Relieve stress, maintain balance through tai chi

SENIORS & AGING

FEBRUARY 20, 2016

                                                  

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

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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.”




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