Senior Solutions: Tai Chi classes offered in Windsor and Windham counties

Tai Chi (pronounced tie chee) is making a name for itself, and there's good reason for that. It's a low-impact form of exercise with clinically proven benefits of many kinds, offering participants a chance to improve their emotional outlook and physical well-being.

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2017-11-15 / Springfield Senior Solutions: Tai Chi classes offered in Windsor and Windham counties By ANNE BOWER President, Tai Chi Vermont, Inc. Tai Chi (pronounced tie chee) is making a name for itself, and there's good reason for that. It's a low-impact form of exercise with clinically proven benefits of many kinds, offering participants a chance to improve their emotional outlook and physical well-being. Here in Vermont there's an organization called Tai Chi Vermont that trains, certifies, and mentors Tai Chi instructors who then teach as volunteers for the Area Agencies on Aging that serve the state, along with SASH (Support and Services at Home). So far, Tai Chi Vermont has certified approximately 110 instructors — some teach alone, some co-teach. All are given lots of opportunities to fine tune their instructor skills at “Skillbuilder” workshops that are offered in between certification workshops. Senior Solutions has supported Tai Chi instructor training so that classes can be offered in various locations in Windsor and Windham Counties. Originating in China centuries ago, Tai Chi started gaining popularity in the United States about 50 years ago, but it's only in recent years that scientific studies have taught us how Tai Chi provides such good results. Clinical evidence proves that Tai Chi can also improve coordination, boost our ability to focus and to remember, lower blood pressure, reduce back and knee pain, and help diabetics keep blood sugar levels more even. Some people find they sleep better too. Tai Chi comes in various styles, but the most popular is Yang style which has flowing movements and gentle weight shifts. A “younger” form that's been spreading rapidly is Sun style, which incorporates dedicated moments of deep breathing along with “follow steps” (half steps that allow us to maintain better posture and balance). Various short forms have been created that emphasize certain benefits, such as Tai Chi for Arthritis, for Diabetes, and Fall Prevention Tai Chi. These short forms, since they don't take as long to learn as the traditional Yang and Sun forms, are much easier to learn. But as the Center for Disease Control points out on their website about falls prevention—all Tai Chi practice, no matter what the particular style, carries multiple benefits. For those of us in Vermont, one of the greatest benefits is improving balance and reducing falls. We have to deal with ice and snow, often our homes are older and have narrow stairs, we're active and want to be out stacking wood, gardening, hiking, visiting art and food fairs, etc. Tai Chi, with it's gentle, slow movements has a surprising ability to strengthen our big leg muscles, and it helps us understand where our weight is at any given moment, where we are in space, how to relax and feel more grounded. A good Tai Chi class will start with some kind of gentle warm-ups. A good instructor will help you understand that you can make adjustments to the movements to suit your own body. Each class will involve reviewing the movements you've already learned, then proceed with learning one new movement. Usually that new movement will be broken down into parts to make it easier to learn. Lots of practice allows class participants to gradually gain skill. There's never any rush, never any pressure to “get it right.” “Right” is what works for you. One of the things that makes Tai Chi enjoyable is that the classes become a community as you are learning and laughing together. It's so gratifying to feel oneself gradually gaining a new skill and sharing that skill with others. As you will discover, Tai Chi teachers are enthusiastic: they not only love doing Tai Chi, they love teaching it. Anne Bower and Ellie Hayes lead a Tai Chi class a the Thompson Senior Center in Woodstock. - COURTESY PHOTO Anne Bower and Ellie Hayes lead a Tai Chi class a the Thompson Senior Center in Woodstock. - COURTESY PHOTO Senior Solutions is the federally-designated Area Agency on Aging serving Southeastern Vermont since 1973. Senior Solutions provides information and assistance and administers a variety of programs for older adults and people with disabilities.