Does regular Taijiquan practice benefit health？
2 min readTaijiquan has a reputation as a good treatment for chronic ailments，and this reputation is not groundless for it has the following health benefits：
a.Each movement is executed in the mind，so Taijiquan requires one to concentrate one’s mind on practice without distracting thoughts.Such concentration has proved to be effective and beneficial for the central nervous system.
b.Regular practice is conducive to the good health of cardiovascular system in the prevention of hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
c.One breathes slowly and evenly in pace with rhythmic movements.Sometimes this requires deep breathing controlled by the diaphragm.Regular practice helps to improve the elasticity of lung tissue，resulting better lung ventilation and the metabolism of carbon dioxide.
d.The movements are conducted in a slow and continuous flow，so regular practice helps strengthen bones and tendons.
e.Regular practice helps elderly people maintain the health of their kidneys.
f.Practice helps the metabolism of fat and protein as well as the change of calcium and phosphorus in non-organic salts.
What are the basic requirements for Taijiquan practice？
Exercisers should bear the following points in mind：
a.Keep the head and neck roughly perpendicular with the floor，as if suspended by a piece of thread.
b.The mouth is slightly opened or barely closed.Grit the teeth gently，not tightly.The tongue rests on the upper palate，or the tip of the tongue touches it. Swallow saliva when necessary.
c.The eyes look shut，but，in fact，they are not.They always follow the dominant moving hand.
d.Don’t throw out the chest or hunch the back.Bend both shoulders slightly inward to make the chest relax and extend the back naturally.
e.Relax both shoulders.Keep elbows loose and suspended.When you push your hand，protrude the palm slightly and extend fingers with the finger-joints slightly bent.When you draw your hand back，flex the wrist and fingers slightly.
f.Footwork should bear a close resemblance to the walking movement of a cat，or a lotus broken，but its fibers still joined.
g.Generally inhale in unison with the movements of standing up，bending the arms or lifting the legs.Exhale in
unison with the movements of squatting，extending the arms，dropping a foot or ending each form.
h.Exercise should be done in a quite and flat place where the air is fresh，preferably early in the morning or late in the evening.
As a Chinese proverb goes，“Small gains in 100 days，and big gains in 1，000 days！”Persist in Taijiquan practice if you want to get the maximum benefit from it.
