Poor balance is a common issue for older adults and is a major cause of falls that send millions of people each year to the emergency room. Based on his 20 years of working for Cigna Healthcare's Disease Prevention program, Dr. Tsao created this Tableside Tai Chi Therapy practice to help you safely develop a better sense of balance and stability.  With a table as support, you can practice with confidence to improve your balance, while at the same time building strength, mobility, and agility. Tai chi can improve your posture, increase muscle strength and speed, sharpen reflexes, expand flexibility, and strengthen your core.  This DVD gives you step-by-step instructions for Tai Chi and Qigong exercises that will help you stay active and independent as you age.

Joint locks (Qin-na ��拿 ) are a key element of tai chi self-defense and are based on the tai chi principles of adhering and sticking. Tai Chi Bang Qin-na Joint Locks in Chen Style, created by Dr. Jesse Tsao, provides you with an effective training method to develop your grasping ability with spiraling inner strength. Not only for tai chi practitioners, the training methods develop fundamental skills that can augment the practice of Aikido, Jujitsu or Judo techniques.  The short stick simulates the opponent's forearm, and training with the stick facilitates the development of coordinated hand movements 两手相搏相系 that are integrated with the tight spiraling action of the torso, providing highly effective and powerful self-defense reactions 太极圈要越练越小紧凑. It is also an excellent therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritic hands, strengthening and stretching the muscles and tendons for improved range of motion and dexterity.

Tai Chi Hiking Staff for Self-defense

Weapon training is an important aspect of Tai Chi, with the sword being the most popular weapon. However, in modern life, it’s impractical to carry or use a sword in public spaces. The Tai Chi Hiking Staff offers a practical alternative, combining an everyday tool with Tai Chi’s graceful movements. Its portability makes it ideal for exercise and self-defense, bridging ancient martial arts with modern fitness. The hiking staff can be switched to handle position swiftly between single and double-handed grips because it is bladeless, and it can also mimic long-handled weapons like the spear or Guandao, providing a full-body workout and cardiovascular benefits, which is why I’ve integrated these postures into the routine.

Tai Chi Qigong Hiking Staff for Beginners serves as an "appetizer" to the main routine, Tai Chi Hiking Staff for Self-Defense, offering a gentle introduction to the foundational movements. The postures incorporate basic martial arts techniques while blending elements of Tai Chi and the Five Animal Frolics (五禽戏). This unique fusion creates a holistic practice that not only prepares the body for more advanced routines but also deepens the experience with core martial arts principles. Suitable for all ages and body conditions, this introductory set can also stand alone as a complete Qigong practice, fostering both physical well-being and inner balance.

Weighted-ball training with Tai Chi Silk Reeling (chan-si) and Self-massage, created by Dr. Jesse Tsao of Tai Chi Healthways, is one of the most effective ways to enhance your energy circulation and improve your balance, endurance, bone density, and core strength. Moving the ball around your torso massages your inner organs and reflects the inner dan-tian rotation. The weight helps develop your rooting and leg strength. Momentarily extending the ball away from the torso will improve your arm strength It can help build and maintain muscle mass and strength. Strong muscles lead to strong bones, and strong bones can help minimize the risk of fracture due to osteoporosis. It can also protect vitality, make everyday tasks more manageable, and help you maintain a healthy weight. Harvard Health Publications remarks that “a combination of age-related changes, inactivity, and inadequate nutrition conspire to gradually steal bone mass, at the rate of 1% per year after age 40.” As bones grow more fragile and susceptible to fracture, they are more likely to break after a minor fall or even a simple everyday activity such as bending over to tie a shoelace. Six out of 10 people who break a hip never fully regain their former level of independence. Even walking across a room without help may become impossible. Numerous studies have shown that strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and several studies show it can even build bone, offsetting age-related declines in bone mass. Practicing tai chi with a weighted ball puts healthy stress on the bones and can promote the activity of bone-forming cells. The result is stronger and denser bones.