| Tai Chi has been around for over 2,000 years, | | | | monasteries. There were two main reasons that |
| but is fairly new in the Western world. | | | | they started using Tai Chi at that time. The |
| Fortunately, it's now as easy to find a place to | | | | monks became so out of shape from sitting |
| practice it in the West as it is in the East. In fact, | | | | around and meditating all the time that they |
| almost every month a new study comes out | | | | needed an easy exercise to do. Because they |
| showing another symptom or problem that this | | | | were out of shape, there were also not able to |
| exercise can treat, cure, or improve. This | | | | defend themselves when bandits would come |
| exercise is quickly becoming a large part of | | | | beat them up and rob them. |
| Western medicine and a way of life for many | | | | Tai Chi was developed to train the mind and body |
| Americans. | | | | to not only get rid of stress that is currently |
| Tai Chi itself is only about 1,200 years old, but it | | | | placed on it, but to change the way your body |
| came from a more ancient exercise call QiGong. | | | | handles stress in the future. As you move |
| QiGong is at least 2,000 years old, but nobody | | | | through the slow movements, your mind will |
| knows for sure how long it has existed. The | | | | become calm, your breathing will start to deepen |
| movements in Tai Chi are done very slowly, like a | | | | and slow, and your muscles will relax. Along with |
| slow motion kung fu. It began life as a martial art, | | | | all of this, you muscles are toning, which makes |
| but turned into an exercise when the Buddhist | | | | this an extremely efficient exercise. |
| and Taoist monks started practicing it in their | | | | |