(First of a 2-part series on the benefits of Tai chi for anyone 50 and better who wants a lifelong physical activity with important health advantages.)

Winter’s chill makes it easy to want to just curl up in a quilt with a cup of something warm and sit by a fire…throw in a cat for lap warmth and a dog to snuggle by your feet and you have a scene that’s hard to resist. Problem is, the more you sit, the stiffer you get, the stiffer you get, the more you sit. And while weather may lull you into sitting more the next few months, why not spend some of that time committing yourself to trying something new—an activity that will get you moving, your blood flowing and work your muscles and bones in a safe and gentle manner?

An activity new you can do now, or begin in  2015, and continue for the rest of your life.

For many of us over 50, it’s not practical or even desirable to consider high impact activities. Our joints just aren’t what they used to be. We don’t want to jump up and down on steps, run around a track, row an imaginary boat or climb stairs for an hour. But we want to feel good, and we want to extend our longevity.  

Suggestion: Tai chi.

Tai chi has been called both meditation in motion and medication in motion.   It’s an ancient Chinese martial art that’s also a holistic approach to mental and physical health and well being. There are many styles and forms of Tai chi, all focused on enabling the “qi” or life force to flow smoothly throughout the body.   More than 300 million people worldwide practice—or as practitioners say—“play”—Tai chi.

Tai chi’s benefits range from greater flexibility and balance to improved bone density, a stronger immune system and lower blood pressure. (More specifics on benefits later.)

Most importantly, Tai Chi is something you can start at any age and keep doing for life.

Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Tai chi instructor Tim Murphy, who introduced me to Tai chi a few years ago. (I had never done anything like Tai chi before, and was well past 50.) Tim is a certified Tai chi Instructor For Energy, a certified Tai chi Instructor for Arthritis, and a certified Tai chi Instructor for the American Association of Aerobics Instructors. He has taught Tai chi for more than 20 years. He also is a Master Scuba Diver Trainer PADI (25 years experience), a Level 2 Ski instructor PSIA (10 years) and is certified to teach kickboxing for NAPMA and Yoga for AAAI.

Tim’s first experience with Tai chi was using it as a warm-up for a Karate class. He appreciated the softness of Tai chi in contrast to the more rigid style of the class he was participating in. Years later, he and his brother became more interested in Tai chi for the same reason many boomers do…to find a physical activity they could do for life.

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue to do a lot of the contact sports I had always done, like boxing and football,” said Tim. “My brother and I both wanted something we could do for the rest of our lives, regardless of age or health issues.” His interest in Tai chi has not faded over the past 20+ years he has been teaching.

“Tai Chi is like an onion, with many layers. The first movement you learn is the first layer. As you get deeper and deeper into the form, the onion principle just keeps going…you are still peeling layers off the onion years later.”

Tai chi is truly for everyone, and it’s especially beneficial to baby boomers and those with even more years to their credit.

“The skeleton responds to stresses. If you are sedentary, your bones are not being stressed and your muscles are not being used. But the human body is a wonderful thing. When you start to work in any kind of exercise, you body responds to the effort and increases its level of stasis, or fitness. So your level of fitness is directly related to your level of activity. If your activity level is low, your level of stasis is low because you are not moving.

“Become active again, and your body responds…as though it’s asking, “Why are you walking now? You haven’t walked in years!” This begins to raise your level of fitness. As we get older, it’s even more important. Consider degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and arthritis. We need activities that support and boost our level of stasis, without having a high level of impact  that would be harmful to our joints. If you run a mile, and it hurts, you don’t run anymore. But do something that does not hurt, but is a weight-bearing exercise…and your skeleton responds positively. This is critical as we age.

“Our bodies don’t wither away because we get older. Our bodies wither away because we stop using them. Tai Chi is a weight-bearing activity that stimulates your skeleton but does not impact your joints like harder exercise.”

And what about the person who’s recovering from an accident, stroke, or injury? Or a bed-bound or wheelchair-bound individual? Can Tai chi even be possible?

Yes, says Tim emphatically. He should know, as he’s had students of all ages who face these challenges.

“One of my students was a 92-year-old woman who had fallen and broken her femur, and was now using a walker. When she returned to our class, I had everyone sit in chair, and we did the entire form seated. We were still able to do the arm movements, the body turns, and get the good benefits of the postures.

“I think many times we tend to be self-limiting, and think we can’t do something. People will tell you can’t do that because you’re getting older. If you accept that, it becomes your limitation. But you must challenge that. How many times do we see people walk again after an injury—and they had been told that wasn’t even possible?”

Tai chi is graceful, fascinating, relaxing and a lot of fun!

I’ve said before how much I enjoy playing Tai chi. Just the names of a few of the postures—part the wild horse’s mane, white crane spreads its wings, grasp the peacock’s tail—are enticing enough to compel me to want to do each move with as much fluidity and purpose as I can. As Tim has said before, it’s hard to describe how you feel after doing Tai chi for an hour: exhilarated; yet peaceful; tired yet filled with a new energy. It’s helped me in many ways. I love it.

• Tai chi is for every age.
• Standing, or seated, you can do some form or movement.
• You can play Tai chi alone or with a group, and just about anywhere—on the beach, in your hotel room, at the garden, in your office, on a mountain trail.
• You don’t need any special equipment or clothing. Be comfortable.
• You can keep progressing and improving your skills.
• There are many movements and many forms.
• Feeling the “qi” is a very powerful experience!
• Tai chi has multiple benefits for better health.

Coming up in my next post, I’ll share some scientifically proven (and somewhat amazing) health benefits of this ancient art, talk about “Qi”…what is it, what does it feel like, and how you can connect with it, plus share Tim’s advice for how to get started.  Hope you’ll check back in!

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old.  We grow old because we stop playing.”

                               George Bernard Shaw