Strength Training

[zippo_88]

I've been reading about Bruce Lee's regiments for strength training while still remaining fast and I was wondering what role strength training plays, if any, in Tai Chi and other internal forms of Kung Fu. Also, if it does play a role what strength training exercises are done?

[NJM]

Do you mean muscle strength, ligament strength, internal/external power or something else?

[msg]

alot of pushups and other things that use your own bodyweight if you use weights alot your muscles will get big but they have a way of being more constricted in a way they shrink ...i got back into lifting again for a bit bbut it made it harder for me to train ..so i went back to pushup . they will get your just as strong if not stronger just depends how many you do a day

[splinter]

alot of pushups and other things that use your own bodyweight if you use weights alot your muscles will get big but they have a way of being more constricted in a way they shrink ...i got back into lifting again for a bit bbut it made it harder for me to train ..so i went back to pushup . they will get your just as strong if not stronger just depends how many you do a day

That's some spectacular misinformation.

What kind of training were you doing? A bodybuilding regimen? Or a proper strength training one?

If all you do is pushups, eventually you'll be building muscular endurance (nothing wrong with that), not pure strength, or explosive power.


Lots of boxers lift weights... Why doesn't it affect their punching power?

IME, doing things like squats, deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, etc have done wonders at building a root for me.

If you do them properly, they'll build the stabilizer muscles around your knees and hips, will preven injury.

[zippo_88]

Yeah that's what I was curious about, does lifting weights hinder your martial ability and/or is it helpful for martial arts, specifically internal kung fu, after all strength is not the important thing right.

[Ni Jian mu]

I was wondering (since this thread is about strength lol) has anyone got or read Dynamic strength by Harry Wong. I have the link to Amazon (uk)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dynamic-Strength-H-Y-Wong/dp/0865680132/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-3011537-7343821?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178757950&sr=8-1

I have thought about trying to get a copy but can it really do what it claims. The reviews seem to suggest it is a great book. Maybe you could have a look at the reviews on amazon zippo 88.

Jamie

[5Animals1Path]

I've been reading about Bruce Lee's regiments for strength training while still remaining fast and I was wondering what role strength training plays, if any, in Tai Chi and other internal forms of Kung Fu. Also, if it does play a role what strength training exercises are done?



Without any strength to hold structure so you only have to yield in small ways without breaking structure, you're going to have to become the single greatest full yield tai chi practioner ever.


In other words, what most people who train Aikido think they're doing.

[splinter]

Yeah that's what I was curious about, does lifting weights hinder your martial ability and/or is it helpful for martial arts, specifically internal kung fu, after all strength is not the important thing right.

Strength is always important. It may not be the focus of the internal training, but it's always important, and it certainly can't hurt. Like I said, even for the sake of prevention... if you're training an internal art, and you end up getting thrown around alot, or rolling, or doing break falls, your joints will thank you if you've put some meat around them.

Internal training mostly focuses on proper structural alignment, and coordination of firing the right muscles at the right time to put as much power into strikes as possible. Even with all that coordination training though, how much power you can generate from each muscle group is going to affect how hard you can hit. So why not strengthen those muscles?

As for your quesiton about lifting weights, and whether it affects your martial ability, that depends on how you're lifting. "Lifting Weights" can mean a lot of things.

A body builder trains VERY differently from a power lifter, but both lift weights.

Check out the health and fitness board on this forum for discussions of what the differences are, or google and do some research on functional strength training. Look at how gymnasts, or track and field athletes train.

Also remember that while some people will tell you that lifting weights will decrease your flexibility, studies have shown that power lifters are the second most flexible group of athletes. Gymnasts are the most flexible. Both use very explosive power in their sports.

[msg]

That's some spectacular misinformation.

What kind of training were you doing? A bodybuilding regimen? Or a proper strength training one?

If all you do is pushups, eventually you'll be building muscular endurance (nothing wrong with that), not pure strength, or explosive power.


Lots of boxers lift weights... Why doesn't it affect their punching power?

IME, doing things like squats, deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, etc have done wonders at building a root for me.

