Tai Chi Health Benefit Themes: Balance and Posture

Our sense of balance and posture provides us with the important stability we need to perform our everyday activities in a safe and efficient manner.

Three main forces come into play when it comes to balance: our centre of gravity (COG), our centre line, and our base of support. Our centre of gravity is located at the second sacral vertebrae. Our base of support is the small area between our feet, whether we are in a standing position or moving in different directions, as in tai chi. Our centre line is simply the middle point within this area.

What does this mean for our tai chi? We are always learning to find our middle in tai chi. With regular practice, we may soon become aware of a more natural and increased ability to stay balanced while maintaining a well aligned posture.

Since we also try to never force anything as we perform tai chi, we learn to move in a relaxed manner that allows us to better find this balance. This makes it easier for us to respond to any potential fall risks that may present themselves as we go about our day.