Which is better, yoga or tai chi?

In fact, there is no absolute "better" at all. It all depends on your own physical condition, exercise needs and adaptability to life scenarios. The old boxer who has been practicing for 20 years and the owner of the yoga studio who has taught yoga for seven years have a private appointment to chat about this. They have never argued over each other. They all agree on their own merits.

Two years ago, I met a young girl who was an e-commerce operator. She sat staring at the backstage for twelve hours a day. Her shoulders and neck were so stiff that she could hear clicking noises when she turned her head. She was born in society and didn't like to hang out with crowds. She only had room for a yoga mat in the single room she rented. She followed the online class to practice yin yoga. Every time she opened her shoulders, she stretched. She feels so comfortable every day that she sighs. After four months of practice, most of her prominent bulges have disappeared, and her rounded shoulders have also improved a lot. If you ask her to get up at six o'clock every day and go to the community garden to box with the grandparents, she will definitely be scared and unable to persist. For her, yoga is the best choice.

But this is completely untrue when it comes to Uncle Zhang downstairs in my house. Uncle Zhang was diagnosed with high blood pressure and mild knee degeneration a few years ago. The doctor asked him not to do strenuous exercise. He tried a yoga class with his wife. The downward dog pose made his arms tremble. After doing the twisting movement, he still felt dizzy. He refused to do it a second time. Later, he followed the community boxing class. The team plays Chen Style Tai Chi. After slowly performing a set of twenty-four postures, my whole body feels warm and my breathing becomes smooth. I have been practicing for almost three years now and my blood pressure has stabilized a lot. My knees used to hurt when I went up and down stairs. Now I can walk in the park for two hours without any trouble. Everyone I meet says that Tai Chi is the most suitable exercise for middle-aged and elderly people.

Speaking of which, both are essentially exercises that balance the body and mind. Yoga is more focused on the release and stretching of muscle fascia. Many schools of flow yoga and Ashtanga also take into account core strength training. The feedback on local muscle tension and posture problems caused by sitting for a long time is very fast.； Tai Chi follows the movement logic of the Oriental people, which emphasizes guiding the Qi with the mind. All movements follow arc trajectories, which will not cause additional pressure on the joints. In recent years, many clinical studies have confirmed that long-term practice of Tai Chi has a clear positive effect on improving the balance ability of middle-aged and elderly people and regulating chronic underlying diseases.

If you are really confused about which one to choose, it is better to find a trial class and try it two or three times. After the exercise, your whole body is relaxed, there is no inexplicable soreness, and the one you are willing to continue practicing next time is the best for you. After all, when it comes to exercise, it is more cost-effective to stick to it for a long time than to pick the "best option" that everyone talks about.