Welcome to 2013..and Moving More Easily

Welcome to 2013 and the new T'ai Chi Exercise workbook from Balance Health and Fitness.

The first days of the New Year can be the most inspiring of the year as we all look forward to a more successful year to come. In reality we all know that they can also be the most difficult. (Perhaps a personal note here: two of my relationships broke up on the first week of a new year.) 

The difference for me came in 2002 when I sat in a bedsit in Coventry knowing that I was one month into owning Balance Health and Fitness as a new company with no start up cash, a few reliable (and great clients) who stayed with me and just the knowledge that it was make or break time. But, I had been training in T'ai Chi for four years and shiatsu or two. 

I had learned to breath more deeply which brought with it relaxation; to move more easily which brought new energy and endurance and more empathy with people who came to me with emotional unease which put my own problems into perspective. The training I received, and the training I now offer has enabled hundreds of people from all walks of life and all levels of fitness to gain and maintain a level of fitness and health which stood them in good stead in times of distress.

Top Tips To Improve Your T'ai Chi Exercise

 Every week we'll go through an aspect of our T'ai Chi session and build a content book of our own we can use whenever we want. The first exercise simply deals with our 1st position and the stance we use to begin all our practice:Instruction:

• "Don't look down." This is the first thing I say to all my group members as they stand for the first time and contemplate the next session. Looking down will change the whole dynamic of what comes next. Simply look ahead and be aware of the comfortable position of your feet. (See 1A) 
• Relax your knees as if you're about to sit down. (Feel your weight sink down into your feet.)
• Tuck your hips under (the tailbone points downwards, not at an angle)
• Relax your shoulders (bring the shoulder blades down) 
• Your arms hang loosely down by your side with a space under your armpits. Fingers open
• Breath in through your nose (a steady count of 4) Breath out through your nose or mouth ( a slow count of 4) I've heard both methods used.
• Let your eyes relax (but not close) I've heard it put as "look through your lashes)

Exercise: Stand in this position for 6 breaths (approximately 1 minute) Build this up steadily until you can "stand still" for five minutes.*
* At first you may find this difficult because of:

1.  Stiffness in your neck and shoulders.. 
2. Your hips and your knees
3. Your ankles and feet

You may also find it very difficult to concentrate on the steady breathing because your mind wanders...

My next thing I tell members is "Not to try...and not to become frustrated. By not "trying to try" I want to make sure you relax into the position and let your muscles become conditioned to standing still. You have the rest of your life to improve your T'ai Chi performance. Lets take it one step at a time.

Begin the next 7 days with this exercise...but if by 7 days you're still unable to stand for 5 minutes, stay here until you can.

Our next article will look at the second stage of the exercise: Rocking:
If you want more tips on "How To Move More Easily" stay with me and add any comments on my e mail: ernie@balancehealth-fitness.co.uk