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Non-Negotiable Tai Chi

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EmbraceTheTreeI train at least six times a week for about 1.5 hours per day and I consistently achieve my targeted sessions.

But some times when I’m whizzing around running Aged Care Chair Chi or BJ Seminars International (with Sue James) workshops either here in Melbourne, interstate and/or overseas it’s impossible to achieve my targets.

However there is one specific training I always do, six times a week. And that’s my Tai Chi stance work – both high and low stances.

If I’m on the road they’re done early in the morning and evening, usually in a hotel room before I start my day.

For me, stance work is non-negotiable Tai Chi – it must be done.

Tai Chi 20 Minute Wonder

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I’ve finally achieved my target of holding the ’embrace the tree’ stance for 20 minutes and it feels great. It’s taken 20 weeks but I did it. Even my knees haven’t protested too much which is a blessing.

I was concerned at the start that my knees would react in a negative way as they have done in the past when I tried to practice mid to low stances. I stopped doing those stances a long time ago to avoid the pain and damage to my knees (left knee weakened due to a previous injury). Please note that low and medium stances are beneficial and a very good workout if your knees can handle them. My knees can’t.

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16 Minute Tai Chi Man

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It’s taken sixteen weeks but I’ve gradually built up my standing ’embrace the tree posture’ to sixteen minutes.

And I haven’t had any major problems with my knees reacting against the stance. Apart from some minor soreness, the knees feel fine.

In the past I’ve tried to work through pain and practice  lower stances which actually stressed my knees and caused pain. A silly attitude because it wasn’t in line with the Yin Yang philosophy of finding one’s balance. It took me a while to wake up to my self and focus on only doing exercises I could physically handle.

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