If you do them properly, they'll build the stabilizer muscles around your knees and hips, will preven injury.

i was doing both body building and strength training .and lifting to much weghts will interfear with internal arts.your useing more of your tendens scelatel stucture.dont think i spelled that right anyways,..your mucles need to be relaxed in a certain way .isometrix is the way to go..pushups will also give you that strength and explosive power ..i can still press 310 with no prob just from pushups ...my buddy all he has done is isometrix because he was locked up for a while he came out stronger than me when i was working with weights

[splinter]

i was doing both body building and strength training .and lifting to much weghts will interfear with internal arts.your useing more of your tendens scelatel stucture.dont think i spelled that right anyways,..your mucles need to be relaxed in a certain way .isometrix is the way to go..pushups will also give you that strength and explosive power ..i can still press 310 with no prob just from pushups ...my buddy all he has done is isometrix because he was locked up for a while he came out stronger than me when i was working with weights

Learning to relax your muscles at the right moment is important for any activity that requires explosive power, and lots of other athletes that require explosiveness lift weights.

You said "Lift weights TOO MUCH". I'm not sure what you mean by "too much" but certainly if all you do is lift weights, and you don't allow yourself proper recovery time, or if you don't do enough stretching, then yes, it will cause problems.

But again, it's important to know the difference between body building, and strength / power training.

Have you ever seen Mike Tyson fight? Do you think he has no "tendon / skeletal alignment" (whatever that means) behind his punches? I bet he does lots of weight training.

Oh, and are you saying that you can get stronger doing pushups than lifting weights? Because that's just plain wrong. If it were the case, don't you think people would have given up on weights a long time ago?

You can bench 310 lbs, and you don't do any bench press... just pushups? I don't believe that.

[msg]

it all depends on howw many pushups you do a day ..i havent worked with weights for a year or two i just did pushup and still can bench that ..i friend i talked never used weights he was locked up the hole time he got out and pressed more that me .but like i said you have to do a lot of pushup a day not what most people do .so beleave it or not

[Scott R. Brown]

I have weight trained and participated in internal styles for nearly 30 years. It takes a little practice to learn to use proper mechanics first and strength as an assist, but this occurs with any athletic activity. Strength is an assists in the production of power, but it only one aspect of power generation. Someone may hit hard due to inherent size and strength, but they will hit harder once they learn to hit with proper mechanics. Like anything else, it just takes practice.


You can bench 310 lbs, and you don't do any bench press... just pushups? I don't believe that.

He could have good genetics. I knew a guy who never benched and spotted him when he benched 350# and he looked like a dough boy. I have weight trained my whole life and while I never do maximum weights the best I have done is 285#. My genetics give me a predisposition to endurance so that is actually not too bad.

Years ago I worked as a strength trainer. I had a client who never weight trained in the past. The first day he did 160# behind-the-head shoulder presses for 3 reps. That is the best one rep max for me in my life.

If a person has a history of weight training it is also relatively easier to return to that strength level after a lay off than someone who has never trained for strength in the past. It is also possible he is exaggerating.

Anyone with "real" experience with weights and has also trained in the internal arts knows there is no inherent disadvantage and in a fight it is mostly a decided advantage. msg is repeating the long established "weight training is bad for internal styles" platitudes. These are false platitudes.

Just because he can't do it and associates with other who reinforce his limiting view it appears to have empirical validation. However, just because he can't do and he doesn't know anyone who can do it, does not mean it hasn't been done.

[splinter]

Good post Scott. You're absolutely right.

[msg]

never said that you could;nt do weights just not to much is you know about it you should know what i mean ..

[msg]

and my view is very far from limited .

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi msg,


…if you use weights alot your muscles will get big, but they have a way of being more constricted in a way they shrink ...

[Pushups] will get your just as strong if not stronger just depends how many you do a day…

…lifting to much weghts will interfear with internal arts.

…pushups will also give you that strength and explosive power

It was these comments that led me to conclude that your view is limited. These statements are all incorrect and at least one of them, “ …lifting to much weghts will interfear with internal arts.” is a frequently used incorrect platitude.

I apologize for any offense. Perhaps misinformed would have been a better description; however both statements imply the same thing. An incorrect conclusion is a limited conclusion because it inhibits potential by encouraging the person to ignore true evidence that disproves the incorrect conclusion.

It was not my intent to imply your overall worldview or MA view is limited, I have no way of knowing that yet. You do not appear to understand weight training or strength training methods and benefits. This has caused you to come to some incorrect conclusions. I consider these incorrect conclusions a limited view, especially when in the light of correct information you are apparently unable to recognize your misunderstanding.

