| "If you want strong bones, you have to use them!" | | | | impact exercise. They are actually in a fast bone loss |
| Everyone needs to have lifelong weight bearing | | | | phase of their lives, when efforts to slow bone loss |
| exercise in order to build up and maintain healthy | | | | are actually very important. Taichi provides a good |
| bones. Females should focus on building strong bones | | | | form of weight bearing exercise, since it emphasizes |
| now especially while they are still young so as to | | | | a lot on the weight transfer of the body natural |
| reduce their risk of osteoporosis later in life | | | | weight. In Taichi, you perform a series of slow, |
| Weight bearing describes any activity you do on your | | | | rhythmic and graceful controlled body movements |
| feet that works your bones and muscles against | | | | while your body remains erect and anatomically |
| gravity. Activities like walking, jogging, aerobics, | | | | aligned. |
| dancing, stair climbing and inline skating are all | | | | The intensity of the weight bearing exercise in Taichi |
| examples of weight bearing exercise. | | | | is increased by either lowering of the posture or |
| The bone is a living tissue that constantly breaks | | | | including weights during the Taichi practice. In this |
| down and reforms where weight bearing exercises | | | | way, the bones will be forced to work even harder |
| have the potential advantages of stimulating bone | | | | and more effective. Proper guidance and monitoring |
| growth and strengthening connective tissue. When | | | | by professionally well trained Taichi coaches is |
| you do regular weight bearing exercise, your bone | | | | strongly recommended for such high intensity Taichi |
| adapts to the impact of weight and pull of muscle by | | | | weight bearing training. Sufficient calcium intake is also |
| building more cells and becoming stronger. | | | | necessary in conjunction to the Taichi weight bearing |
| Another advantage is that during weight bearing | | | | exercise. |
| exercises your muscles are actually being forced to | | | | Unlike many other forms of exercise, Taichi is suitable |
| pull harder on your bones than they normally do, | | | | to people of all age, gender and races. It does not |
| which makes your bones seek more calcium from | | | | require any special clothes or equipment, and it can |
| your body and thus causing bone density to increase. | | | | easily be practiced at home, parks or practically any |
| Studies have shown that older women who did high | | | | open space. In fact, Taichi is particularly beneficial to |
| intensity weight training at least two days per week | | | | the elderly and people with impaired motor skills. Since |
| for a year were able to increase their bone density | | | | Taichi emphasizes correct posture alignment and |
| by one percent. The women who exercised also had | | | | balance, the exercise may be a safer alternative for |
| improved muscle strength and better balance. | | | | women with fragile bones than other high impact |
| A lot of women in their late forties and fifties are | | | | physical activities. |
| either not willing or unable to engage in regular high | | | | |