Well, after a long absence I started back at my Tai Chi class last night.
It’s interesting to contrast Taijiquan and my usual Bodypump classes, as I do view them as different sides of the Taji symbol. I used to consider the internal exercise superior, an attitude that I picked up from an ex-colleague, I’ve reconsidered my approach these days.
While I appreciate the external exercise I get in the Gym, I found Tajiquan provides a missing part of the exercise picture, I appreciate that more now that I’m doing both than I did when I was just doing Tai Chi or Gym classes by themselves.
I have a feeling that the two are going to compliment each other quite nicely, does anyone else have any experience with this?
Yeah, I’d say I do. When I was practicing Tai Chi regularly, doing the form and chi kung exercises daily, I found that doing some stretches which worked the meridians complemented that – doing the form on it’s own didn’t give me the stretch and flexibility I wanted.
Currently I’m doing trampolining weekly, which is teaching me all sorts of things about my body and my usual habits of movement and relating to the moment. Like most things, if approached with the correct attitude it can teach and inform many areas of life – it’s actually giving me a greater sense of my centre (both metaphorically and physically, as in centre of gravity), which is also informs my sense of the tan tien and moving from centre in the Tai Chi form. Plus, flowing and relaxing instead of tensing and resisting.. trampolining teaches those to those willing to learn it. And, the reason I started it in the first place – boy is it fun!
I agree, you have to approach things with the correct attitude to learn the most from them. And you already have the most important reason in pride of place, it’s good fun!
Hmm, I feel the old thinking cap coming on again….
My husband is a kung fu master and also teaches tai chi and chi gung. We do a lot of training in boxing, sparring, kicking, hitting the bag, etc. as well as tai chi, chi gung and a little yoga. We enjoy the cross training and each has their role! In ancient China the true martial arts masters were also healers. I believe it is definitely a yinyang thing.
Hi Angela,
Ahhh Chi Gung, my instructor’s been known to teach that, I really miss doing it and it must start doing his DVD again to get back into it. I agree that it’s a yin yang balance thing, I feel that we over focus on “external” exercise, I also found that Tai Chi has lessons on posture and movement for me that have translated straight in the Gym!
You all sound wonderfully spry. After a bout of feeling really sorry for myself and the aging flesh I walk around in, I finally found an extraordinary healer who seems able to help with my years’ long lower back pain. I find that walking does me well, along with a regular session at the gym and a little easy yoga. I can’t work up much enthusiasm for the martial things any more… But it’s fun to hear about them, and I admire those of you who can, and do! Cheers, PaL