T'ai Chi for Health and Balance (for beginners and experienced students) will offer something special this spring. We'll incorporate some qi gong exercises that emphasize deep breathing and toning stretches. New students will learn the basic t'ai chi for arthritis form … a series of 12 interconnected postures that exercise joints, balance and concentration. More experienced students will review the basics, then work on adding our t'ai chi form's "mirror image", along with some additional moves as well.
     Each participant advances at her/his own rate with plenty of support from Anne and the other students in the class. Each one-hour session begins with a set of warm-up stretches. Then we work on the t'ai chi form. At the end of each session, we relax with cool-down stretches. Handouts are provided so that students can practice all three parts of the instruction on their own. We wear comfy clothes and sneakers or other secure, soft shoes, or just socks.
      T'ai chi for Health and Balance focuses on gently expanding our own range of motion. Most students find it brings them new awareness of their own body mechanics. The goal, of course, is to increase freedom of movement and balance, but, in the process, we also gain a sense of harmony and share some laughter.
     Medical studies have shown that those who study t'ai chi improve their balance -- they fall less often than those who don't undertake t'ai chi! T'ai chi practice has also been shown to assist people suffering from arthritis and osteoporosis, and to improve recovery rates for      people who have had heart attacks and various illnesses.
     If you have questions about t'ai chi classes, email Anne at anniebower@yahoo.com. If registration exceeds 13 students, we may    divide the class into Levels 1 and 2, with one session from 9:30-10:45 and the other from 10:45-12:00.