Follow along with Diane at Open the Door to Tai Chi and learn about "posture." To get the most out of your practice, the principles must be your guide. Peace #taichi #posture #yangstyle24form

Chen Tai Chi traces back to the Chen family of Chenjiagou, where Chen Wangting (17th century) synthesized: • Existing Chen family martial arts • Daoist philosophy • Qigong, Daoyin, and meridian theory • Long Fist routines and Cannon Fist forms All other major Tai Chi styles — Yang, Wu, Wu (Hao), Sun — ultimately descend from Chen. This video demonstrates the Chen 74 form, preformed in a park in the usual way that tai chi is practiced in China - outdoors, in a park. The fo

Here are some tai chi walking videos for your review. They are very different from each other while at the same time, provide instruction that leads to the same place: balance, calmness, the principles. Watch each one, first to last and decide what is right for you and your tai chi goals. You talked to the doctor, correct? They told you this is okay, correct? If not, just watch for now then get some professional advice about what you can physically and mentally do when it com

Here’s a breakdown of how the U.S. food pyramid has changed , based on the newly released 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (1/7/2026). These updates represent the biggest shift in federal nutrition advice in decades, and the pyramid itself has been completely inverted . What does this mean? It means that a solid discussion with your health care provider is in order. Your doctor or dietician can explain what these changes mean for you, especially if the pyramid is s

Even though the actual  oxygen fraction in air stays 20.9% , the effective  oxygen available to your body decreases with altitude because air pressure drops. Refer to the chart and recommendations. Talk about this with your health care professional before you start an exercise program or plan to exercise in a new location. 🌬️ Oxygen Concentration by Altitude Oxygen tables from Higher Peak and FlyMall: Altitude (ft) Effective Oxygen % 0 ft 20.9% 1,000 ft 20.1% 2,000 ft 19.4%

Happy 2026 Everyone! This year BCBZ celebrates 9 years on the web, providing support and training suggestions for fans of tai chi and those seeking a calmer life. In 9 years this site has never been filled with ads or asked for contributions. This site does not offer items for sale. Is it possible that there will be advertisements or something similar in the future? Perhaps. Web sites are not free to create or maintain. Many hours of research are committed to this site. I am

Happy New Year 🎉 New Year’s celebrations in the U.S. are a blend of ancient traditions, European customs, and uniquely American innovations. The holiday as we know it today—fireworks, Times Square, resolutions, and champagne—took shape over centuries. 🕰️ Ancient Roots That Influenced American Traditions Although the U.S. celebration is modern, its foundations stretch back thousands of years: Ancient Babylon  held the earliest known New Year festival, Akitu , about 4,000 yea

This holiday season, if you know some tai chi (24, 40 or even the 108 form) here is a short practice video by Open the Door to Tai Chi. Ah, the calm and relaxed feeling for those of us that practice tai chi during a busy holiday season. Pay attention to your columns, your support leg and empty leg, and keep yourself grounded. Important principles covered in 11 minutes. Happy Holidays! Peace

Here’s a clear, grounded explanation of what a VO₂ test is and why it’s widely considered the gold standard  for measuring aerobic fitness. 🌬️ What a VO₂ Test Measures A VO₂ max test  measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise . It’s expressed in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). During the test: You wear a mouthpiece connected to a metabolic cart  that analyzes the oxygen you inhale and the carbon

Anyone that follows this site is here for a reason. You are interested in Tai Chi, a healthy diet, nature, yoga, or travel. Perhaps you want to learn more about the commonalities between different world religions . Many pages and blog posts on this site recommend that each person, in their best interest, should consult with a health care professional before starting an exercise program or making a change to their diet. That advice still holds because this blogger is no

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Let's talk first about the history of the holiday and then move on to how to navigate it! Thanksgiving began as a harvest celebration in the early 1600s and evolved into a national holiday in the United States in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a day of gratitude. 🌽 Early Origins Religious roots in Europe:  The idea of “days of thanksgiving” comes from English traditions during the Protestant Reformation, when special services

Walking offers powerful health benefits with minimal effort—it boosts heart health, strengthens muscles, improves mood, and helps manage weight and chronic conditions. Show this page to your health care provider. Ask how this applies to you, if there is anything he/she does not agree with (or has additional recommendations) and if you don't currently exercise, what is the safest way to start an exercise routine, FOR YOU. The BCBZ blogger is not a healthcare professional and

Older adults that are students of the Tai chi Moving for Better Balance practice often wonder if the Balance Practice is really Tai chi. It is. It's a modified version of the Yang Style Simplified 8 Form, which is a modification of the Yang Style 24 Short Form which is a modification of the Full Yang Style 108 Form! In between there is also a 40 Form. Whew! In other words, it encapsulates the principles of Tai chi with the purpose of improving balance. Some Balance Form

If you are new to this website or any exercise website or in person program, this blogger has posted reminders in the past but it's time to repeat the best way to approach any exercise program under consideration, in this case, tai chi. Talk to your health care provider. Do you have high blood pressure, a bad knee or knee replacement, scoliosis, a breathing or balance issue, a back injury, a heart condition, diabetes, etc. etc. etc. ? Maybe you are pretty healthy but have not

Tai Chi Silver Sneakers Edition This official video, available for free on YouTube (it's 4 years old at least) is a good introduction for seniors interested in improving their balance and following a short (less than 15 minutes) routine daily. Commercials are for the benefit of and inserted by the poster on YouTube and in no way affiliated with this blogger. This is a very easy and relaxing introduction to Tai Chi/Balance inspired exercise!

Read: Article in PhilaPlace : Forget Walking and Running. Harvard's Best Activity to Stay Fit After 60. https://www.philaplace.org/lifest...

There are various Qigong videos on this website. Sometimes you need to find just the right one for you to stay committed and focused....

View of Earth from Space 🌍 We know how we differ from one another. What traditions do we have that are the same? Included: Christianity,...

A good first step if you want to see if tai chi is for you is to set 10 minutes a day aside to practice the Simplified 8 form. Anybody...

Here is a reminder that the slow movements of Western "exercise" tai chi are rooted in the fighting form of tai chi. Every movement has...