Newcastle
Tai Chi

More than healthy
Qigong & tai chi will make you healthy providing you practice the exercises little and often. Being healthy is good, but being fit is better. 

Fitness
Fitness is different to health. Being fit entails a wider range of concerns e.g. increased flexibility, suppleness, strength, cardiovascular health/fitness, agility... These considerations are addressed at length in the fitness syllabus.

3 areas
There are 3 areas of fitness:
1. Cardio
2. Strength
3. Flexibility
In order to exercise the body properly, you need to gain aptitude in all 3 areas. 
 

Tai chi for fitness involves
• Standing qigong (various)
• Moving qigong (4 sets)
• Long Yang form
• Sabre form
• Walking stick form
• Stick drills
• Sword drills
• Balls & grips
• Core strength (3 sets)
• Leg stretches (2 sets)
• Psoas exercises (4)
• Self-massage
• Taoist Yoga (3 sets)
• Partner work

Moderation
Tai chi for fitness is harder to do than tai chi for health, but not strenuous. It offers a varied, interesting workout for people seeking to increase the benefits of qigong and tai chi without undertaking martial arts practice.

Qualifying for fitness?
Tai chi for health students seeking a challenge can ask to undertake the fitness syllabus once they have completed the remaining qigong exercises, section 1 of the long Yang form and the partner work exercises.