I always encourage participants in my aged care and sports chi workshops to train at least three times a week so they can maintain a certain skill level they have learned. I always encourage participants in my aged care and sports chi workshops to train at least three times a week so they can maintain a certain skill level they have learned.

It’s something I preach and practice in my own Tai Chi training. And there is no better example than stance training to underline the importance of practicing three times a week to maintain a skill level. This is a skill where you stay stationary in a posture for a certain amount of time. The standing postures vary between high, mid and low stances.

For example, the high stance I practice, Embrace the Tree, is demanding – especially when you hold this posture for one hour, which I do three times a week. I started practiciiiiing this posture a few years ago holding it for 30 seconds at a time, three times a week. Then I added a few seconds each week until I can now maintain a one hour stance with ease.

So when you teach your residents an/or sports players, remember to emphasise practicing at least three times a week to maintain skill levels.

If I practice less than three times a week I know the skill will wither away and I won’t be able to hold the stance as long as I can now.

Frank sat there staring at me, without moving, during our one hour Chair Chi session. He didn’t participate. Just stared at me. Frank sat there staring at me, without moving, during our one hour Chair Chi session. He didn’t participate. Just stared at me.

And that happens occasionally when I work with a group of residents. If it does, I simply continue on, hoping the person will join in eventually.

Well … after I finished this session and was about to leave, a lifestyle staff member came up to me and said, ‘That was terrific, Frank never stays for activities’.

After thanking her for the compliment, I walked towards the corridor where two of Frank’s relatives introduced themselves. They also thanked me saying, ‘Frank watched you the whole time and listened to everything you said.’

From what I gathered that’s something Frank rarely does during activities.

It certainly feels good being complimented about the work I do in aged care. And the feedback I received for this session reinforced my belief that even if a resident is not physically participating, I can still be making a connection!

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The long form in Wu Stye Tai Chi contains 37 postures, repeats of some of those postures, and transitions – it usually takes between 15-20 minutes to practice. If I’m busy, sometimes I tend to rush it and end up practicing for only15 minutes

15 minutes is a good workout, but 20 minutes is even better. I’ve found when I slow it down to 20 minutes I can feel the Chi more and have a sense of being more grounded.

If you don’t know a long Tai Chi form. then the alternative is to learn a short Tai Chi form of, say, about 4 minutes and practice that form five times in a row.

For those readers who have learned The Eight Treasures in one of my Aged Care staff workshops, try to perform the set for 20 minutes and see if you notice the difference.

Either slow your movements even further, or increase the repetitions of each Treasure until you reach 20 minutes overall. For example, instead of 8 repetitions per Treasure perhaps increase it to 12-15 repetitions.