Vital Tai Chi classes Academy

Reviewed on 19 May, 2016

Tai Chi

"1. What made you think of joining Tai Chi ? I had heard of Tai Chi as a gentle practice that is graceful and has a lot of positive effects on the body and mind. I was feeling tired and often had back pain so I decided to try it 2. Since you joined, have you experienced any positives ? Yes, I feel fresher, more energetic and have not had any back pain in the last one year ( touch wood) 3. Would you recommend Tai Chi to your friends ? Absolutely. And not just to friends, I would recommend Tai Chi to anyone, any age 4. Did you know Tai Chi and Qi Gong are almost dovetailed into each other ? I had not known this prior to my joining. Qi Gong is a very gentle series of movements that balance and increase the flow of the Chi ( energy) in your body and prepare you for Tai Chi 5. Do the Qi Gong exercises help ? Yes, very much so. Though Tai Chi is very gentle and graceful, it is important to ready your body and mind for this practice and Qi Gong helps to do just that 6. Can people with known medical conditions e.g. High BP, Back Pain etc take up Tai Chi ? Tai Chi has been known to cure many body afflictions e.g. practitioners say that their high BP has come down and they feel less nervous and less tired etc. Because the exercises are so gentle, it does not cause any strain to the body and the instructor constantly reminds us not to do any movement that causes the slightest discomfort or pain. There are no tough stretches or bends or pushes. Having said that, it is always good to inform the instructor of your medical condition if any and follow the advice given 7. Does the practice have health benefits ? If yes, in what way did it benefit you ? This practice has made me more centred and I am a lot calmer. I feel more energetic and I do not have body aches or pains ( especially my back which used to trouble me a lot). I also feel a lot more supple. 8. What is the age group that benefits the most from Tai Chi/Qi Gong ? Tai Chi can be practiced by any age group. In my opinion, if you can walk, you can Tai Chi !! Unlike other exercise forms that require certain fitness levels or demand the use of force or require a certain suppleness in the body, Tai Chi can be practiced by just about anyone. To anyone watching, it would seem like gentle swaying graceful movements but at the end of the session you feel like your body and mind have had a good workout 9. In your opinion, what is Tai Chi ? Is it a martial arts form ? I would say Tai Chi is almost like a meditative form of martial arts. It requires no prior training and it uses your body and mind in sync to achieve complete harmony. This in turns helps in making you feel younger, fresher, more focused and calm 10. How is Tai Chi different from other exercise forms e.g. Yoga, Gym, Karate , Aerobics etc ? It is so different that it is difficult to compare this form to any other forms of exercise. The movements are very precise and well co-ordinated in Tai Chi as they are in the other exercises and I can only think of this one similarity. Otherwise Tai Chi is very soft, graceful and has rounded movements. No jerks, no hard stances, no difficult postures that require you to bend or stretch . There is a flow to every move and it feels like a gentle flow of water."

Reviewed on 19 May, 2016

Tai Chi

"The Qi Gong and Tai Chi experience came quite late in my life. As a person who had no time for self and always on a move,this came as a pleasant and much needed internal tonic for my body and mind. I had been suffering a lot with issues of rheumatoid arthritis and some cervical degeneration for the past one year and was desperately looking for some alternative healing methods. I joined Cicily’s classes and found a big change in my overall health. I now can tune into my body easily and am getting quite aware of my breath.The aches and pains in my joints have reduced considerably .I look forward to the classes and to my surprise i practice all the moves at home. "