[zippo_88]

Thanks for all this information, it sure is a lot to process. I'm going to see if I can find some books with Bruce Lee's training regimen/suggestions. I would like to build up my strength because I personally like lifting weights, I'm not very into cardio workouts except running but I don't want my weight lifting to interfere with my martial arts. But even Shaolin Monks are strong and Bruce Lee was a great example as well. I just don't know, if it's not neccessary or atleast helpful to my martial arts practice I don't want to do it you know



I was wondering (since this thread is about strength lol) has anyone got or read Dynamic strength by Harry Wong. I have the link to Amazon (uk)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dynamic-Strength-H-Y-Wong/dp/0865680132/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-3011537-7343821?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178757950&sr=8-1

I have thought about trying to get a copy but can it really do what it claims. The reviews seem to suggest it is a great book. Maybe you could have a look at the reviews on amazon zippo 88.

Jamie

Thanks for the suggestion, I've been reading some of the reviews. This book seems amazing I'm definately going to buy it. I already added the book to my wish list lol

[bodhitree]

does lifting weights hinder your martial ability


Absolutely not. Your martial arts trining can gain many benefits from weights: more muscular endurance, more power. Weights are a great tool and can be used in many ways. Weight training will NOT inherently make you less flexible. Weight training is NOT ALWAYS equal to getting bigger/gaining weight. It depends on how you do it.




is it helpful for martial arts, specifically internal kung fu, after all strength is not the important thing right

Technique is not replacable, but have two people with equal technical ability and what will the equalizers be. Strength, size, and luck.

[TenTigers]

your yi-intention, leads your ch'i-energy. Many forms of lien gung-martial arts power development are geared toward not only form specific movement-structural alignment, etc, but they are so devised that you are able to extend intent and ch'i. In a bench press, the intent is to lift the weight. If, however the intent was to extend the energy through the ceiling during the press, you would probably be able to train internal as well. The problem is, how many people actually are able to focus 100% on yi while trying to bench 220?

[bodhitree]

your yi-intention, leads your ch'i-energy. Many forms of lien gung-martial arts power development are geared toward not only form specific movement-structural alignment, etc, but they are so devised that you are able to extend intent and ch'i. In a bench press, the intent is to lift the weight. If, however the intent was to extend the energy through the ceiling during the press, you would probably be able to train internal as well. The problem is, how many people actually are able to focus 100% on yi while trying to bench 220?


Putting it through the ceiling is not the only way to use focus. There are scientific studies that show when a weight lifter thinks about the weight he is going to lift throughout the day before he lifts it and thinks about good form etc, that they are able to put up more weight.

Trying to move your 1 rep max requires enourmous amounts of mental strength and concentration. Watch competative powerlifters get ready to lift sometime. They pace back and forth and slap themselves in the face to get that huge amount of focus. The lift itself requires complete concentration, controll of breath, and proper form.


Weightlifting is underestimated.

[Walter Joyce]

You may want to look into kettle bell training as well.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/martialkettle.htm

I agree that strength training should be a part of your overall program, but suggest that power lifting and kettle bell training methods are more consistent with MA training, especially IMA.

[GeneChing]

2 forms of exercise are the best way to stave off the effects of aging — here's how to incorporate them into your life (https://www.businessinsider.com/best-exercises-slow-aging-2018-4)
Erin Brodwin Sep. 8, 2018, 4:19 PM

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/591dfed634911bd40c8b4b5e-960-720.jpg
Shutterstock

If you're searching for an all-natural way to lift your mood, preserve muscle tone, and protect your brain against the decline that comes with aging, look no further than the closest mirror.

One of the most powerful means of reaping these benefits is exercise— and in many cases, you already have everything you need to get it: a body.

As we age, two forms of exercise are the most important to focus on: aerobic exercise, or cardio, which gets your heart pumping and sweat flowing, and strength training, which helps keep aging muscles from dwindling over time.

And most of the time, they don't require any fancy equipment or expensive classes.

Read on to find out how to incorporate both forms of fitness into your life.

Aerobic exercises like jogging may help reverse some heart damage from normal aging.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/596e5609a47cb523478b47ab-750-562.jpg
Shutterstock

Many of us become less active as we age. Over time, this can lead some muscles in the heart to stiffen.

One of those at-risk muscles is in the left chamber of the heart, a section that plays a key role in supplying the body with freshly oxygenated blood.

