Which one is more effective, yoga or tai chi?

Sports enthusiasts who have practiced Yang-style Tai Chi for 8 years and been exposed to yoga intermittently for almost 5 years can say with confidence that there is no standard answer to "who is more effective" between the two. It is completely based on your needs to choose and adapt to your own needs to be the most effective.

There used to be a sister Zhang at the community activity center downstairs of my house who had an old meniscus injury in her knee. Two years ago, she followed the trend and signed up for an internet celebrity flow yoga class. After one class, she took turns doing squats, jumps, and planks. After practicing for two weeks, she was so painful that she couldn't even climb up to the third floor. Later, her husband pulled her away. Then she went to do the simplified 24-style Tai Chi. She followed the teacher to slowly find her center of gravity, adjust her gait, and even exert force along the joints. After more than three months, she never complained of pain when she went downstairs to buy groceries and carry more than ten kilograms of things. Now everyone she meets says that Tai Chi is much more reliable than yoga.

But the girl who just graduated from my previous company was completely the opposite. She sat in front of the computer for 10 hours every day. She had round shoulders and a hunched back. She also worked overtime and was so anxious that she had insomnia all night long. I dragged her to try Tai Chi. After five minutes of standing, she felt itchy all over her body and felt too slow. Unable to stop, I turned around and signed up for a small yin yoga class. I followed the teacher to regulate my breathing and stretch my shoulders and neck. For more than half a month, he kept chasing me and told me that I could fall asleep just by laying down and touching the pillow. The lump on my trapezius muscle that was as hard as a rock has softened a lot. I kept saying that yoga is the savior of working people.

If you really want to look at the indicators of exercise physiology, the emphasis of the two is different. Tai Chi emphasizes "intention without exertion". The whole set of movements is about finding a sense of balance in dynamics. It is famous for strengthening the strength and proprioception of the lower limbs. I previously participated in an exchange event for Tai Chi enthusiasts in the city and met a 73-year-old man who had been practicing Tai Chi for almost 30 years. He could stand independently on one leg for 12 minutes. His bone density was better than that of many recently retired people when he went to the hospital. This is why many rehabilitation departments now include simplified Tai Chi in the fall prevention intervention plan for middle-aged and elderly people. Yoga focuses more on the stretching of myofascia and the activation of deep core stability, especially the linkage regulation of breathing and movements. It has been proven by many clear studies in recent years to improve upper cross syndrome and emotional anxiety in sedentary people. A girl I met before who practiced yoga had difficulty bending down to put on socks just after the acute stage of lumbar prolapse. After practicing repair movements with a rehabilitation-oriented yoga teacher for two months, she was able to climb mountains normally.

Of course, there are also many people arguing, saying that Tai Chi is too slow and abrasive and not suitable for young people, or that yoga can easily damage ligaments. In fact, it is not a problem of exercise. Many Yeluzi teachers themselves do not understand the logic of exerting force. Tai Chi teachers make people squat with their knees lower than their toes, and yoga teachers force students to bend their legs and lower their legs. Any exercise like this will cause injuries.

To put it bluntly, it’s like asking whether black tea or green tea is better. If you want to refresh yourself and relieve fatigue, choose green tea. If you want to warm your stomach and heart, choose black tea. Find the right regular teacher and choose the one that suits your physical condition and needs. The one you can stick to will have the best effect.