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Tai Chi, For Your Health

Tai chi, a martial art developed in fourteenth century China, is taking 21st century America by storm. In the tradition of karate and judo, tai chi was originally used for self-defense, and has evolved over the course of time into a practice for promoting health. Whether you take a class or practice on your own, tai chi can be used for the general harmonizing and balancing of the body.

Below, Dr. Ben Kligler, medical director of the New Beth Israel Center for Health and Healing, and William Kaplinidis, department head of Allied Arts at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, discuss this age-old tradition.

Who studies tai chi, and what are the potential benefits?
WILLIAM KAPLINIDIS: Originally, people that studied tai chi were already adept at a fighting form of martial art, and they used tai chi to help them learn how to use their mind more and their whole body as an instrument, and not just the physical force. So they learned how to preserve their body and their mind and how to use the power of the mind with their body together as a martial art.

What does tai chi mean, exactly? What’s the translation?
WILLIAM KAPLINIDIS: Tai chi is actually a philosophy. It’s the philosophy of yin and yang. Literally, it means "supreme ultimate." Tai chi is represented by the yin/yang symbol. It’s sort of the law of opposites. You and me. This and that. Night and day. Through the movements, you’re trying to become in harmony with nature and with your body and with your mind and bringing it all together so that you’re becoming one as opposed to separate.

DR. BENJAMIN KLIGLER: You’ve probably seen someone in the park wherever you live doing a very beautiful, slow, ballet-like series of motions that looked a little strange to you if you didn’t know what it was, because there are many people now practicing this on their own. If you saw someone doing that in the park in your town, it was probably tai chi.

What are the health benefits of tai chi?
DR. BENJAMIN KLIGLER: I have recommended it to people who are experiencing a health problem because they don’t have an effective way of dealing with stress in their lives. It could be focused around a symptom, so it could be someone who has a headache problem or a reflux problem with stomach acid or one of the many other problems that are related to a high level of stress. I think it’s a way to learn how to relax and concentrate intensely at the same time while actually using your body. There are many people who, if I recommend that they go home and listen to a relaxing tape or do meditation, they’re not going to do it. There are people who want a physical basis for the relaxation practice.

There are studies that look at what percentage of patients who come to the average primary care doctor are actually there because of a stress-related complaint. Many times it’s in the form of a physical symptom, whether it’s headache or lousy digestion or pain of some other sort or poor sleep. It always comes as a symptom, but a huge number -- I would say 60%, 70% -- of what you see in the average adult medicine practice are complaints that are in one form or another linked to stress level.

WILLIAM KAPLINIDIS: There have been studies that show that tai chi helps the elderly with balance problems, and with osteoporosis prevention. Because of the relaxation aspect, it can help with stress-related problems like high blood pressure and also, because it’s low-impact, it can help lubricate your joints and strengthen your body in a way that’s not as harmful as maybe running or some high-impact exercises.

Is tai chi also a good activity for kids?
DR. BENJAMIN KLIGLER: I’m not too sure how relevant tai chi is for kids. It tends to require a pretty high level of coordination and concentration.

WILLIAM KAPLINIDIS: Usually, the kids like to move a little bit faster, so you’d start them out in something faster, like karate or kung fu. Usually it’s people who are late teens, early 20s to maybe 30s, 40s that may be beginning to do tai chi.

Where can people find a tai chi course?
WILLIAM KAPLINIDIS: Like yoga, there are many different styles of tai chi. Some feature fast movements and martial arts-type movements. Some are done more slowly and gently. Tai chi is being introduced in sports clubs but in these facilities, the practice is not often introduced as a life discipline. There are tai chi schools, just like martial arts schools and karate schools, and these you can look up in the phone book. If there aren’t any tai chi schools in your area, you may just check with your local martial arts instructors. They may have some training in tai chi themselves or know of someone who does.

Is there a special uniform for tai chi?
WILLIAM KAPLINIDIS: Like the philosophy, it’s very relaxed. In most schools you just come as you like, wearing some very relaxed, comfortable clothing, a flat shoe. There are Chinese traditional uniforms, but usually in tai chi schools they are a little more relaxed than some of the other martial arts.

How often do you recommend that people practice?
DR. BENJAMIN KLIGLER: Ideally, somebody will take a class so that they can go regularly and learn the forms. Then, again, ideally, what they do is start to incorporate it into their daily practice, and they aren’t only doing it on the days when they happen to be going to class. You could stay in a class and continue to study and develop your skills. But again, I think, to really experience the maximum benefit, you’re going to have to implement it on a day-to-day basis to really get the full benefit.