Yang Style Tai Chi

Icy conditions on the road didn’t deter around 20 people from attending our first meeting of the new year on Saturday 31st January.

Our guest speaker this time was Malcolm Calvert from Eastleigh, who gave us an enjoyable talk and demonstration of Yang Style Tai Chi. Malcolm is an advanced instructor with the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain and he came to us very highly recommended by our sister support group in the New Forest.

Malcolm began by giving us some background information on the history of Chinese medicine and how the various styles of Tai Chi (Supreme Ultimate Fist) and Chi Kung (life energy cultivation) have developed over the centuries. He then described several of the principles and techniques that underlie the art of Yang Style Tai Chi. We learnt in particular about abdominal breathing and how slow sequences of movements can bring about a state of mental calm and clarity as well as improving mobility and joint flexibility. Malcolm went out of his way to tailor his talk to the needs of our group, emphasizing the specific health benefits that Tai Chi can offer people with tinnitus.

To finish off, Malcolm led the group in a series of simple Chi Kung exercises, both seated and standing up. Everyone was more than happy to join in!

Our thanks to Malcolm for a very informative and stimulating talk. You can learn more about Tai Chi and Chi Kung by following this link to Malcolm’s website: Malcolm's website.