{"id":4131,"date":"2012-02-19T00:40:52","date_gmt":"2012-02-19T05:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yang-sheng.com\/?p=4131"},"modified":"2012-02-18T17:17:02","modified_gmt":"2012-02-18T22:17:02","slug":"tai-chi-or-simple-non-strenuous-qigong-for-health-which-should-you-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yang-sheng.com\/?p=4131","title":{"rendered":"Tai Chi or Simple Non-Strenuous Qigong for Health: Which Should You Study?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Martin Eisen, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Tai Chi has increased in popularity in the western world.\u00a0 It often appears in the background of advertisements of unrelated products.\u00a0 It is recommended for seniors and by the American Arthritis Society, which has its own simplified version.\u00a0 Many health clubs
\nand martial arts studios offer Tai Chi classes.<\/p>\n

Tai Chi is a Chinese art designed to protect oneself from unarmed and armed attacks and
\nillnesses.\u00a0 It is both a martial art and a method for preventing and treating illnesses.
\nInformation about its history and concepts can be found in the article\u00a0 \u201cAre You Really Learning Tai Chi and Is It Effective for Stress?\u201d\u00a0 at<\/p>\n

http:\/\/yang-sheng.com\/?p=1612<\/a><\/p>\n

Qigong, pronounced Chee Kung, is not as well-known as Tai Chi and is frequently given
\nas an auxiliary exercise before or after doing Tai Chi.\u00a0 In Chinese “Gong” means work or
\nhard task.\u00a0\u00a0 Qi can be translated as life energy. \u00a0Qigong is the task of learning to control the flow of Qi through your body by using breath, movement and meditation.\u00a0 It is a Chinese discipline that is at least 5000 years old.<\/p>\n

The main divisions of modern Qigong (Chi Kung) are: Spiritual, Medical, Martial and
\nAthletic depending on the main goal of the practitioner. However, there is an overlap
\nbetween these branches.<\/p>\n

Medical Qigong is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM postulates that
\nhealth is the result of smooth Qi circulation, without accumulation or deficiency in any part of the body, while disease is the result of poor Qi circulation. Once the flow of Qi is balanced, the body tends to heal itself.<\/p>\n

Here Qigong will be used to denote Medical Qigong for preventing and treating
\ndiseases and will not include Tai Chi, which is also a form of Qigong.\u00a0 More information about Qigong can be found in \u201cWhat is Qigong\u201d at<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.selfgrowth.com\/articles\/Eisen1.html<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>If you want to learn classical Tai Chi you must find a knowledgeable instructor.\u00a0 Many classes only offer shortened, altered forms that are supposed to be for health purposes only.\u00a0 Many of these so-called Tai Chi forms are not taught according to Tai Chi principles and are some sort of new-age dance.\u00a0 You can save money and probably get the same
\nhealth benefits from slow walking and waving your arms.\u00a0\u00a0 Even if you find an instructor that teaches a classical long form and you want to learn self-defense, investigate if
\n2-person Tai Chi martial art forms are taught and not self-defense based on Karate or some other martial art.<\/p>\n

Many health benefits have been ascribed to the practice of Tai Chi.\u00a0 However, there are a few problems with these studies.\u00a0 The scientist conducting these studies may not be an expert in Tai Chi and so selects an incompetent teacher for the subjects.\u00a0 The form may have been altered by the instructor and so another teacher may not teach the same, exact
\nform in another study.\u00a0 Sometimes the sample size is too small.\u00a0 If the subjects are required to practice at home some will be fanatic and others barely practice and accurate reports of practice times are difficult to obtain.\u00a0 Finally, Tai Chi, even shortened
\nversions for health, require years of study before the subject is really doing Tai Chi.\u00a0 Hence, the studies should be called the effects of trying to learn Tai Chi.\u00a0 More long-term studies are required to verify the beneficial effects of Tai Chi.<\/p>\n

Clinical trials have shown that Qigong is helpful in about 200 diseases, even more
\ndiseases than Tai Chi.\u00a0 There are many different forms of Qigong.\u00a0 Some are classical and others are made-up or modified by a teacher.\u00a0 The criticisms given above for Tai Chi
\nresearch apply to Qigong research.<\/p>\n

Learning Tai Chi takes self-discipline to practice daily and tenacity not to give
\nup.\u00a0 Those who have studied arts, like dance or music, that require constant practice are more likely to succeed in learning Tai Chi.\u00a0 Tai Chi requires more coordination than some forms of Qigong.\u00a0 A good memory is also helpful.\u00a0 Nevertheless, learning Tai Chi only for
\nhealth requires years of study.\u00a0 From discussions with other instructors and my own experience, less than 1% of beginning students will learn even a short form, like the Chen Man Ching form.\u00a0 My exoerience in teaching the SIx Healing Sounds, a form of Qigong for health, is that close to\u00a0100% of students can learn it.<\/p>\n

Seniors interested in preventing or treating illnesses should consider learning Qigong
\nrather than Tai Chi, especially if they have memory or coordination problems.\u00a0 There are health forms of Qigong that are much easier to learn and require less coordination strength and flexibilty than Tai Chi.\u00a0 For example, a Qigong method for losing weight can be learned in about a minute.\u00a0 The hard part is to practice it before every meal.<\/p>\n

For life threatening diseases use Qigong.\u00a0 You may die before you learn Tai Chi.\u00a0 Some
\nhospitals have drop-in Qigong classes.\u00a0 Such classes are not useful for treating serious diseases.\u00a0 Usually, you are not informed that you must practice for hours every day.\u00a0 Find a specialist in medical Qigong who can give you a TCM type of diagnosis and construct an
\nindividualized Qigong protocol based on the diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Even in China, it is difficult for patients to practice Qigong for hours.\u00a0 Patients join a social Qigong group or are placed in a hospital.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>[Dr. Eisen <\/strong>is a retired scientist, who constructed mathematical models in medicine. He has studied and taught Judo, Shotokan Karate, Aikido, Qigong, Praying Mantis Kung Fu, and Tai Chi in different places.\u00a0 He took correspondence courses in Chinese herbology and studied other branches of Chinese medicine with a traditional Chinese medical doctor.\u00a0 He was the Director of Education of the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Institute in Upper Darby, P.A. http:\/\/home.comcast.net\/~carolezak<\/a>]<\/address>\n

 <\/p>\n

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