Tai Chi is a martial art that has taken the West by storm, with everyone from director Ang Lee to super-fit Madonna having dabbled in it My experience I was first introduced to Tai chi while in college. I was restless and looking for something that would help me focus. Someone suggested I try Tai chi, and the first visual that popped in my head was a bunch of old Chinese people in slow motion at some random park in Shanghai. I was sufficiently intrigued, though, to give it a shot. However, the first couple of classes were a bit of a nightmare. <img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/aug/Kunal1.jpg" border="5" /> While I attempted the slow moves, my mind was racing faster than the speed of light. Simply put, I found it difficult to relax. But, progressively, I got better at it, and with every session I started feeling a greater sense of calm. A sense of "relaxed alertness" is how my instructor described it. I practised Tai chi for about a year, till my life got really hectic and I could not continue. Now, when I find my mind races, I do a couple of the breathing exercises and postures, and I instantly feel a sense of calm. What is Tai chi about? It's an ancient form of exercise developed in China and said to be about 2,000 years old. It originated as a self-defence strategy or martial art, but in modern times, it's practiced primarily as a gentle exercise technique. u00a0 Often described as "meditation in motion", Tai chi involves standing and performing a series of postures or rhythmic body movements in a slow, dance-like manner, with each movement flowing into the next. Postures are done in a relaxed, graceful, and linked way. Unlike other martial arts, it is non-competitive in nature. Loose clothing is preferable while practising Tai chi. Benefits The immediate benefit is that it leaves you with a clear, relaxed and focussed mind. In fact, clinical studies in the US report improved balance and peace of mind after just eight weeks of performing a simple set of movements. Accurate, repeated practice of Tai chi is said to re-train posture, encourage circulation and balance control, and maintain joint flexibility. u00a0 Researchers have found that intensive Tai chi practice helps in recovering from chronic stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attacks, depression and other chronic diseases. For those obsessed with calories, while Tai chi may look gentle, its low-impact movements are said to burn more calories than surfing, and nearly as many as downhill skiing! Do you really need any more reason to start? As told to Dinesh Raheja (Bollywood News Service)

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Tai Chi is a martial art that has taken the West by storm, with everyone from director Ang Lee to super-fit Madonna having dabbled in it

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