A recent study split 53 adults into two groups, one of which did two years of supervised exercise four to five days a week while the other did yoga and balance exercises.

At the end of the study, published in January in the journal Circulation, the higher-intensity exercisers had seen significant improvements in their heart's performance, suggesting that some stiffening in the heart can be prevented or even reversed with regular cardio.

"Based on a series of studies performed by our team over the past 5 years, this 'dose' of exercise has become my prescription for life," Benjamin Levine, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern who wrote the study, said in a statement.

Walking, another form of cardio, could help reduce the risk of heart failure — a key contributor to heart disease.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5b91ec2a2be4ab1e008b5c10-960-720.jpg
Shutterstock/Blazej Lyjak

Intense cardio activities like running or jogging aren't the only types of movement that may have protective benefits for the heart as we age.

In a study published in September in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers took a look at the physical activity levels of nearly 140,000 women aged 50 to 79 and found surprisingly salient links between walking and a reduced risk of heart failure, a condition when the heart stops pumping blood as it should. Heart failure is a key contributor to heart disease, the US' leading cause of death.

For their work, the researchers looked at data from a 14-year women's health study that documented heart failure and exercise levels.

When the researchers dove deeper, they found that the women who walked regularly were 25% less likely to experience heart failure than their peers who didn't exercise. In fact, for every extra 30-45 minutes a woman walked, her risk of a failed heart dropped an average of 9%, the scientists concluded.

"This is pretty important from a public health standpoint, given the poor prognosis this type of heart failure has once it's present," Michael LaMonte, the lead author of the study and an associate professor of epidemiology at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health, said in a statement.

Strength-training moves like tai chi are best for preserving muscles from age-related decline.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5ac7ab6b4d03869a018b49f0-750-563.jpg
Shutterstock

Strength or resistance training can take many forms, but it typically involves a series of movements geared toward building or preserving muscle.

Tai chi, the Chinese martial art that combines a series of flowing movements, is one form of strength training. The exercise is performed slowly and gently, with a high degree of focus and attention paid to breathing deeply.

Since practitioners go at their own pace, tai chi is accessible for a wide variety of people, regardless of age or fitness level.

Tai chi "is particularly good for older people because balance is an important component of fitness, and balance is something we lose as we get older," I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in a recent health report called "Starting to Exercise."

continued next post

What is up with that 'tai chi' pic? :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

There may be a powerful link between regular cardio, like swimming and walking, and a lower risk of dementia.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/578e67564321f1e2008b941f-750-562.jpg
Al Bello/Getty Images

A study published in March in the journal Neurology suggested that women who were physically fit in middle age were roughly 88% less likely to develop dementia — defined as a decline in memory severe enough to interfere with daily life — than their peers who were only moderately fit.

Starting in 1968, neuroscientists from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden studied 191 women whose average age was 50. First, they assessed their cardiovascular health using a cycling test and grouped them into three categories: fit, moderately fit, or unfit.

Over the next four decades, the researchers regularly screened the women for dementia. In that time, 32% of the unfit women and a quarter of the moderately fit women were diagnosed with the condition, while the rate was only 5% among the fit women.

However, the research showed only a link between fitness and decreased dementia risk — it did not prove that one caused the other. Still, it builds on several other studies that suggest a powerful tie between exercise and brain health.

Activities like cycling may also protect your immune system from some age-related decline.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5ac7a524f41c7832008b4977-960-721.jpg
Shutterstock

For a small study published in March in the journal Aging Cell, researchers looked at 125 amateur cyclists aged 55 to 79, comparing them with 75 people of a similar age who rarely or never exercised.

The cyclists were found to have more muscle mass and strength and lower levels of body fat and cholesterol than the sedentary adults.

The athletic adults also appeared to have healthier and younger-looking immune systems, at least when it came to an organ called the thymus that's responsible for generating key immune cells called T cells.

In healthy people, the thymus begins to shrink and T-cell production starts to drop off at around age 20.

The study found that the thymus glands of the older cyclists looked as if they belonged to younger people — their bodies were producing just as many T cells as would be expected for a young person.

"We now have strong evidence that encouraging people to commit to regular exercise throughout their lives is a viable solution to the problem that we are living longer but not healthier," Janet Lord, the director of the Institute of Inflammation and Aging at the University of Birmingham in the UK, said in a statement.

