Living It Up: Tai Chi

Jackie: "For somebody who's never done Tai Chi before, what exactaly is it?"

James: "Tai Chi is both a martial art and also an exercise for health...It's very calm, it's usually practiced very slowly and so it has a very meditative effect."

Jackie: "And after taking Tai Chi for a couple of weeks, what would you say the biggest difference would be that you feel."

James: "Well people usually find that their joints become more loosened and more opened and they start to learn to relax or at least start to notice where they are tense."

Jackie: "Okay well let's get started."

James: "When you first bend, then the arms move and therefore you have a principal in Tai Chi called unitary movement, the arms don't move by themselves."

James: "Upward, and downward."

James: "Now sideways movement is a little bit easier actually."

Jackie: "It feels relaxing."

James: "Let's try a little bit of the form."

James: "Lift the right hand up, left hand down, it's called "crane spreads wings."

James: "Hands to the left a little bit, now bring them back over in front of you, this is called "play guitar""

Jackie: "How many postures are there?"

James: "64 postures."

James: "Get your balance on your left foot, lift your right knee, it's called "golden rooster", stands on one leg, step down."

Jackie: "And that's what it's like living it up studying Tai Chi at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami, if you want more info, log on to WSVN.com, I'm Jackie Johnson, 7 news."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact: jjohnson@wsvn.com

500 Brickel Key Drive

Miami, Fl 33131

(305) 913-8288