Which one is healthier, yoga or Tai Chi

From the perspective of the general standards of sports rehabilitation and public health, there is no absolute distinction between the two. Whether it is healthy or not, and whether the effect is good or not, all depends on the practitioner's physical foundation, practice goals and fitness. If you choose the right method, you will support people, but if you practice incorrectly, it will harm the body.

Two years ago, I met two aunties of about the same age at the sports rehabilitation studio I frequented. They were both in their early 60s and had degenerative disease in one knee. I used to practice flow yoga with sisters in the community, always doing low lunges and squats, which made my knees hurt when going up and down stairs. Later, I heard the rehabilitation teacher suggested that I switch to simplified 24-position Tai Chi. There is no need to squat down forcibly if you move slowly. When we met again three months later, they said that the knee pain had been relieved by half. They also went to climb the colorful stone stream at the foot of Mount Tai with their children. Another aunt suffered from shoulder and neck adhesions caused by years of doing housework. She couldn't even reach the top of the closet when she raised her arms. She started practicing with the Tai Chi team in the park and couldn't help but shrug her shoulders while standing. After practicing for two months, her shoulders and neck became even stiffer. Later, she switched to a yoga class for shoulder and neck repair, which consisted of simple shoulder opening, cat-cow pose and neck stretching. After two months, she said her arms were no longer stuck in a pullover.

Some people have always asked me before if Tai Chi is gentler and suitable for everyone to practice. In fact, it is not. Last winter, I met an old man in the community. He practiced Tai Chi so much that he wanted to "stabilize the lower body." He squatted very low in the horse stance and even buckled his knees in. He eventually strained his cruciate ligament and had to lie down for half a month before he could get out of bed. To put it bluntly, no matter what kind of exercise, problems are likely to arise if the movements are not standard and if you push beyond your physical limits.

Of course, many people are biased against yoga. They think that young people just mess around with their bodies and easily injure their waists and cervical vertebrae. They really don’t have a proper training method. I used to work overtime at an Internet company, and my trapezius muscles were as hard as a rock, and I couldn't even press them during a massage. Later, I followed the teacher to practice a 15-minute repair sequence, which included cat-cow pose, baby pose, and breathing adjustments while standing against the wall. After the practice, I felt my shoulders sink on the spot, which is more effective than an hour-long massage. If you really only practice basic breathing and restorative postures, you won't get injured at all. Those who get injured are mostly chasing after difficult handstands and splits, which is purely blind practice.

To be honest, the difference between the two is actually more about the different adaptable scenarios and needs. If you are a middle-aged or elderly person with weak lower limb strength and poor balance, and want to practice some sports that you can go out and play with others, Tai Chi is definitely more suitable. A group of people can box in the park and socialize. After practicing for a long time, you can walk steadily. My grandma is 83 years old. I have been practicing Tai Chi for five years. I have never slipped when I went out to buy groceries on a snowy day. If you are an office worker who sits in an office every day, have stiff shoulders, neck, and back pain, and don’t have time to go out and practice with the team, taking 20 minutes to practice restorative yoga at home is extremely cost-effective.

After all, there is no need to worry about which one is healthier. If you really want to choose, try two or three classes of each to feel which one is easy for you to stretch out and which one you can persist in for a long time. For ordinary people, if you can persist in practicing exercise for ten or eight years, it is the most suitable and healthiest one for you. I do both now. I practice yoga at home for 20 minutes after get off work to relax my shoulders and neck. On weekends, when I have free time in the morning, I go to the park to practice boxing with the Tai Chi team for half an hour. By doing this together, I have had fewer colds in the past two years.