It can be challenging finding the time to squeeze in your exercise, especially when it comes to strength training each week. The multitude of health benefits for sticking with both are unquestionable. There is another activity, however, that has been getting a lot of good press recently and that is tai chi. Yes, its been around for a long time (3000 years) but still, many Americans have never tried it.
Why Tai Chi?
Tai chi, also known as shadow boxing, is a form of slow-moving martial arts that has been shown to help slow down cognitive decline and protect against dementia. Wow! So now you understand why we’re so high on it. We just have to find a way to fit it in between weekly strength training workouts. Before reading on, though, you need to understand an important statistic. One in five of us will experience some form of mild dementia by the time we reach reach our early sixties. So let’s take a look at the latest tai chi research.
Latest Research on Tai Chi
The latest research study looked at 300 people in their 70’s who reported their memory was not what it use to be. All the participants first took part in a 10-minute test called the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, to gauge cognitive function. Keep in mind a normal score on the test is between 26-30. Someone who scores “between 18 and 25 is considered to have mild impairment which means they don’t have dementia but they’re not as sharp as they used to be, and may need to work harder to maintain everyday activities.” The average score of participants at the start of the study was 25.
The results of the study showed that people who practiced a simplified form of tai chi, called Tai Ji Quan twice a week for about six months improved their score by 1.5 points. Personally, when I looked at the results, it didn’t that significant. But according to lead researcher Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom, “you’ve basically given yourself three extra years,” of staving off decline. The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “You’re really forcing your brain to think hard while you’re also doing the fluid mind-body movements,” Eckstrom explained.
Squeezing Tai Chi into an Already Busy Schedule
One of the many great things about tai chi is you don’t need to spend a great deal of time doing it. If time is an issue, focus more on being consistent with it. Begin with 20-30 minutes, incorporating it between strength training sessions or other activities you do. The results of the study also found that tai chi got better results than typical stretching did. If you are really tight on time, try to incorporate some basic tai chi movements prior to each strength workout. Think of it as a dynamic warm-up.
Stay Strong Together
Join the more than 12 million members who’ve had great success using the Jefit app. The award-winning app comes equipped with a customizable workout planner, training log, the ability to track data and share workouts with friends. Take advantage of Jefit’s huge exercise database for your strength workouts. Visit our members-only Facebook group. Connect with like-minded people, share tips, and advice to help get closer to reaching your fitness goals. Stay strong with Jefit.
