By Wayne Bowman

Trinidad Guardian

October 24, 2001

Page 35

How To Do Tai-Chi

Stress is said to be part and parcel of life these days. Each day we are faced with pressure on all fronts; job, financial, political and so many other sources.

Depending on anti-stress medication can result in other dependencies, which in the end will only increase stress levels and affect health.

But there are other ways of fighting stress and its effects, ways that will serve to improve your health and quality of life, rather than place it at risk.

One of these stress fighters is the Chinese art of Tai-Chi, an ancient system of exercises that concentrates on the development and strengthening of the body's internal vital organs. It incorporates the use of meditation, breathing exercises and chi (vital energy) development. The source of chi lies in the tan-tien, which is below the navel and stores vital energy for the entire body.

Tai-Chi uses every part of the body and incorporates slow, fluid movements with rhythmic breathing patterns. Some of the motions are swift, but these are short and require very little effort. You can hold a position for some time, but not for too long. One is usually in a state of meditation while doing the exercise.

Tai-Chi is practised by millions of people all over the world, most of whom do the exercises early in the morning, in their gardens, in parks, on rooftops, at the beach or just about any relatively quiet space they can find.

Now here in Trinidad people can be seen in public practising this low-energy form of exercise.

Tai-Chi was introduced here in the 1970s, but the art is being popularised by Sifu Rahman Khabir, a native of Bermuda who has made Trinidad his home.

Khabir migrated from Bermuda to the United States at 16 and lived there for more tan 17 years. While there he studied martial arts under various masters. He was also introduced to Tai-Chi and developed a special interest in the art.

Khabir married a Trinidadian and thus came to Trinidad in the mid-1980s. He spends his time between here, Bermuda and the US.

In 1995 Khabir introduced tai-chi and kung fu to Tobago when he opened a school there. To date he has established more than seven training centres across Trinidad and Tobago.

He also has a branch of the Tai-Chi Institute of Trinidad and Tobago in the United Kingdom. He was a founding member of the Trinidad and Tobago Martial Arts Commission and travels extensively to the US, Europe, Japan and China to participate in festivals and hold workshops and seminars.

The art of Tai-Chi came about when a monk named Chang-San-Feng back in the 13th century was walking through the forest one day from the Shaolin Temple. He stumbled upon a fight between two animals, a crane and a snake.

Based on the observance of this encounter, he formulated a set of exercises known as Tai-Chi Chuan, which means basically "meditation in motion".

"This is the art of neutralising the opponent by using the opponent's own force against himself.

"This, however, is used mostly today for healing, strengthening the body's immune system, rejuvenating vital organs, reversing the aging process, to combat stress, tension and the pressures of the everyday fast-paced world," Khabir said.

Khabir adds that Tai-Chi is for everyone regardless of age, fitness level or lifestyle.

"Anyone can perform Tai-Chi regardless of fitness level. I have taught physically disabled and even bedridden people the art. As long as the person can breathe they can do the exercises.

"Tai-Chi is not an instant cure for any illness or disability, but it can contribute to improving one's state. It is designed to put one in harmony with nature," Khabir said.

The martial arts instructor also said the idea of Tai-Chi is not only to treat with the physical exterior of the body. "Chi energy being moved can put the body into harmony. The art is designed to give coordination, balance, balance the left and right side of the brain, control respiratory nervousness in the body. Lung capacity is increased and digestion improves, while muscles strengthen and limbs become stronger and more flexible," he said.

Khabir conducts Tai-Chi classes at venues across Trinidad and Tobago.

For further details you can contact him at 696-0876.

How To Do It

Learning Tai-Chi is not a quick process. It's about repetition. Learn a move, practice it until you get the hand of it, then add a move a few days later.

• Practise the two moves together, then learn the next move, and so on, gradually building up. The more the repetition, the more your body becomes in tune, and it (as well as your mind) remembers the movements.
• Always keep your head straight while you are doing Tai-Chi. This aids balance. The chi node at the top of your head is a central meeting point of nearly all the chi meridian lines in the body, and is where chi is released upwards into the atmosphere.
• Keep your back straight. You will form a vertical "plumb line" from the top of your head to your tan tien - your centre of gravity and of your chi (about two inches below your navel).
• Splay your toes slightly. This really does make a difference to the way that you balance - especially at the times when you are on one leg.
• Always practise in fluidic, constant motion. You don't do one move, ten another, as separate things, "stopping" between each: the end of one move should flow seamlessly into another - while you are finishing one, a part of your body should be beginning the next. Make hand movements circular in motion. This increases the fluidity of the motion, and brings expression into the form.
• Breathe out as you push out, and breathe in as you bring your movements in.
• Always be relaxed: especially in your arms.
• Be wary of pains, especially in your knees - ease off a bit.

The fundamental tip for doing Tai-Chi is to do it often. Once a week will give you absolutely no benefit whatsoever.

Make a practice of doing it every day, or at least four to five times a week. Set a little quality time aside each day, and know that this is the time that you will be doing it.