If you had just one piece of health advice for people in their 20’s what would it be?
We asked two experts at the ancient practise of Tai Chi and this is what they said….
The first person we asked was Abbott Zhao a senior Abbott at the White Cloud Temple in Beijing and the second person was Wai-Yii, head coach at Lishi Leeds Tai Chi. As they discussed the topic, the key theme that they both agreed on was the need to balance yin and yang activity.
Often, in the West, young people take an “either or” kind of approach to exercise. They either go to the gym and lift weights or they do yoga. A better approach is to balance strength training with exercises that also improve your suppleness and flexibility.
Whilst cardio-vascular exercise was seen as important and both of them agreed that moderately increasing your heartrate for prolonged periods was a good thing, this should also be balanced with slower, more restful exercises.
The most interesting point they made was an idea that most Western approaches don’t even consider or aren’t even aware of.
They say that the key to good health in your 20’s that will set you up for good health throughout your life is to invest in the internal cultivation of your energy through meditation and qigong as well as regular external expression of your energy through dance and martial arts/wushu.
Many approaches to exercise in the modern world are the result of a very narrow focus on getting a specific result for the body. This can lead to imbalances.
The Daoist approach is to consider the whole of life and to approach health and fitness with an understanding of the bigger picture. “It shouldn’t be about whether you look good right now but more importantly how you can feel good throughout the whole of your life.”
“Exercise is an individual journey that’s as unique as you are. The Daoist practise of Lishi provides guidance and a route map for participants to discover what they are capable of, whether that be in terms of strength, suppleness or stamina. But more than that, it provides a route to find an inner peace and confidence that ensures a mentally and emotionally healthy experience of life.”
To see the range of exercises on offer in a typical Lishi class you can choose between the class at Hyde Park Corner or the one in Chapel Allerton
