By Theo Onoufriou
Tai Chi is known as an ancient martial art – but in recent years it has been shown to be not only an effective form of self-defence, but also a way to improve health overall.
The practice of Tai Chi involves slow gentle movements and postures that can help induce a meditative state of mind. Practitioners practice solo movements that help to strengthen the spine, work on abdominal breathing and help facilitate a natural range of motion.
There are many benefits of Tai Chi as an exercise, including helping to improve mobility. In fact, Tai Chi is such an important martial art that many people believe more people should start learning it.
Numerous health benefits
In an exclusive interview, Dave Courtney Jones, who teaches Tai Chi at Tiger Crane Kung Fu in Islington, says that Tai Chi has a wide range of benefits.
“It improves your physical self altogether and it involves your energy side,” said Courtney Jones, who has been practicing the art for more than 35 years. This allows people to understand that Tai Chi can be effective to making practitioners feel better both mentally and physically.
There is no age limit for learning Tai Chi, however although Courtney Jones said that most of his students are in their late 30’s – and that his oldest student was 100 years old!
Classes are usually silent, as people concentrate on meditating during the class time. “There does not need or tend to be any noises involved with Tai Chi, as it could be used as a distraction to some,” Courtney Jones said.
Practicing Tai Chi with no background music allows you to “bring your consciousness into your body”, he said. Often, the only noise heard during his classes – apart from his occasional verbal instructions – is the sound of birds chirping.
While Tai Chi appears simply, that’s not really the case. “You will always need an instructor to guide you through Tai Chi, as you cannot learn it through the internet,” said Courtney Jones. Having someone guide you through it will allow your level to be seen to the instructor and they will be able to understand what you could work on.
Additionally, learning anything in person will help someone understand it more, and be able to rectify any potential mistakes with the help of the instructor.
Courtney Jones said his favourite Tai Chi movement is called ‘The White Horse Sheds its Saddle’. He said: “There are many nice movements involved in Tai Chi”, which shows that he would have chosen more if he could, but he had to narrow it down to just one.
If you wish to get in contact with Tiger Crane Kung Fu, see: info@tigercranekungfu.com.
If you wish to get into contact with Dave Courtney Jones, email him on: dave@tigercranekungfu.com or call: 07958 980 280.
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