Tai chi workshop to be held in Te Puke
There are plenty of different perceptions of tai chi. What people seem to agree on is that it looks calm and graceful, but beyond that, it is something of a mystery.
“Those who decide to begin practising the internal arts slowly come to understand that it’s many things, depending on what you are looking for,” says Tai Chi Internal Arts New Zealand president David Parker, who founded classes in Te Puke.
“It can be a graceful form of exercise with a strong social aspect, but it can also offer much more.”
Initially, tai chi practice reforms a person’s balance and alignment so they notice they are more relaxed and confident. When a person has had a fall or near fall event, they become more guarded and tense. They tend to look down which puts the weight of the head forward of the spine. Over time this can create misalignment, soreness that is hard to pinpoint and the start of the ageing stoop.
“Students notice they are once again holding their head up and able to balance comfortably on each leg without feeling tense.”
Tai Chi Internal Arts classes work alongside Sport BOP which actively monitor each student’s progress.
“The results are charted which is very encouraging and makes a definite, positive contribution to a student’s mental attitude towards ageing.”
The classes practise moving tai chi and also Qigong, the stationary set of postures, that teaches students how to move the weight from foot to foot while adding complexity by doing things with the arms.
“The Qigong is very helpful in understanding the mechanics of the moving tai chi which is another set of similar postures, linked together with joining moves and becomes the familiar form of graceful moving meditation.
“Put together the Qigong and tai chi create a very enjoyable and comprehensive form of regular exercise that is ideally suited to gym averse older people because of the gentle pace,” says David.
In addition to regular weekly classes at Te Puke Memorial Hall (9.30 to 11.30am Tuesday and Thursday) Tai Chi Internal Arts is hosting an international workshop in Te Puke later this month.
On the November 24 and 25, there is the Qigong and Tai Chi Workshop at the memorial Hall led by Banyin Lee from Perth. All queries to David 027 222 2824 and Linda 027 9486385.
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