During my morning runs, I inevitably come across a group of people doing tai chi along my route. And whenever I see them, I get a little envious that their form of exercise does not involve nearly as much sweating as mine. They look so graceful performing all the moves and I would rather stop running and watch them.
Well, recently I finally had my chance. Our family went to the Botanic Gardens and while the girls were riding their scooters around the trails, I noticed a group of people nearby practicing tai chi. And they were using fans as well, which only heightened my interest.
Tai chi originated in China as a form of self defense and evolved into an exercise where you slowly perform a series of postures, gracefully flowing from one to the next without stopping. It's peaceful to observe and apparently the participants experience a similar feeling because tai chi is primarily used for stress reduction.
While it's a popular exercise in the Asian community, I tend to see older adults doing tai chi. I'm certain it is more challenging than it initially appears because their moves are slow and precise. I'm glad I had an opportunity to observe it up close and after being on the receiving end of a camera lens so often here with our children, I must admit I enjoyed that switch as well. Maybe I'll give tai chi a try sometime while I'm here, although I'm sure I won't look all that graceful.
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