FEBRUARY 20, 2016
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| Keith Webb (left), tai chi teacher at Brunswick Senior Center at Shallotte, N.C., shows arm and leg movements to Ginny Ward, Grace Loyack and Maxine Miller. |
BY JO ANN MATHEWS
The
men and women meandering on the beach with arms rising high then low, their
concentration intense as the afternoon sun, set themselves apart from the
average beach-goers.
Sometimes
they take weird-looking steps and turn in another direction. They are not lost,
uncoordinated or confused. They are practicing “meditation in motion,” the
label attributed to the Chinese discipline, tai chi. Pronounced tie-chee, it is
the latest exercise trend at several fitness centers along the Grand Strand.
“Maybe
[the trend] is like granny glasses and go-go boots except it’s not going away,”
says Judy Childers, aquatic supervisor at North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and
Fitness Center.
Residents
and snow birds alike have embraced the sessions and praise the benefits gained
from the exercises.
TYPICAL
CLASSES
Teachers
begin their classes with soft background music, give clear instructions and
exercise along with the participants. Some teachers have students sit for
several exercises before they stand. Some offer sit-only classes or have
students stand from the start, but encourage them to sit if necessary.
“It
is an incredibly peaceful way to exercise both your mind and your body,” says
Keith Webb, a woman who teaches tai chi at Brunswick Senior Center at
Shallotte, N.C.
HISTORY
AND MEANINGS
Some
legends attribute the origin of tai chi to the Chinese Taoist monk Zhang
Sanfeng, who it is said created it in the 12th century as an extension of
qigong, the discipline that involves mind, breath and movement. Whichever way
it arose, the result is a calm, natural balance of energy. There are five
styles of tai chi, some focusing on health while others on self-defense.
The
teachers along the Grand Strand concentrate on health benefits.
People
often question the difference between yoga, Pilates and tai chi. All three are
considered low impact, stress-reducing, slow, graceful exercises that include
controlled breathing and meditation. Yoga concentrates on poses and postures
designed to strengthen and balance the body. It is not a martial art. Pilates concentrates
on balancing the core and helping the body be flexible and is a martial art.
Tai chi uses forms of slow movements and breathing techniques for its
discipline and has a martial arts connection.
A
late arrival to these disciplines is ai chi. Jun Konno developed it in Japan in
the 1980s. It is done in warm, chest-deep water and combines deep breathing
with slow movements.
HEALTH
BENEFITS
Hospitals
across the U.S. promote tai chi for prevention against falls, better mobility
and relief from some chronic conditions. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.,
refers to it as a gentle way to fight stress and labels it “serenity through
gentle, flowing movements especially suited to older people who otherwise do
not exercise.”
At
its online Health Library, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md., states tai
chi is well-suited for the elderly and may help: decrease blood pressure,
increase stamina, muscle tone and flexibility, improve posture, balance, muscle
mass and strength in older people
Stanford
Medical Center in Stanford, Calif., Offers tai chi/qigong for the patients with
Parkinson’s disease. “Medical News Today” cites tai chi as benefiting people
suffering from: Parkinson’s disease, chronic heart failure, fibromyalgia,
diabetes and depression.
TAI
CHI ON THE GRAND STRAND
FITNESS
EDGE, 4310 U.S. 17, Murrells Inlet (next to Waccamaw
Hospital, across from post office),
843-652-3488
“It’s
healthy, gentle exercise leaving you feeling centered and calm,” says
instructor Janis Taylor about tai chi. A half-hour class was added to the
Fitness Edge schedule in January because of client interest. “It’s wonderful
for strength, balance and flexibility,” Taylor says.
“Research
shows a connection to health benefits.”
Kay
Goldsmith, 70, of Murrells Inlet, takes several classes at Fitness Edge
including tai chi.
“It
is very relaxing and soothing to me,” she says. “It is not difficult, and it’s
good for breathing, muscles, joints and the mind.”
“It’s
for all populations medically cleared to participate,” Taylor adds
.
J.
