Muscle in on stress

MENTION the word fitness in the presence of the average couch potato and he or she will recoil in horror at the thought of lycra leotards and pulsating music. But leotards are nowhere to be seen at most T'ai Chi classes and the only sound is the gentle swish of cotton soled shoes on a wooden floor. T'ai Chi, an ancient Chinese art of mind and body exercise, is thought to be about 5,000 years old and its aim is to energise and relax.

Suitable for all ages, T'ai Chi needs no special equipment or clothing. As long as someone can stand and move a little they will be able to do the exercises. So, it can be successfully practised by older people who want to stay supple and this includes those who use aids such as a walking frame to get around.

To watch, T'ai Chi (Chi means vital energy) is very graceful and those doing it look as if they are moving in slow motion. It's a series of connected exercises through which one moves without stopping. About 20 minutes a day, divided between morning and evening, is enough to produce positive results.

There are various levels of T'ai Chi, but most people will derive benefit from being able to master the basic exercises. The method is growing in popularity and on average around 100 people turn up at the introductory classes run a couple of times a year by Patricia McNally and Alexander Gibbs of the Irish school of T'ai Chi Chuan in Dublin.

The classes are team taught and men and women come in equal numbers. The age profile is wide with older people and teenagers on the books but most students are in the 20-50 bracket. "T'ai Chi helps increase flexibility and improve balance, body alignment and co ordination," explains McNally who has been practising the method for over 20 years. "We exercise in a `round' and during the round each muscle is worked and relaxed including the small muscles which are very important for posture."

From the age of about four children start to mimic the posture of those around them and they lose their natural flexibility, she says. This continues as we grow older and as the ligaments and joints become less flexible it puts pressure on the internal organs which then function less efficiently. Other problems such as arthritis and rheumatism can also develop.

T'ai Chi can help redress this by opening up the spaces between the joints and using the body's circulation of energy to promote health and internal balance. Building up strength in the legs is central to T'ai Chi and there are 37 `steps' in all and nine levels of proficiency. It takes a complete beginner about 10 hours to get to grips with the basics and it's recommended that students practice morning and evening to get the best results.

"In the morning," says Gibbs, "it will wake you up and prepare you for the day. At night it can be used to wind down and prepare the body for sleep." In the morning, he explains, it releases the energy while at night it moves the energy inwards where it helps the body to rejuvenate during sleep.

"If you've had a busy day and your mind is racing it's a good way of settling yourself down and changing the focus," says Gibbs. "Finding ways of coping with life's stresses is increasingly part of many people's personal development agendas."

According to all the research, says McNilly, stress needs to be tackled. Otherwise it lodges inside and creates even bigger problems for people. "Stress tends to go into the muscles and this can released by doing a physical routine like T'ai Chi. Normal exercises such as jogging, aerobics or gym work outs deal mainly with the big muscles whereas T'ai Chi is a holistic routine which addresses the body as a complete organism and also connects with the mind.

"T'ai Chi builds strength and flexibility as it relaxes and with regular practice people should be able to gain the pliability of a child, the strength of a lumberjack and the peace of mind of a sage."