiet room. Using the gym mirrors for Tai Chi is not critical, although I find that the mirrors are my friends. Helping to demonstrate bad form, acting as spotters of flawed techniqe and to give suggestions on posture and artistic movement.
I met another Tai Chi student. He performs and studies a totally different version of similar styles. I study Chen and Yang styles. He studies Yang mixed with Shaolin techniques. We planned on working together to practice some two person Tai Chi Chuan techniques.
Just talking to someone else who finds Tai Chi so beneficial was refreshing. Usually I get odd looks from everyone except the Yoga and Pilates students
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Stan Cohen
ChiForLivingTM
www.chiforliving.com
| | 01/05/2007 - 11:41 |
What happened on Mothers Day?
Miracles can happen with a little help
Leading up to this critial day in 2002, my life was 9 months of pure agony. Being stubborn as I normally am, the prior summer I had injured my back. Sh | | |