BRYAN FLOYD COMMUNITY
CENTER, 1030 Possum Trot Road, North Myrtle Beach,
843-280-5594
Dean
Sutzer’s class at the Floyd Center includes vigorous, energetic movements.
Students lift legs and kick and use wide arm motions. He tells students to
think of the sun warming them and to feel the energy, to cross their hands and
inhale, put hands down and exhale, put fingertips on your heart.
“Bring
strength, energy and health to yourself,” he says. “Exhale stress, fear and
tension.”
Paul
McTaggart of Little River owns four dance studios on the Grand Strand but has
come to this class for the past year because he’s interested in different forms
of movement.
“I’ve
noticed I have more coordination and balance, and my breathing has improved,”
he says.
Bob
Pecott of Little River says when he began tai chi four years ago, he had a back
problem. “I don’t have it any more,” he says. Sutzer also taught him how to
loosen and free his “bum” shoulder.
Vicci
Farney of Watertown, N.Y., comes to North Myrtle Beach each year for two
months.
“I’m
always learning new things about my posture and my core,” she says and adds
she’s taken tai chi for three years. “I have some arthritis, and this relieves
the pain. I recommend this to people all the time.”
“[Tai
chi] is designed to take you away from your current world,” Dean Sutzer says.
He
lowers the lights and has students sit for the first few slow hand movements.
He emphasizes breathing from the diaphragm and the lower abdomen.
“I
can take your food away, your water away, but I cut your air off, and your
whole set of priorities changes drastically,” he says. “If your body was a
symphony, your breathing would be the conductor.”
Sutzer,
57, explains tai chi: strengthens muscles, improves dexterity, and improves
circulation.
He
became fascinated with martial arts when he was 12 and began teaching it when
he was 15. Despite a successful career in the business world, he quit his job
when he was 45 and dedicated his time to teaching all forms of martial arts,
including tai chi. Crane, Earth, Balance and Longevity are the forms he
teaches, as well as giving tips on acupressure and massage.
“I
make tai chi practical and functional,” he says. “These are essential movements
for life.”
Rae
Cox, 86, of Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., says she has arthritis. The first time she
came to class, she couldn’t bend her knees, but after two years she has more
mobility.
“It
has limbered up my joints,” she says. Jane Heselden of Calabash, N.C. says tai
chi is very calming and relaxing. “It’s easy and it’s fun,” she adds.
First-timer
Genene Moss of Ocean Isle Beach says Rae convinced her to come to class. “I
need to try something new,” she says.
BRUNSWICK
SENIOR CENTER,
“I
approach [tai chi] as a health and wellness practice,” Keith Webb says and adds
the benefits include: controlling blood pressure, improving balance and
agility, reducing arthritis and joint pain and reducing stress level.
About
17 years ago Webb experienced severe fatigue and weakness, which led her to
take Reiki treatments, part of which included qigong, a forerunner to tai chi.
Within
three years she became certified to teach tai chi.
“We
all benefit from moving and slowing down,” she says.
She
teaches a class for people who wish to sit throughout and another for those who
stand.
“It’s
a slow, controlled movement emphasizing balance,” she says of tai chi as her
hands form a ball and her arms separate and float from side to side. “Tai chi
is an exercise option few people know about. You don’t need equipment. You can
stand or sit.”
“It’s
so relaxing and relieves a lot of stress,” says Peggy Russ of Ocean Isle Beach,
N.C. “It calms me down.”
Kathy
Horowitz and Jane Linnell, both of Ocean Isle Beach, were in Webb’s seated
class.
“I
feel more in tune with nature,” Horowitz says after the class. “I feel more
grounded. There’s an energy flow as we did the movements.”
“I
thought it would complement the meditation I do,” Linnell says. “It helps me
get centered. I have a musical background, and I have a proverbial radio in my
head. I like the way [tai chi] incorporates movements, the rhythm of the
movements.”
“People
leave the class happy, relaxed and feeling a little bit better,” Webb says. “It
is for everyone, no matter the age. It is tremendous for the older population.”
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The men and women meandering on the beach with arms rising high then low, their concentration intense as the afternoon sun, set themselves apart from the average beach-goers.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/living/seniors-aging/article61270592.html
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