Many
people suffer arthritis in the knee joints. Tai chi requires the knee to
bend and stay at that bent level throughout the set of forms. This can cause
too much stress to joints for people with arthritis, so make it clear to
students that while the goal of tai chi is to keep the knees bent, they
should work up to that slowly and also feel free to stand up during the
practice.
(Dr Paul Lam)
Different condition
All things being equal, anyone should be physically capable of
performing any tai chi movement from any style of tai chi.
In reality, things are not equal, and a twenty year old person with a supple
body can usually manage postures that a forty year old could not.
It is important to train tai chi relative to your own individual level of
condition.
Fit & healthy?
Fitness and
health are not necessarily the same thing at all.
A person may run the marathon but eat
junk food,
drink caffeine and smoke.
Many athletes have very tense muscles and a decided lack of
composure.
People
punish their bodies on the road to fitness.
Fitness is usually result-oriented, and the
means is ignored - the body is
made to perform, regardless of any
adverse biofeedback.
This is not healthy at all.
Running the marathon is meaningless if it damages your
knees or you have a
heart attack.
Health is different to fitness: it involves a physical, mental and emotional
balance that transcends any one activity.
Place wellbeing before fitness:
Eat the right types of food (avoid additives, junk food, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine)
Get rest and relaxation
Exercise comfortably and naturally
Feel happy and well-adjusted
You might well be healthy but not overly fit.
Health problems
If you have a health problem, an injury or a history of physical neglect,
you cannot reasonably ignore this when commencing tai chi.
It is important to start sensibly and safely.
Be
honest.
If something feels uncomfortable, say so - serious health problems may well preclude you from learning tai chi.
Ignoring a knee or back injury and trying low stances or
self defence is a sign of recklessness.
Allow for your
age, your health, your fitness and your condition - and train
patiently and carefully.
Forcing
Forcing a result is not the
tai chi way - it is foolish and
can lead to
injury.
Injuries can be painful and restrictive; hampering your ability to do the
training in the first place.
Everything must feel easy, comfortable and natural.
What
are you doing?
Ask yourself why you are doing tai chi and what you are expecting from it.
Then consider
how
you train and what you train.
Question whether you are taking your age, condition and health into account.
Page created 9 January 2005