Find fast pain relief with tai chi or qigong
Feeling stiff, sore, or overloaded with stress? Try one of these two ancient exercises.
By Hilda Brucker
Qigong and tai chi
The flowing movements of qigong (pronounced chee-KUNG) and the more familiar tai chi combine breathing and still positions to calm the mind, stretch muscles, and regulate breathing. They work on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which state that body and mind functions are fueled by an energy called qi (pronounced “chee”), the essential life force. Keeping your flow of qi strong and balanced will help you stay healthy—and limber.
Best for: pain, metabolic disorders, or generalized stress
What to expect: A series of 60- to 90-minute classes, lasting eight to ten weeks. You’ll wear loose-fitting clothes and practice in a studio. To find a class, speak to your TCM practitioner, check with local community centers, or see qigong.com for a list of instructors in states across the U.S.
Cost: $200 to $500 for an eight or ten-week series
Evidence: Tai chi is endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation to help reduce pain and improve range of motion. In 2006, a study concluded that, after seven 40-minute qigong sessions, fibromyalgia patients demonstrated “improvement in functioning, pain, and other symptoms.” And in 2008, researchers in Thailand found that tai chi helped people control persistent asthma.
Resource: Qigong for Stress Relief DVD by Francesco Garripoli and Daisy Lee ($14; amazon.com). This 30-minute exercise session is perfect for beginners, and deeply relaxing for students of any level. In Tai-chi Beginning Practice ($15; gaiam.com), Master David Dorian-Ross guides you through eight basic poses, getting your training off to a solid start.
I tried it: “I feel like qigong has given me back my life,” says Kay Wentworth, 55, of Austin, Texas. Just seven years ago, complications from celiac disease had caused her extreme muscle stiffness and widespread pain—even yoga had become nearly impossible. But within six months of beginning a specific type of healing qigong, she began to recover, eventually developing normal range of motion.
Read more Fitness articles.
The flowing movements of qigong (pronounced chee-KUNG) and the more familiar tai chi combine breathing and still positions to calm the mind, stretch muscles, and regulate breathing. They work on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which state that body and mind functions are fueled by an energy called qi (pronounced “chee”), the essential life force. Keeping your flow of qi strong and balanced will help you stay healthy—and limber.
Best for: pain, metabolic disorders, or generalized stress
What to expect: A series of 60- to 90-minute classes, lasting eight to ten weeks. You’ll wear loose-fitting clothes and practice in a studio. To find a class, speak to your TCM practitioner, check with local community centers, or see qigong.com for a list of instructors in states across the U.S.
Cost: $200 to $500 for an eight or ten-week series
Evidence: Tai chi is endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation to help reduce pain and improve range of motion. In 2006, a study concluded that, after seven 40-minute qigong sessions, fibromyalgia patients demonstrated “improvement in functioning, pain, and other symptoms.” And in 2008, researchers in Thailand found that tai chi helped people control persistent asthma.
Resource: Qigong for Stress Relief DVD by Francesco Garripoli and Daisy Lee ($14; amazon.com). This 30-minute exercise session is perfect for beginners, and deeply relaxing for students of any level. In Tai-chi Beginning Practice ($15; gaiam.com), Master David Dorian-Ross guides you through eight basic poses, getting your training off to a solid start.
I tried it: “I feel like qigong has given me back my life,” says Kay Wentworth, 55, of Austin, Texas. Just seven years ago, complications from celiac disease had caused her extreme muscle stiffness and widespread pain—even yoga had become nearly impossible. But within six months of beginning a specific type of healing qigong, she began to recover, eventually developing normal range of motion.
Read more Fitness articles.
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