The creation of tai chi was based on nature and harmony. The gentle flowing movements contain inner power that can strengthen the body, improve mental balance and bring better health and harmony to people's lives.

Nowadays tai chi is practised mostly for health improvement.

There are many forms of tai chi. It is important for beginners to find a form they find interesting and enjoy learning.

What Can Tai Chi Do For You?

In a nutshell, tai chi can keep you healthy and happy. It's remarkably effective for relaxation, health and fitness. Besides that, it's fun.

Scientific studies have shown that tai chi works magic on health, improving conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and other chronic diseases. In addition, it improves balance, prevents falls, helps posture, and builds up immunity to disease. And if that's not all, tai chi improves mental illness, depression, and stress.

How Does Tai Chi Works For Arthritis?
How Does Tai Chi Works For Diabetes?

Tai Chi For Back Pain
by Danilo Naoe

I am a tennis player and 15 years ago I played tennis a lot. One time I was playing tennis with my friends at the BIR Tennis Court right after a passing shower, when I ran after a deep cross-court shot to my forehand. I was about to reach the ball when I noticed a puddle of water right on my path. Immediately, I screeched to a stop to avoid slipping on the wet court but although my feet stayed in place, the momentum of my body twisted my upper torso causing injury to my back. I felt the shooting pain at once causing me to widthraw from the game. Since then, I had a recurring back pain that refuses to go away completely.

I was about to accept the fact that back pain would be with me for the rest of my life and that when I have it I will not be able to play tennis and golf (I play golf when I was still employed) but then I thought there must be an easy and gentle exercise that I could do when I could not play my favorite sports. That is when Tai Chi came to my mind, old people in Luneta moving slowly in a ballet-like dance.

I have been doing 24 form Yang Style Tai Chi for sometime with the Blue Dragon society at the back of Administration building in UP when Rudolph Petalver, our mentor, announced a workshop on Tai Chi for Arthritis by Dr. Paul Lam, a medical doctor and a Tai Chi master from Australia. Although the workshop was about Tai Chi for Arthritis, I mentioned to Dr. Lam the problem with my back. He said that I need to strengthen the deep muscles in my back. Its complicated but he explained that even body builders and boat rowers who have marvelous back muscles suffer from back pain because their deep back muscles are weak. He taught us an exercise routine to strengthen the deep back muscles and believe or not the second day I was doing it my back pain was gone!

To date, I have not suffered any back pain. With the Tai Chi for Back Pain program of Dr. Lam, I am making sure it will stay that way.