Health and Tai Chi

By Sun Chun Pak

Tai Chi Chuan has been around for several thousand years and though this Chinese system martial arts has many health benefits, many still doubt it.

It is totally acceptable that people still doubt the martial arts.

Hopefully, this article will be able to help clear any doubts that one might have.

To understand how Tai Chi helps one body, first start to know the relationship between the exercise and the oxygen capacity.

Much emphasis is placed on the breathing control in Tai Chi.

Tai Chi involves a great deal of deep and long breathing combined with arm movements that help open up the lung so that complete capacity of the lungs will be reached and they will be allowed to fill up with air.

Many people do not realise the benefit of deep breathing.

For example, did you realize that oxygen is a major factor in the burning of fat? While this does not mean that a tai chi workout will lead to rapid weight loss, it will contribute to weight loss as the exercises burn a low impact amount of calories combined with the calorie burning benefits of increased oxygen intake.

Also, by expanding the amount of oxygen that is taken into the lungs the ability for the lungs to expand their cardiovascular conditioning will significantly increase.

It is the same as doing sprinting to improve the cardio.

There is a huge difference as tai chi is a much lower impact exercise than sprinting and it will not increase lung capacity in the manner that sprinting will, but it does provide a method of exercise for those who may not be able to sprint due to age, weight, conditioning, etc.

In short, Tai Chi benefits are many and you will slowly discover them as you practise this art.

About the Author:

Learn the Tai Chi Positions. Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese martial arts form. More about this at Tai Chi Moves.