Tai Chi for Better Balance Workshop!

Register Now!

Date: Saturday, June 25, 2016
Time: 4:00 – 5:30pm
Location: Tai Chi Association: 219 W. Colorado Ave. Suite 310, Colorado Springs, CO. Upstairs
Bring a note book to class, wear loose comfortable clothing. Healthy Refreshments included.
Tai Chi for Better Balance Workshop – Price $50.00 [buy_now_button product_id=’7970′]

In this workshop we will cover:

What is Tai Chi and how can it improve my balance?
Correct Tai Chi posture and body alignment.
How to stand and move correctly.
How to apply Tai Chi movement to everyday tasks.
Finding and keeping your center of balance.
Easy to do movements to improve your balance.
Exercises to strengthen joints and tissues.

Who will benefit by attending this workshop? – Remember a better mind / body awareness leads to improved self-esteem and reduced social isolation.

Everyone is welcome, ages 13 to 90+.
Anyone in rehabilitation needing help to regain their balance.
Anyone experiencing balance problems due to aging, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, and stroke (just to name a few).
Doctors, nurses, physical and sports medicine therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, energy workers, and personal caretakers.

This workshop is taught by Sifu Michael Paler, 7th Generation Disciple of Wei Xilan Imperial Yang Family Tai Chi. – over 32 years experience in Chinese Martial Arts with a focus on Tai Chi and various Qigongs.

Important Facts about Falls

Each year, millions of older people—those 65 and older—fall. In fact, one out of three older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again.

Falls Are Serious and Costly – Information below courtesy of: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

One out of five falls causes a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury.
Each year, 2.5 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries.
Over 700,000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a fall injury, most often because of a head injury or hip fracture.
Each year at least 250,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures.
More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling, usually by falling sideways.
Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Adjusted for inflation, the direct medical costs for fall injuries are $34 billion annually. Hospital costs account for two-thirds of the total.

No pain equals big gains…

According to Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School

Although Tai Chi is slow and gentle and doesn’t leave you breathless, it addresses the key components of fitness — muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and, to a lesser degree, aerobic conditioning. Here’s some of the evidence:

Muscle strength – Tai Chi can improve both lower-body strength and upper-body strength. When practiced regularly, Tai Chi can be comparable to resistance training and brisk walking.

“Although you aren’t working with weights or resistance bands, the unsupported arm exercise involved in Tai Chi strengthens your upper body,” says internist Dr. Gloria Yeh, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. “Tai Chi strengthens both the lower and upper extremities and also the core muscles of the back and abdomen.”

Flexibility – Tai Chi can boost upper- and lower-body flexibility as well as strength.

Balance – Tai Chi improves balance and, according to some studies, reduces falls. Proprioception — the ability to sense the position of one’s body in space — declines with age. Tai Chi helps train this sense, which is a function of sensory neurons in the inner ear and stretch receptors in the muscles and ligaments. Tai Chi also improves muscle strength and flexibility, which makes it easier to recover from a stumble. Fear of falling can make you more likely to fall; some studies have found that tai chi training helps reduce that fear.

– Harvard Medical School, the CDC and the Mayo Clinic Endorse Tai Chi for Balance Issues

Video Published on Apr 26, 2013 – Lectures from Helene Langevin, MD, Peter Wayne, PhD, and Gloria Yeh, MD, MPH.

Check out these articles written about the benefits of Tai Chi & Seniors

Check with your doctor – If you have a limiting or medical condition — or if you take medications that can or do make you dizzy or lightheaded — check with your doctor before starting Tai Chi or any exercise program. Given its excellent safety record, chances are that you’ll be encouraged to try it.

This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional.