“Soft is strong.”
That’s one of the guiding principles behind tai chi, a hundreds-year-old Chinese martial arts practice that today is considered a form of meditative movement. It’s also a “gold standard” for balance training, says Ann Swanson, a tai chi instructor and author of three mindful movement books.
Good balance is beneficial for living a longer, healthier life — at any age. Check out our series featuring the latest research, a balance IQ test and simple at-home exercises.
“We have decades of research. One review, in 2023, reveals that tai chi practitioners have a 24% lower relative risk of falling than older adults who don’t practice,” Swanson says. “And it’s not some boring balance training program — it’s fun and enjoyable and people actually stick with it.”
Rather than focusing on explosive, fast-paced movements, tai chi is generally composed of slow, smooth, continuous movements staying within a modest range of motion. It’s especially gentle and accessible to people with disabilities, those healing injuries and older adults. Because it’s done so slowly and fluidly, emphasizing “soft joints” instead of locking out or bracing body parts, it’s low-impact. And because it’s typically done in an upright posture, it’s accessible to those with back or joint pain, arthritis, osteoporosis and vertigo, as it doesn’t require hinging forward.
“It’s adaptable, you can do the movements in different ways — big steps, small steps,” Swanson says. “It’s become a shining light in the field of balance and fall prevention.”
As tai chi doesn’t push extremes, it may feel counterintuitive in Western culture; but that’s part of its power, Swanson says, likening tai chi to water.
“Water is soft but strong: There could be an intense hurricane or flood, but it’s also adaptable and pliable; it fills a space. Tai chi is water-like that way.”
Tai chi isn’t just for old folks, however. Movements are often more challenging to your balance when done slowly with gentle resistance. The exercise can also be made more intense with a lower stance or squat. Tai chi strengthens the lower-body and builds postural and core muscles — the body’s deep stabilizing muscles — though it does so gently, over time. It improves mobility (fluidity of movement) and agility (pivoting quickly). Mindful dynamic movement, working different body parts at once, also challenges the brain and helps improve coordination.
“We often lose our balance when doing two things at once — walking and talking or carrying groceries — and tai chi builds the capacity to coordinate and do multiple things simultaneously,” Swanson says.
Softening rather than stiffening when moving through space requires embracing your body’s natural sway and tiny micro-movements, like an ankle wobbling or knee jiggling. That not only builds muscles supporting the joints, but improves proprioception (awareness of your body moving through space), a key factor in balance. It also helps build interoception (awareness of bodily signals, like breathing or a heartbeat). The slow, intentional pace of tai chi paired with conscious breathing and present-moment awareness, Swanson says, also help release stress.
Over time, all of those things can help participants overcome fears of falling.
“People get scared of the sway, the wobble. If you’ve had a fall before, you get a fear of falling again and you stiffen up, you become protective,” Swanson says. “But that’s actually counterproductive — it makes you more likely to fall. We have to build the capacity to feel OK with a little wobble. With tai chi, your body is learning to catch yourself before you fall, you’re practicing stumbling gracefully.”
Here are four of Swanson’s favorite tai chi exercises to help you strengthen your balance. They’re demonstrated by Los Angeles Times staffer Christopher Reynolds. Tai chi is traditionally practiced in looser clothes and flat shoes.
1. Infinite posture and weight shift. Stand with your feet parallel about hip distance apart. Softly bend your knees, while still remaining tall and upright. Relax your arms by your sides for a deep breath. Then practice shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Move slowly, smoothly and continuously. Repeat for three rounds.
2. Lateral tap. Start with feet hip distance and parallel. Bring hands and weight over to one side. Place your hands out as if they are pressing on an imaginary wall. Then, tap the ball of your opposite foot out to the side. Bring the foot back to hip distance, shifting your hands and weight to repeat this motion on the other side. Repeat for three rounds.
3. Step and punch. Start with feet hip distance apart and toes facing out (45 degrees or less to comfort level). Hands are in soft fists at hips. Step one foot forward, placing the heel down and toes down without shifting weight. As you punch the opposite arm, shift 60% of your weight forward into the front foot. Keep your back heel down and stay upright. In slow motion, transition back to center and repeat on the other side. Do this for three rounds.
4. Kick and punch. Begin in the same starting position as exercise No. 3. This time, as you kick one foot forward, punch the opposite arm simultaneously. You can tap the ground or kick as high as you can, as long as you can slowly lower your foot at a smooth, continuous pace. Return to center and repeat on the other side. (It’s the same exercise as No. 3, but rather than stepping forward, you’re kicking.) Repeat for three rounds.
Now that you’re familiar with tai chi for balance, you can revisit (or try out!) balance fundamentals such as testing your balance IQ, beginners static and dynamic balance exercises and explosive plyometric movements.
But first: steady yourself from the inside. Take a breath and get into a relaxed mindset. Find your inner balance. As they say in tai chi: “The mind leads, the body follows.”
“Soft is strong.”
That’s one of the guiding principles behind tai chi, a hundreds-year-old Chinese martial arts practice that today is considered a form of meditative movement. It’s also a “gold standard” for balance training, says Ann Swanson, a tai chi instructor and author of three mindful movement books.
Good balance is beneficial for living a longer, healthier life — at any age. Check out our series featuring the latest research, a balance IQ test and simple at-home exercises.
“We have decades of research. One review, in 2023, reveals that tai chi practitioners have a 24% lower relative risk of falling than older adults who don’t practice,” Swanson says. “And it’s not some boring balance training program — it’s fun and enjoyable and people actually stick with it.”
Rather than focusing on explosive, fast-paced movements, tai chi is generally composed of slow, smooth, continuous movements staying within a modest range of motion. It’s especially gentle and accessible to people with disabilities, those healing injuries and older adults. Because it’s done so slowly and fluidly, emphasizing “soft joints” instead of locking out or bracing body parts, it’s low-impact. And because it’s typically done in an upright posture, it’s accessible to those with back or joint pain, arthritis, osteoporosis and vertigo, as it doesn’t require hinging forward.
“It’s adaptable, you can do the movements in different ways — big steps, small steps,” Swanson says. “It’s become a shining light in the field of balance and fall prevention.”
As tai chi doesn’t push extremes, it may feel counterintuitive in Western culture; but that’s part of its power, Swanson says, likening tai chi to water.
“Water is soft but strong: There could be an intense hurricane or flood, but it’s also adaptable and pliable; it fills a space. Tai chi is water-like that way.”
Tai chi isn’t just for old folks, however. Movements are often more challenging to your balance when done slowly with gentle resistance. The exercise can also be made more intense with a lower stance or squat. Tai chi strengthens the lower-body and builds postural and core muscles — the body’s deep stabilizing muscles — though it does so gently, over time. It improves mobility (fluidity of movement) and agility (pivoting quickly). Mindful dynamic movement, working different body parts at once, also challenges the brain and helps improve coordination.
“We often lose our balance when doing two things at once — walking and talking or carrying groceries — and tai chi builds the capacity to coordinate and do multiple things simultaneously,” Swanson says.
Softening rather than stiffening when moving through space requires embracing your body’s natural sway and tiny micro-movements, like an ankle wobbling or knee jiggling. That not only builds muscles supporting the joints, but improves proprioception (awareness of your body moving through space), a key factor in balance. It also helps build interoception (awareness of bodily signals, like breathing or a heartbeat). The slow, intentional pace of tai chi paired with conscious breathing and present-moment awareness, Swanson says, also help release stress.
Over time, all of those things can help participants overcome fears of falling.
“People get scared of the sway, the wobble. If you’ve had a fall before, you get a fear of falling again and you stiffen up, you become protective,” Swanson says. “But that’s actually counterproductive — it makes you more likely to fall. We have to build the capacity to feel OK with a little wobble. With tai chi, your body is learning to catch yourself before you fall, you’re practicing stumbling gracefully.”
Here are four of Swanson’s favorite tai chi exercises to help you strengthen your balance. They’re demonstrated by Los Angeles Times staffer Christopher Reynolds. Tai chi is traditionally practiced in looser clothes and flat shoes.
1. Infinite posture and weight shift. Stand with your feet parallel about hip distance apart. Softly bend your knees, while still remaining tall and upright. Relax your arms by your sides for a deep breath. Then practice shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Move slowly, smoothly and continuously. Repeat for three rounds.
2. Lateral tap. Start with feet hip distance and parallel. Bring hands and weight over to one side. Place your hands out as if they are pressing on an imaginary wall. Then, tap the ball of your opposite foot out to the side. Bring the foot back to hip distance, shifting your hands and weight to repeat this motion on the other side. Repeat for three rounds.
3. Step and punch. Start with feet hip distance apart and toes facing out (45 degrees or less to comfort level). Hands are in soft fists at hips. Step one foot forward, placing the heel down and toes down without shifting weight. As you punch the opposite arm, shift 60% of your weight forward into the front foot. Keep your back heel down and stay upright. In slow motion, transition back to center and repeat on the other side. Do this for three rounds.
4. Kick and punch. Begin in the same starting position as exercise No. 3. This time, as you kick one foot forward, punch the opposite arm simultaneously. You can tap the ground or kick as high as you can, as long as you can slowly lower your foot at a smooth, continuous pace. Return to center and repeat on the other side. (It’s the same exercise as No. 3, but rather than stepping forward, you’re kicking.) Repeat for three rounds.
Now that you’re familiar with tai chi for balance, you can revisit (or try out!) balance fundamentals such as testing your balance IQ, beginners static and dynamic balance exercises and explosive plyometric movements.
But first: steady yourself from the inside. Take a breath and get into a relaxed mindset. Find your inner balance. As they say in tai chi: “The mind leads, the body follows.”
“Soft is strong.”
That’s one of the guiding principles behind tai chi, a hundreds-year-old Chinese martial arts practice that today is considered a form of meditative movement. It’s also a “gold standard” for balance training, says Ann Swanson, a tai chi instructor and author of three mindful movement books.
Good balance is beneficial for living a longer, healthier life — at any age. Check out our series featuring the latest research, a balance IQ test and simple at-home exercises.
“We have decades of research. One review, in 2023, reveals that tai chi practitioners have a 24% lower relative risk of falling than older adults who don’t practice,” Swanson says. “And it’s not some boring balance training program — it’s fun and enjoyable and people actually stick with it.”
Rather than focusing on explosive, fast-paced movements, tai chi is generally composed of slow, smooth, continuous movements staying within a modest range of motion. It’s especially gentle and accessible to people with disabilities, those healing injuries and older adults. Because it’s done so slowly and fluidly, emphasizing “soft joints” instead of locking out or bracing body parts, it’s low-impact. And because it’s typically done in an upright posture, it’s accessible to those with back or joint pain, arthritis, osteoporosis and vertigo, as it doesn’t require hinging forward.
“It’s adaptable, you can do the movements in different ways — big steps, small steps,” Swanson says. “It’s become a shining light in the field of balance and fall prevention.”
As tai chi doesn’t push extremes, it may feel counterintuitive in Western culture; but that’s part of its power, Swanson says, likening tai chi to water.
“Water is soft but strong: There could be an intense hurricane or flood, but it’s also adaptable and pliable; it fills a space. Tai chi is water-like that way.”
Tai chi isn’t just for old folks, however. Movements are often more challenging to your balance when done slowly with gentle resistance. The exercise can also be made more intense with a lower stance or squat. Tai chi strengthens the lower-body and builds postural and core muscles — the body’s deep stabilizing muscles — though it does so gently, over time. It improves mobility (fluidity of movement) and agility (pivoting quickly). Mindful dynamic movement, working different body parts at once, also challenges the brain and helps improve coordination.
“We often lose our balance when doing two things at once — walking and talking or carrying groceries — and tai chi builds the capacity to coordinate and do multiple things simultaneously,” Swanson says.
Softening rather than stiffening when moving through space requires embracing your body’s natural sway and tiny micro-movements, like an ankle wobbling or knee jiggling. That not only builds muscles supporting the joints, but improves proprioception (awareness of your body moving through space), a key factor in balance. It also helps build interoception (awareness of bodily signals, like breathing or a heartbeat). The slow, intentional pace of tai chi paired with conscious breathing and present-moment awareness, Swanson says, also help release stress.
Over time, all of those things can help participants overcome fears of falling.
“People get scared of the sway, the wobble. If you’ve had a fall before, you get a fear of falling again and you stiffen up, you become protective,” Swanson says. “But that’s actually counterproductive — it makes you more likely to fall. We have to build the capacity to feel OK with a little wobble. With tai chi, your body is learning to catch yourself before you fall, you’re practicing stumbling gracefully.”
Here are four of Swanson’s favorite tai chi exercises to help you strengthen your balance. They’re demonstrated by Los Angeles Times staffer Christopher Reynolds. Tai chi is traditionally practiced in looser clothes and flat shoes.
1. Infinite posture and weight shift. Stand with your feet parallel about hip distance apart. Softly bend your knees, while still remaining tall and upright. Relax your arms by your sides for a deep breath. Then practice shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Move slowly, smoothly and continuously. Repeat for three rounds.
2. Lateral tap. Start with feet hip distance and parallel. Bring hands and weight over to one side. Place your hands out as if they are pressing on an imaginary wall. Then, tap the ball of your opposite foot out to the side. Bring the foot back to hip distance, shifting your hands and weight to repeat this motion on the other side. Repeat for three rounds.
3. Step and punch. Start with feet hip distance apart and toes facing out (45 degrees or less to comfort level). Hands are in soft fists at hips. Step one foot forward, placing the heel down and toes down without shifting weight. As you punch the opposite arm, shift 60% of your weight forward into the front foot. Keep your back heel down and stay upright. In slow motion, transition back to center and repeat on the other side. Do this for three rounds.
4. Kick and punch. Begin in the same starting position as exercise No. 3. This time, as you kick one foot forward, punch the opposite arm simultaneously. You can tap the ground or kick as high as you can, as long as you can slowly lower your foot at a smooth, continuous pace. Return to center and repeat on the other side. (It’s the same exercise as No. 3, but rather than stepping forward, you’re kicking.) Repeat for three rounds.
Now that you’re familiar with tai chi for balance, you can revisit (or try out!) balance fundamentals such as testing your balance IQ, beginners static and dynamic balance exercises and explosive plyometric movements.
But first: steady yourself from the inside. Take a breath and get into a relaxed mindset. Find your inner balance. As they say in tai chi: “The mind leads, the body follows.”
“Soft is strong.”
That’s one of the guiding principles behind tai chi, a hundreds-year-old Chinese martial arts practice that today is considered a form of meditative movement. It’s also a “gold standard” for balance training, says Ann Swanson, a tai chi instructor and author of three mindful movement books.
Good balance is beneficial for living a longer, healthier life — at any age. Check out our series featuring the latest research, a balance IQ test and simple at-home exercises.
“We have decades of research. One review, in 2023, reveals that tai chi practitioners have a 24% lower relative risk of falling than older adults who don’t practice,” Swanson says. “And it’s not some boring balance training program — it’s fun and enjoyable and people actually stick with it.”
Rather than focusing on explosive, fast-paced movements, tai chi is generally composed of slow, smooth, continuous movements staying within a modest range of motion. It’s especially gentle and accessible to people with disabilities, those healing injuries and older adults. Because it’s done so slowly and fluidly, emphasizing “soft joints” instead of locking out or bracing body parts, it’s low-impact. And because it’s typically done in an upright posture, it’s accessible to those with back or joint pain, arthritis, osteoporosis and vertigo, as it doesn’t require hinging forward.