Other types of strength training can include moves like planks and squats.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/58ff5eaf7522ca1a008b6065-750-563.jpg
Shutterstock

At its most basic, strength training involves using weight to create resistance against the pull of gravity. That weight can be your own body, elastic bands, free weights like barbells or dumbbells, or weighted ankle cuffs.

Research suggests you can use heavy weights for fewer reps or lighter weights for more reps to build stronger, more sturdy muscles.

Chris Jordan, the exercise physiologist who came up with the viral seven-minute workout— officially called the Johnson & Johnson Official 7-Minute Workout — told Business Insider that healthy adults should incorporate resistance training on two or three of the four or five days a week they work out.

Cardio workouts may also improve the look and feel of your skin.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/58d2aa0d112f7048008b60d8-750-563.jpg
Unsplash / Haley Phelps

A study from researchers at McMaster University found that people over 40 who regularly did cardio tended to have healthier skin than their sedentary peers. The overall composition of the regular exercisers' skin was more comparable to that of 20- to 30-year-olds.

It's not yet clear why our workouts appear to play a role in skin health, but the researchers found elevated levels of a substance critical to cell health called IL-15 in skin samples of participants after exercise — perhaps shedding light on why cardio can improve the look of our skin.

Aerobic workouts may guard against age-related decline because of reduced brain connectivity.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/591dfed634911bd40c8b4b5e-960-720.jpg
Shutterstock

As we age, the brain — like any other organ — begins to work less efficiently, so signs of decline start to surface. Our memory might not be quite as sharp as it once was, for example.

But older people who develop Alzheimer's disease often first enter a stage known as mild cognitive impairment, which involves more serious problems with memory, language, thinking, and judgment.

A study published in May looked at adults with MCI between the ages of 60 and 88 and had them walk for 30 minutes four days a week for 12 weeks.

The researchers found strengthened connectivity in a region of the brain where weakened connections have been linked with memory loss. That development, they said, "may possibly increase cognitive reserve" — but more studies are needed.

Cardio may also be tied to increases in the size of brain areas linked to memory, but more research is needed.

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5aa30e43a4f4ac1a008b46e6-960-720.jpg
Shutterstock

A study of older women with MCI found a tie between aerobic exercise and an increase in the size of the hippocampus, a brain area involved in learning and memory.

For the study, 86 women between 70 and 80 years old with MCI were randomly assigned to do one of three types of training twice a week for six months: aerobic (like walking and swimming), resistance (like weight lifting), or balance.

Only the women in the aerobic group were found to have significant increases in hippocampal volume, but more studies are needed to determine what effect this has on cognitive performance.


THREADS
Strength Training (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?46323-Strength-Training)
Cardio Work (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?21095-Cardio-Work)
Unconventional strength training (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?10133-Unconventional-strength-training)

[GeneChing]

Using Tai Chi to Build Strength (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/10/well/move/using-tai-chi-to-build-strength.html)
Tai chi moves can be easily learned and executed by people of all ages and states of health, even elderly people in wheelchairs.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/09/11/science/11BRODYPARTIALSELVES/merlin_143261946_7f1abdc4-6414-4a71-af29-544c1316344e-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp
Credit Gracia Lam

By Jane E. Brody
Sept. 10, 2018

Watching a group of people doing tai chi, an exercise often called “meditation in motion,” it may be hard to imagine that its slow, gentle, choreographed movements could actually make people stronger. Not only stronger mentally but stronger physically and healthier as well.

I certainly was surprised by its effects on strength, but good research — and there’s been a fair amount of it by now — doesn’t lie. If you’re not ready or not able to tackle strength-training with weights, resistance bands or machines, tai chi may just be the activity that can help to increase your stamina and diminish your risk of injury that accompanies weak muscles and bones.

Don’t get scared by its frequent description as an “ancient martial art.” Tai chi (and a related exercise called Qigong) does not resemble the strenuous, gravity-defying karate moves you may have seen in Jackie Chan films. Tai chi moves can be easily learned and executed by people of all ages and states of health, even those in their 90s, in wheelchairs or bedridden.

It’s been eight years since I last summarized the known benefits of this time-honored form of exercise, and it has since grown in popularity in venues like Y’s, health clubs and community and senior centers. By now it is likely that millions more people have become good candidates for the help tai chi can provide to their well-being.

First, a reprise of what I previously wrote as to why most of us should consider including tai chi into our routines for stronger bodies and healthier lives.

