CEDAR CITY — The Area Agency on Aging has scheduled a tai chi class at the Cedar City Senior Center. This free class will provide a venue for seniors to share experiences and gain improved balance through mental and physical strengthening.
The class will be held on an ongoing basis every Wednesday and Friday morning at 9:30am. Many studies have shown tai chi to be one of the most effective exercises for preventing falls. Tai chi has been shown to improve balance, increase leg strength, reduce fear of falling, improve mobility, increase flexibility and improve psychological health. The special features of this unique program are that it is easy to learn, enjoyable and provides many health benefits in a relatively short period of time.
“Tai chi is a graceful form of exercise that involves a series of movements, known as forms, which are performed in a slow, focused manner combined with controlled breathing. It is a low-impact exercise that puts minimal stress on muscles and joints, making it suitable for many older adults,” said Maria Bailey of the Area Agency on Aging. “For these reasons, Tai chi is recommended to prevent falls among older adults.”
The program contains a carefully constructed set of warmup and cooldown exercises, breathing exercises, a basic core of six movements, an advanced extension of six movements and adaptations of the movements for older adults of all physical levels. Each class includes relaxation and exercises that are introduced gradually. Tai chi helps people with and without arthritis to improve all muscular strength, flexibility, balance, stamina and more.