I am delighted that The Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living have managed to arrange a measured trial of Tai Chi classes to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi related exercises on balance and by extension on the likely risk of falls. Quality of life, longevity and cost to health career stakeholders are all major issues. The trial covers June into September – I look forward to the classes and seeing the outcome. This is based on a previous very well received 8 week trial coupled to Moving Mindfully classes run by Judy Hammond.

Building on my work with the Letchworth centre for Healthy Living I will be running classes in Shefford for people approaching their 60’s and for those already in their 60’s or older – these classes will cover Tai Chi exercises aimed at improving balance and mobility – simple, gentle exercise suitable for those feeling vulnerable to falls with a view to reducing the risk of falls in later life.

I threw this quite mainstream Zen saying to my Sunday class recently – and was rewarded with a brisk and humerous discussion on the evening and then later with a link to this interesting article – what goes around – comes around!

Tai Chi has been shown to be valuable in reducing falls in the elderly – hold on that means me! – and I have been involved in some over 60’s classes at the Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living which have had excellent feedback – so have decided to start some Tai Chi classes for the over 60’s in Shefford from June 6th. Venue is Shefford Community Hall where classes will be held every Monday afternoon from 2.30 to 4.00pm with a break for tea and bikies – suitable for anybody who is presently able to walk or walk with a stick and would like to work on their balance and mobility. So if you are 50 plus and would like to learn habits of movement that will help you as you approach your 60’s and in later years then come along. Cost is £18 per calendar month in advance or £5 per session.

I’ve had some experiences and pause for thought recently that have lead me to believe that the important part of Tai Chi is the way of moving it promotes – a sort of segmented, sequential and centred, wavelike spiraling – which when allied to all the other Tai Chi principles leads to what is refered to as Internal Power.

And that the path to this movement is through greater awareness of our internal feeling which we find through our practice.

I have recently been involved with a number of health and mobility related classes in conjunction with The Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living – for example “over 60s” and with Parkinson’s sufferers so some feedback may be of interest.

From my experience most students begin Tai Chi knowing little more about it than the name – so I have put together an FAQ page on the Shefford Tai Chi website which covers such basics as “what is Tai Chi” leading to aspects of health and development.

Tai Chi has grown in the West being practiced as a martial art or as a way of dealing with physical or emotional problems – or for personal development. Thanks to the work of people like my own teacher Karel Koskuba  and his teacher Master Chen Xiaowang ( shown above making corrections to my own posture ) we are fortunate that Tai Chi in the UK is now sufficiently mature that we can translate it’s workings into terms understandable to those brought up in a western social and educational system. For more info see www.sheffordtaich.org