It is a low-impact activity suitable for people of all ages and most states of health, including those who have long been sedentary or “hate” exercise.

It is a gentle, relaxing activity that involves deep breathing but does not work up a sweat or leave you out of breath.

It does not place undue stress on joints and muscles and therefore is unlikely to cause pain or injury.

It requires no special equipment or outfits, only lightweight, comfortable clothing.

Once proper technique is learned from a qualified instructor, it is a low-cost activity that can be practiced anywhere, anytime.

One more fact: Beneficial results from tai chi are often quickly realized. Significant improvements involving a host of different conditions can be achieved within 12 weeks of tai chi exercises done for an hour at a time twice a week.

Much of the research, which was reviewed in 2015 by researchers at Beijing University and Harvard Medical School, has focused on how tai chi has helped people with a variety of medical problems. It is summarized in a new book from Harvard Health Publications, “An Introduction to Tai Chi,” which includes the latest studies of healthy people whose mission was health preservation as well as people with conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis.

Of the 507 studies included in the 2015 review, 94.1 percent found positive effects of tai chi. These included 192 studies involving only healthy participants, 142 with the goal of health promotion or preservation and 50 seeking better balance or prevention of falls.

This last benefit may be the most important of all, given that every 11 seconds an older adult is treated in the emergency room following a fall, and one in five falls results in a fracture, concussion or other serious injury.

For example, in an analysis of high-quality studies published last year in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers at the University of Jaen in Spain reported that older adults who did one-hour tai chi sessions one to three times a week for 12 to 26 weeks were 43 percent less likely to fall and half as likely to incur a fall-related injury.

Tai chi provided superior benefits to other fall-reduction approaches like physical therapy, balance exercises, stretching, yoga or resistance training. Tai chi, in effect, combines the benefits of most of these: It strengthens the lower body, improves posture, promotes flexibility, increases a person’s awareness of where the body is in space and improves one’s ability to navigate obstacles while walking.

Furthermore, if you should trip, tai chi can enhance your ability to catch yourself before you fall. It has also been shown to counter the fear of falling, which discourages people from being physically active and further increases their likelihood of falling and being injured.

Even if you do fall, tai chi, as a weight-bearing but low-stress exercise, can reduce your chances of breaking a bone. Four well-designed clinical trials showed that tai chi has positive effects on bone health. For example, in a yearlong study in Hong Kong of 132 women past menopause, those practicing tai chi experienced significantly less bone loss and fewer fractures than those who remained sedentary.

For people with painful joints and muscles, tai chi enhances their ability to exercise within a pain-free range of motion. Pain discourages people from moving, which makes matters worse as muscles get weaker and joints stiffer. The movements involved in tai chi minimize stress on painful areas and, by improving circulation, can foster relief and healing.

A 2016 study of 204 people with knee pain from osteoarthritis found that tai chi done twice a week was just as effective as physical therapy in relieving their discomfort. But that was not all: Those doing tai chi for the 12 weeks reported that they were less depressed and had a better quality of life than those undergoing physical therapy.

Tai chi can also be an entry point for people who may have fallen off the exercise wagon but want to get back to doing more vigorous and often more enjoyable physical activities like swimming and hiking, or biking and walking to and from errands instead of relying on vehicles that pollute the air and clog the roads.

Guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend that sedentary older adults begin with balance, flexibility and strength training exercises before launching into moderate to vigorous physical activity. Tai chi is ideal for getting people ready for more demanding action.

And, in the process of getting your body in shape with tai chi, you’re likely to improve your mental state. In a New Zealand study of college students, tai chi was shown to counter depression, anxiety and stress. It also enhances an important quality called self-efficacy — confidence in one’s ability to perform various activities and overcome obstacles to doing so.

This is the second of two columns on countering muscle loss. The first is here.

Jane Brody is the Personal Health columnist, a position she has held since 1976. She has written more than a dozen books including the best sellers “Jane Brody’s Nutrition Book” and “Jane Brody’s Good Food Book.”

THREADS
Strength Training (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?46323-Strength-Training)
Unconventional strength training (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?10133-Unconventional-strength-training)

[GeneChing]

How You Can Use Tai Chi to Get Even Stronger (https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a27006981/tai-chi/)
The martial art isn't just for groups of older people in public spaces.
BY DR. RACHEL TAVEL, PT, DPT, CSCS
APR 1, 2019

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/man-doing-tai-chi-outdoors-royalty-free-image-564723935-1554136289.jpg
SVEN HAGOLANIGETTY IMAGES

When most people think of tai chi (short for “T’ai Chi Ch’üan”) they usually imagine a group of older people moving in slow motion in a public park. But this ancient movement practice is not just for the 65-plus crowd.

Tai chi has many health benefits for people at any age, according to research, like reducing stress, improving strength and balance, and reducing the likelihood of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and chronic pain. If you want to reap those benefits and master your movements, you’re going to want to slow down and see what tai chi all about.

Where Did Tai Chi Come From?

Tai chi is one of the major branches of Chinese martial arts that dates back thousands of years. With its spiritual roots in Taoism, the practice's name can be translated to “the ultimate of ultimate”—which is probably more hardcore than you would've thought. It consists of exercises designed to bring opposing yin and yang elements of the world into harmony, peace and balance.

For those unfamiliar with the concepts, yin and yang are polar opposites found in nature. Yin represents the more soft, yielding, feminine quality of things while yang represents the more rigid, strong, masculine side. According to tai chi principles, finding harmony between these two opposing forces of nature brings balance and longevity into your life. Does your standard workout do that? Probably not.

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/young-martial-arts-enthusiast-practicing-outside-royalty-free-image-929891128-1554148658.jpg
ELECTRAVKGETTY IMAGES

Like yin and yang in nature, tai chi aims to brings opposing yet complementary movements together. While many forms of the practice exist, it often combines slow and smooth movements with quick, sharp jabs often seen in fighting or martial arts. It consists of low stances as well as explosive power movements. Also known as “shadow boxing,” tai chi provides both fighting techniques as well as balance and strength training, depending on the goal of of your practice.

“The practical benefits of tai chi are rooted in its unique movement system which emphasizes tension reduction, balance and whole body movement,” says Matt Leve, PT, MSPT, GCFP, a physical therapist and tai chi instructor at Shift Integrative Medicine. Leve often utilizes tai chi in his treatments, since it works with the systems of the body. “Tai chi takes advantage of the elastic nature of the connective tissue system.”

Leve argues that many people's health concerns are based in patterns of movement that are imbalanced and subsequently generating unnecessary tension and stress in the body. Tai chi helps people reprogram their nervous systems and cultivate what has been best termed as a "coherent elastic body."

Why Tai Chi Looks Slow

There is a reason for the slow, low movements for which the practice is known. In tai chi, all movement is directed by the mind and driven from the center, or “tantien,” which lies three inches below the navel. Movement is controlled by rotation of the tantien. When that connection is strong, it is smooth, balanced and continuous, even in stillness. Certain styles of tai chi may feature fast and explosive movements at times—but most styles emphasize slow, fluid and intentional movement.

Gaining control of one’s movement and reducing tension with movement can be beneficial for any athlete or workout—even heavy lifting. Leve explains that one of the most significant and beneficial takeaways of tai chi training is the emphasis on developing a relaxed frame. With perseverance, the development of such a frame can help reduce unnecessary tension in the body.

However, Leve reminds us that softness in tai chi does not imply a loss of structure or readiness. A common training error in tai chi is to be too relaxed. You don’t want to be limp like a noodle. This can be dangerous and lead to more stress on the tissues and joints rather than reducing that stress.

How You Can Use Tai Chi In Your Workouts

So how do you apply tai chi movement into your regular workout routine? “With tai chi, power starts from the center, expands in all directions outward and culminates in a blow," says Leve. "Then it ceases.”

We can apply this in the gym with resistance training. Take a cable pulldown, for example. Applying three basic tai chi principles could improve your performance. Here's how:

Find your balance and reduce unnecessary tension (open the joints, open the pelvic floor, etc.).
Imagine your arms and legs are like a fire hose pumping water with enough intensity to provide you the feeling of soft power, then suspend your head as if it were a balloon and allow your body to sink and reduce unnecessary tension.
Slowly feel the resistance of the weight before pulling and prepare yourself to shift weight as you pivot your hips. Lastly, initiate the movement with one intention, with mind and body are one.
Ready to take on this ancient martial art? Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s easy just because of its slow pace. Sometimes reining in your power with slow, controlled movements is the biggest challenge of all.

DR. RACHEL TAVEL, PT, DPT, CSCS


Dumb pix :rolleyes: