8 Surprising Reasons to Try Tai Chi After 50 

With benefits that include reducing blood pressure, boosting brain health and preventing falls, tai chi is at the top of the list of recommended exercises for older adults.

The research on the benefits of tai chi has long been compelling, says Ardeshir Hashmi, M.D., section chief of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Geriatric Medicine.

Dozens of studies have found the ancient art form can prevent falls, boost cognition, reduce blood pressure, ease pain and more.

But after Hashmi heard prominent tai chi researcher Elizabeth Eckstrom speak at an American Geriatrics Society conference a few years ago, Hashmi said tai chi vaulted to the top of his list of exercise recommendations for the older adults.

He says Eckstrom had patients at the conference talk about how tai chi had changed them. One woman who spoke was able to walk again after using a wheelchair for years. Another patient was able to stop using supplemental oxygen after just six months of regular tai chi.

“I would not have believed this just reading the research, but she had these people come up on stage,” Hashmi said. “So that was pretty compelling living proof.”

Now, Hashmi says, tai chi is the No. 1 activity his clinic recommends for older patients. He also recently started practicing tai chi himself. ​

What is tai chi?

Tai chi is a traditional Chinese practice that combines a series of slow movements and physical postures with meditation and controlled breathing. Its movements are designed to balance your body’s energy, or qi (pronounced “chi”). Many refer to tai chi as “meditation in motion” or “moving meditation.”

Eckstrom, chief of geriatrics in the division of general internal medicine and geriatrics at Oregon Health & Science University, says what’s especially notable about tai chi is that it requires you to perform physical activity while simultaneously meditating, focusing and remembering a series of movements.

To learn more about Tai chi and its health benefits, from AARP, CLICK HERE.