“It’s adaptable, you can do the movements in different ways — big steps, small steps,” Swanson says. “It’s become a shining light in the field of balance and fall prevention.”
As tai chi doesn’t push extremes, it may feel counterintuitive in Western culture; but that’s part of its power, Swanson says, likening tai chi to water.
“Water is soft but strong: There could be an intense hurricane or flood, but it’s also adaptable and pliable; it fills a space. Tai chi is water-like that way.”
Tai chi isn’t just for old folks, however. Movements are often more challenging to your balance when done slowly with gentle resistance. The exercise can also be made more intense with a lower stance or squat. Tai chi strengthens the lower-body and builds postural and core muscles — the body’s deep stabilizing muscles — though it does so gently, over time. It improves mobility (fluidity of movement) and agility (pivoting quickly). Mindful dynamic movement, working different body parts at once, also challenges the brain and helps improve coordination.
“We often lose our balance when doing two things at once — walking and talking or carrying groceries — and tai chi builds the capacity to coordinate and do multiple things simultaneously,” Swanson says.
Softening rather than stiffening when moving through space requires embracing your body’s natural sway and tiny micro-movements, like an ankle wobbling or knee jiggling. That not only builds muscles supporting the joints, but improves proprioception (awareness of your body moving through space), a key factor in balance. It also helps build interoception (awareness of bodily signals, like breathing or a heartbeat). The slow, intentional pace of tai chi paired with conscious breathing and present-moment awareness, Swanson says, also help release stress.
Over time, all of those things can help participants overcome fears of falling.
“People get scared of the sway, the wobble. If you’ve had a fall before, you get a fear of falling again and you stiffen up, you become protective,” Swanson says. “But that’s actually counterproductive — it makes you more likely to fall. We have to build the capacity to feel OK with a little wobble. With tai chi, your body is learning to catch yourself before you fall, you’re practicing stumbling gracefully.”
Here are four of Swanson’s favorite tai chi exercises to help you strengthen your balance. They’re demonstrated by Los Angeles Times staffer Christopher Reynolds. Tai chi is traditionally practiced in looser clothes and flat shoes.
1. Infinite posture and weight shift. Stand with your feet parallel about hip distance apart. Softly bend your knees, while still remaining tall and upright. Relax your arms by your sides for a deep breath. Then practice shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Move slowly, smoothly and continuously. Repeat for three rounds.
2. Lateral tap. Start with feet hip distance and parallel. Bring hands and weight over to one side. Place your hands out as if they are pressing on an imaginary wall. Then, tap the ball of your opposite foot out to the side. Bring the foot back to hip distance, shifting your hands and weight to repeat this motion on the other side. Repeat for three rounds.
3. Step and punch. Start with feet hip distance apart and toes facing out (45 degrees or less to comfort level). Hands are in soft fists at hips. Step one foot forward, placing the heel down and toes down without shifting weight. As you punch the opposite arm, shift 60% of your weight forward into the front foot. Keep your back heel down and stay upright. In slow motion, transition back to center and repeat on the other side. Do this for three rounds.
4. Kick and punch. Begin in the same starting position as exercise No. 3. This time, as you kick one foot forward, punch the opposite arm simultaneously. You can tap the ground or kick as high as you can, as long as you can slowly lower your foot at a smooth, continuous pace. Return to center and repeat on the other side. (It’s the same exercise as No. 3, but rather than stepping forward, you’re kicking.) Repeat for three rounds.
Now that you’re familiar with tai chi for balance, you can revisit (or try out!) balance fundamentals such as testing your balance IQ, beginners static and dynamic balance exercises and explosive plyometric movements.
But first: steady yourself from the inside. Take a breath and get into a relaxed mindset. Find your inner balance. As they say in tai chi: “The mind leads, the body follows.”
