The Benefits of Tai Chi
The founder of Above + Beyond Cancer, Dr. Richard Deming discusses the practice of Tai Chi to prevent falls and relieve stress, with this week’s guest, Becky Robel. Becky grew up in Des Moines, went to Dowling Catholic High School, and is now a certified Tai Chi instructor and personal trainer. Earlier in her career, she spent much of her time focused on corporate work. However, due to her father’s struggle with Parkinson's, Becky noticed the positive impact that physical activity had on her father’s illness and was intrigued with how exercise and health correlate. Becky is glad to work with cancer survivors as she also has her own experience with cancer, as she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2018 and went through chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Becky asserts that Tai Chi is an art and an exercise from Ancient China. The form of Tai Chi in which she specialized is called ‘Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention’ and was created by Dr. Paul Lam and a team of medical and Tai Chi experts. Becky explains that Dr. Lam utilizes the 3 step method- ‘watch me, show me, follow me’. Becky says, similar to yoga and meditation, diaphragmatic breathing is an essential first step to the practice of Tai Chi. External research explains that the origin of Tai Chi is debated and conflicted by many. The general consensus, however, is that Tai Chi was created by Taoist Monk, Zhang San Feng. It was first designed anywhere between 700 to 1500 years ago. Over the years, various simpler versions have been created to suit teaching the Western world. This is extremely important to take into consideration when attending a class run by instructors that are not of Chinese origin- the practice will not be as authentic or standard as it was initially designed to be. Educating oneself about the origin, art, and history of Tai Chi before beginning the practice is essential to receiving the most from the movements.
The Tai Chi for Health Institute run by Dr. Lam explores different forms of practice to aid different ailments. Becky Robel, and her coworker Brian Feist, conducted a study at UnityPoint Health that performed the ‘Timed Up & Go’ test to assess mobility, balance, walking ability, and fall risk in older adults. All patients progressed on this test by the end of the study, asserting that Tai Chi improves balance through corrected posture, improved breathing techniques, gained ankle strength, mindfulness, and comfortable weight shifting. Outside research also validates the benefits of the practice; through decreased stress, improved joint pain, and an enhanced immune system. Tai Chi is a practice that allows for low impact and minimal stress on the body which is suitable for those with limited mobility, especially cancer survivors.
For more, check out this conversation in detail on the Above + Beyond Cancer's Youtube channel. To learn more about Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention Classes offered by Becky Robel, check out the Above and Beyond Cancer Website.
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BA Ethics & Public Policy, BBA Management, minor Social Jus