2020 – Page 2

One of the personal benefits of developing a new program like my Sports Chi is that it gives me the opportunity to research and cross reference various Tai Chi themes and techniques.

Not only is this research beneficial for the Sports Chi program but also for my own personal training.

With a greater depth of knowledge I feel my skills are improving as I practice on a daily basis.

Rather than overload on the knowledge obtained, I simply take one theme or skill learned and apply it to a specific aspect of my training.

For example, one of the areas I’ve worked on is making sure my knees are properly aligned.

This is easy to do if you are stationary, but when moving from posture to posture in a Tai Chi form it’s difficult to do.

As I do my research on areas I already know, I’m reminded of what the famous former UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, once said – ‘It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts‘.

One of the phrases I often repeat in Chair Chi sessions for residents in aged care is ‘don’t try to keep up – just keep on’.

I’ve found this eases the pressure to try and keep up with other residents and it helps them to perform at their own pace and physical capabilities.

Injuries can occur if residents try and keep up when they are unable to do so.

Sometimes residents will try anyway, so if I see any signs of discomfort I’ll stop them from doing the activity and repeat the phrase ‘don’t try and keep up – just keep on’.

I do have one resident who, regardless of what’s said, will try an activity she can’t do even though it causes her pain.

When that occurs I always say to her before the activity, ‘Now, Sue, don’t raise your arms above your shoulders – keep them lower’. And I’ll repeat that statement before every repetition of the exercise.

I suppose it’s human nature to try and keep up, but as a teacher of Chair Chi I have to ensure residents just keep on – and celebrate that as an achievement.

And celebrating their achievement is what I do at the end of each session!

Research + Practice = Improvement

Don’t Keep Up – Keep On

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