| A person trained in Tai Chi can move much more | | | | Tai Chi not only trains a person how to fluidly |
| quickly and easily. Tai Chi trains you to relax your | | | | move their body, but it also teaches students |
| body and move with the least amount of physical | | | | about internal responsiveness as well. For |
| effort. Your mind controls your body much more | | | | example, with time, Tai Chi practitioners can |
| directly so that your reflexes can move quickly. | | | | become aware of the points of tension in their |
| Using all the parts of the body to move can be | | | | bodies that arise during stressful situations. They |
| much more effective than trying to move one | | | | can learn to relax and let that tension go. This can |
| body part a lot. For example, instead of making a | | | | help people to have less stress and therefore |
| huge arm movement, shift the feet a little, move | | | | reduce illness and wear and tear on the body. |
| the body a little, slightly change the torso's | | | | Many people do not notice the effects of stress |
| position, and move the arms a little all at the | | | | on their bodies, yet stress is causing them to |
| same time. With training, this whole body | | | | tense their muscles in many different places. This |
| movement can become automatic and can | | | | kind of tension can surface in problems like TMJ |
| become very quick and forceful as well. | | | | or teeth-grinding, but smaller, seemingly |
| Tai Chi is a walking art. The way that distance | | | | inconsequential stress-related tensions can, over |
| and space are used is essential in order for the | | | | time, create major health problems simply |
| art to be used as it is intended. Understanding | | | | through wear and tear on the body. People even |
| critical distances from just beyond reach with a | | | | unconsciously breathe differently as a result of |
| kick to up close body contact is the essence of | | | | stress taking rapid shallow breaths instead of the |
| the physical strategic aspect of Tai Chi. Walking | | | | deep breaths needed to really nourish the body. |
| out of range or into range when an attacker is | | | | However, people can learn to become conscious |
| unprepared for it can really tilt the outcome of a | | | | of their internal state and learn to let go of the |
| fight in your favor. | | | | tensions created by stress. Altering breath |
| One scenario that can be used to understand this | | | | patterns themselves can actually release tension |
| concept is as follows. My enemy attacks from 9 | | | | and stress as well. Over time, the mind can even |
| feet away. They have to cover most of the 9 | | | | be trained to recognize stressful stimuli and |
| feet just to reach me. While they are trying to | | | | respond automatically with relaxation and with |
| cover the distance to reach me I am already | | | | dealing directly with the problems that create the |
| ready to strike and counter attack. When the | | | | stress. |
| attacker can be reached I hit them as they are | | | | In this way, Tai Chi can help individuals not only to |
| still approaching. They were attacking first but I | | | | defeat attackers but also to defeat major health |
| landed the first hit. | | | | problems that might come their way. |