Many may find this surprising, but Tai Chi Chuan means “Ultimate Supreme Fist”. It is an effective form of martial arts, but over the years it has evolved into a “softer” martial art designed more for health and fitness. In a way, this is a good thing because there are many martial arts with a strong focus on fighting. By allowing Tai Chi to venture into the realm of health and wellness, many important insights into the benefits of the art have been revealed. One of those great benefits has been the ability to help relieve stress.
There are several ways that Tai Chi can help relieve stress. One of the main ways it can do this is through its ability to help regulate your breathing. When you perform the movements of this form of martial art, you also engage in deep, relaxed breathing. A common problem that people experience when under a lot of stress is hyperventilation. By understanding what it takes to control breathing, the ability to prevent such a problem from getting out of hand is more likely. This is not a minor benefit because hyperventilation can turn into a panic attack relatively quickly when not recovered. Developing martial arts-based breath control can reverse the onset of such a problem.
Stress can also stem from weakness of the body. Many don’t associate Tai Chi with building strength, and while it certainly won’t build strength to the same level as weightlifting, this martial art can certainly help improve strength. Many of the movements in Tai Chi follow the same range of motion as dozens of other exercises. Regular Tai Chi practice can certainly help greatly in strength development. Improving one’s strength is always a very positive thing and martial arts can certainly offer such improvements.
Stress can also be rooted in anxiety, and built-up tension and mental fatigue can often lead to large amounts of anxiety. Unfortunately, many people don’t know how to relieve stress. This is what leads to depression and anger management issues. Tai Chi can help improve the potential to reverse such tension, thus eliminating the various problems associated with it. Ironically, this can aid in a self-defense ability, as keeping your temper in check can certainly prevent a series of skirmishes from occurring.
Of course, consistency is the key to gaining the benefit of any martial art and Tai Chi is definitely not excluded from this fact. Performing your moves every day (or at least every other day) will certainly enhance the benefits you get from it. The more consistent you are with your training, your skills will increase as will the value you gain from those skills.
Tai Chi is undoubtedly a beneficial martial art on several levels. Its ability to relieve stress is one of its most valuable aspects. That is why anyone looking to reduce the impact of stress should explore what Tai Chi has to offer.
