The difference between yoga and tai chi

The core difference between yoga and Tai Chi is essentially the physical practice logic of two completely different civilization systems - the former originated from the Brahmin cultural system of ancient India and was originally an auxiliary means of religious practice. The core is to achieve the spiritual connection of "the unity of Brahman and self" through active body control.； The latter was born out of the traditional Chinese Taoist culture and folk martial arts system. From its inception, it has taken into account both self-defense and health-preserving properties. Its core is to achieve the internal and external harmony of "the unity of nature and man" by following the natural body operations. Although the two are often classified as "slow-paced physical and mental exercise," they are very different from the logic of exertion, training paths, and cultural core. There is no distinction between high and low, and the people and scenes they are suitable for are also different.

To be honest, I took half-year Yin Yoga classes and Chen-style Tai Chi introductory classes at the same time two years ago, and I was completely confused by the difference in the first class. The yoga teacher came up and squatted next to me, pressed my hips and slapped me downwards, saying, "Lower down, find the boundaries of your body, and break through them." It hurt so much that tears welled up in my eyes. ； The Tai Chi teacher only taught standing postures in the first class. He came over and touched my tight knees, patted my back and said, "Don't exert too much force, relax, and stand as comfortable as you want. Stand until you feel that all the strength in your body is smooth."

Many people think that these two are slow and slow, right? Not really. If you go to a flow yoga class, you will know that even if it is a seemingly gentle movement, the muscles are working against it throughout the whole process - either against the body weight when supporting, or against the body's rebound when stretching. To put it bluntly, it is the way of "actively seeking pain and pushing through the limit." Interestingly, the commercial yoga that everyone is familiar with now is actually very different from the traditional yoga of ancient India. Many conservative yoga schools in India still accuse the current commercial yoga of "turning practice into weight loss exercises" and completely losing the core of spiritual connection. There are also many yoga practitioners in the country who are divided into "practical schools" and "fitness schools". No one can convince the other.

Tai Chi is completely the opposite logic. All movements require "intention and not force." When you first practice, you may feel sore in your legs and arms. Nine times out of ten, it's because of the competition. An old boxer who is really relaxed will have only a thin layer of sweat on his body after a 20-minute routine. His arms are all soft when touched, and his strength is buried in his bones. Nowadays, there are many differences in the Tai Chi circle. Competitive Tai Chi requires more standard movements in competitions. It requires a lowered posture and neat movements. Many traditional old boxers feel that this has lost the roots of Tai Chi. "We are all posing in a tense manner, so what else is it called Tai Chi?" 」

When I was working on a project for a week, I tried the conditioning effects of two types of exercise, and the difference was particularly obvious. When you go to a yoga class, you have to keep an eye on whether your movements are correct throughout the whole process. You have to follow the teacher's instructions to adjust your breathing and hold the pain of stretching. After a class, your body is sore, but your mind is completely empty and you have no time to think about unfinished needs. ； If you stand in Tai Chi for half an hour, your mind will not be empty, and those random thoughts will still pop up, but you will not think about grabbing them, they will float away and disappear. After standing, you will feel the kind of relaxation from the inside out. It is not that the pain is crowding out the worries, but the worries have become lighter on their own.

There is no need to say which one is better, it depends on your own situation. For example, if you have an old knee injury, I would recommend finding a reliable Tai Chi teacher. Many yoga movements require locking the knees and deep hip bends. Improper exertion can easily aggravate meniscus wear. If Tai Chi is practiced correctly, it will reduce the load on the joints. The energy will be concentrated in the soles of the feet and will not put additional pressure on the knees. But if you have been sitting for a long time and your shoulders and neck are as stiff as rocks, and you want to quickly improve your physical condition, then practicing yoga in the early stage will definitely bring faster results than Tai Chi. After all, it directly stretches the tense muscles and fascia, and the effect of Tai Chi is soaked in. Maybe you stand for three months and realize that there is no clicking sound when you turn your head.

In the past two years, I saw a saying that "Tai Chi is Chinese yoga." To be honest, senior practitioners on both sides don't really agree with this statement. Many people in the yoga circle feel that Tai Chi is too slow. If you don’t move for half a day, there is no sense of stretching and no fitness effect. ； People in the Tai Chi circle also feel that yoga is too strenuous and always breaks the limits of the body, which completely goes against the logic of health preservation. In fact, it is something that grew up in two sets of cultures. It is unnecessary to insist on referring to relatives.

Last time I went for a walk in the park, I saw an aunt who had been practicing Tai Chi for more than 20 years. After a set of boxing, she took out a folding yoga mat and spread it on the side to open her shoulders. I asked her, do you still practice yoga? My aunt was happy and said, "It doesn't matter what Tai Chi yoga is, anything that can make my shoulders less painful and help me sleep soundly is a good thing." You see, in the final analysis, the difference is determined by people, and what suits you is the most important.