Which is better, yoga or Tai Chi

There is no standard answer to this question. The choice depends entirely on your physical condition, practice needs and even daily rhythm. I have practiced Chen-style Tai Chi for seven years, and I have also taken classes with a familiar yoga teacher for more than a year. There are many enthusiasts around me who insist on both sports. I really don’t know anyone who can say that one is definitely better.

If you sit for a long time at work and your shoulders, neck, waist and back are as stiff as starched cardboard, and you want to quickly loosen your deep muscles and improve your core strength, yoga is more likely to be more suitable for you at the beginning. Not long ago, a little girl in my department had a lumbar prolapse that had just passed the acute stage. The doctor asked her to do low-intensity strength rehabilitation. She signed up for a basic yoga class near her home. After three months, she not only bent down to pick up packages without supporting her waist, but also changed most of her previous habit of holding her chest and hunched back. After all, the density of yoga studios in cities is high now, and the basic courses are more designed to target the muscle strains of modern people. It is easy for novices to get positive feedback and it is not difficult to persist.

But if you are prone to anxiety and insomnia, or have old injuries on your knees or ankles, and are afraid of going down stairs, then Tai Chi is much more friendly. Last year, an aunt in her early 60s came to our Tai Chi studio. She had worn out her meniscus from square dancing. She even felt pain in her knees when she tried the downward dog pose during a yoga class. After standing for three months, her knees no longer hurt. In the past, she had to take two sleeping pills a day to fall asleep. Now she can snore in less than 20 minutes in bed. The movements of Tai Chi are all in an arc, and the force is exerted by the muscles and bones without breaking the joints. When practicing, the focus is entirely on the coordination of breathing and movements, which is equivalent to half an hour of mindfulness. The soothing of emotions is the kind of silent moisturizing.

I have encountered a lot of controversies before. Some people think that yoga looks good on social media, and Tai Chi is too old-fashioned for middle-aged and elderly people. In fact, the Chen-style Tai Chi practiced by many young people now also has routines for explosive power. After a set, you will sweat profusely. , the fat-burning efficiency is no worse than flow yoga; some yoga enthusiasts complain that Tai Chi is too slow, and if you don't sweat for a long time, it's like you haven't practiced it before. That's because you haven't tried yin yoga. Holding one posture for five minutes will make people sore that they will burst into tears. It is more tiring than playing two sets of twenty-four postures.

If you are really confused about which one to choose, it is better to find a reliable gym and try one class at a time. If your whole body hurts when you practice yoga, and you really can’t stand it anymore, try Tai Chi. If you are bored when you stand and want to pick the soles of your shoes, then go to a yoga class and jump around. Anyway, the one that makes you willing to persist for a long time is the best for you.