Slow and Steady
Less well-known than other exercise-meditation combinations such as yoga, Tai Chi can treat what ails you — from aching backs to fried nerves to a weak core. you just have to give it time to see results. By Nicole Cusick
As the students begin filing quietly into Water Wheel Tai Chi in South Norwalk, instructor Tim Regan takes time to speak with Alan Rackson, who is new to the class. Those who have been practicing more regularly don soft, flexible shoes and remove layers of clothing as Rackson tells Regan of the benefits he has already seen since last week’s class: “I’m more aware of my posture and body,” says Rackson, who also has experienced less back pain. Tai Chi, an ancient meditation technique that began as a covert form of martial arts centuries ago, is said to quickly result in more awareness and less pain. I’m encouraged to begin.
Subtle Strength
We commence with a series of quick arm swings and end with a slow, rhythmic routine that requires strong balance and flexibility. In between, a series of small, understated movements demands all my concentration. Moving so precisely and smoothly does seem to quiet the mind — even when a rattling Metro-North train screams by just outside. Compared to yoga, the poses of Tai Chi necessitate much more subtlety; and yet, as our instructor tells us, “If it’s too easy, you’re doing it wrong, and if it’s too hard, you’re doing it wrong.”
For example, raising my arms up two inches, at Regan’s suggestion, intensifies the workout on my biceps instantly.
Therapy for What Ails You
Proponents of Tai Chi have long claimed the practice can transform lives, and ever-increasing amounts of scientific research back up these assertions. Researchers have looked at Tai Chi as a possible benefit for more than a dozen conditions, including depression, high blood pressure, arthritis and chronic back pain. Earlier this year, a study conducted at the University of Queensland in Australia showed practicing Tai Chi has helped people lower levels of depression, diabetes and obesity. Last year, scientists at Coburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany found the exercise has positive effects on stress levels.
Better Mood, Better Body
Those who have engaged in Tai Chi for long periods of time sing its praises and say it unlocks blocked energy from meridians (energy channels) in the body — much like acupuncture. Indeed, during my first class, Regan has us use our fists to pound two acupressure points by our shoulders. “Tai Chi seems to balance people’s emotions,” says Bob Altheim, a Tai Chi enthusiast for more than three decades and a massage therapist with the Swedish Institute in New York City. “Whenever I’ve been depressed, I’ve felt very different after doing Tai Chi.” Altheim, who began Tai Chi as a way to improve his massage techniques and prevent injury, now teaches classes.
Gradual But Good Results
If you do decide to begin Tai Chi, be prepared to give it some time to work its magic. Altheim says results can be as slow and subtle as the movements that make up the practice. “The results seem to happen gradually and below the level of consciousness,” says Altheim, recommending you take 10 to 12 classes before you make up your mind as to whether Tai Chi is right for you. “Over time, the body tends to align, back pains go away. Tai Chi really puts you in your body and it starts energy flowing. You feel more centered.” By the end of the hour-and-a-half-long class, my forearms ache from fingertip push-ups, and I can detect faint protest from my core muscles. I exit the studio overcome with calm, my feet more firmly planted and a new length to my posture. At home I comb schedules for my next class. *