Tai Chi – with balls!
I’ll soon be practicing Tai Chi with a big ‘ol ball.
Yes, that’s right.
A ball.
The (almost) lost art of Tai Chi Ball Exercise strengthens your core muscles and helps develop the qi in your dantian. It can also significantly improve your Tai Chi practice.
I kind of think if I just practiced more, though, my Tai Chi would improve, but my life has been rather busy lately. I only make time to meditate.
Which means my body, while centered, is getting a little flabby. Oh no!
Must. Work. On. Core. Muscles.
Maybe you think that’s strange. Maybe you think, Robin, why do I need some stupid ball to improve my Tai Chi?
Well, maybe you don’t. How should I know? But…Tai Chi Ball Exercise was the first part of the workshop that Grand Master Chen Qing Zhou taught while he was in Austin and I completely missed it. Mostly because it was a Saturday and I wanted to sleep in. But still, I realize that this is pretty important to the practice of Chen Style Tai Chi.
Look, I mean, even Lance Armstrong does it! Well, okay, not exactly, but it’s on his website.
So there’s that. But first, I’ll be finishing up part 3 of my Chen Tai Chi Old Frame 1st Routine class.
That’s 75 forms!
75 forms that I still haven’t really embodied. So I’m thinking of taking the whole class all over again.
I know, crazy right? But I love Tai Chi and I still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface.
I briefly considered moving on to something new, but these days, I’m not sure I particularly enjoy starting over quite as much as I used to. I think perhaps starting something new provides some initial excitement, but lately I’ve become more interested in discovering what’s beyond the newness. What’s there that I’ve been missing? What have I overlooked or not appreciated?
Could be interesting…
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June 4th, 2010 at 8:40 am
I know where I can always come for a hilariously good tai chi video. Enjoy the ball exercises! ;-D
June 4th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Thanks!
June 4th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
“What’s beyond the newness?” That’s a really good question, Robin.
June 4th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Indeed. Only time and lots of balls will tell.
June 7th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Hi Robin,
Re: you said that you’ve barely scratched the surface.
Here’s an agreement.
June 7th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Walt, where do you find these things? That is a great post – thank you!
August 15th, 2010 at 5:31 am
What an interesting video – and humbling. I imagine this Tai Chi Master makes it look much easier than it is.