Tai Chi

Tai Chi (Tai Chi Chuan, or Taijiquan) is an internal Chinese martial art born in the 17th century, heir to older Taoist traditions. Five major families practice it (Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, Hao) with stylistic variations. Practiced in China by tens of millions of people every day, it has spread worldwide as a health practice.

Tai Chi combines four pillars: posture, deep breathing, slow and continuous movement, conscious attention. The practice seeks to balance Qi (vital energy) and harmonize yin-yang. The sequences ("forms") last 10 to 60 minutes depending on the style. The very slow rhythm allows fine attention to every detail.

Practice mainly in group classes (1h to 1.5h) or individual. Learning a complete form takes several months to several years. Loose clothing, bare feet or soft slippers. No intense muscular force, but postural endurance that develops progressively.

Balance and fall prevention in seniors (very well scientifically validated), chronic stress management, joint pain (osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia), hypertension, mild cardiovascular disorders, mild to moderate depression, quality of life in oncology, sleep.

Tai Chi benefits from abundant scientific research: proven effectiveness on balance in seniors (50% reduction in falls), blood pressure, quality of life, anxiety, mild depression. Recognized and recommended by many international medical societies.

Prefer teachers trained in a traditional lineage (Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, Hao) with several years of personal practice. Typical fees: $15 to $25 per group class, $60 to $100 per individual class. Quarterly or annual packages common.