Designed to relieve back pain, restore the ability to work and play, improve health and quality of life, this program will also help people in wheelchairs and with other medical conditions. This Tai Chi set is adapted from Tai Chi for Arthritis with additional material and different approach of teaching.

For a guide how to use this program for People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Tai chi is a gentle exercise shown by many scientific studies to relieve pain, strengthen muscles, improve stamina, blood circulation, balance and relaxation.

There are numerous forms of tai chi, most of them are challenging to learn. This program is easy to learn and places special emphasis on strengthening the deep stabilizing muscles of the back. It contains adaptations for people with other chronic disabilities. The program aims at helping you cope better with daily tasks, as well as improving your mental and physical health. No prior knowledge of tai chi is necessary.

According to new medical findings, the deep muscles close to the spine stabilize and protect the spine. Strengthening these muscles will reduce pain and improve physical function.

Contents
We begin with an introduction of tai chi followed by information on back pain provided by a panel of medical experts: Dr Ashish Diwan, Chief of Spine Service from the University of NSW; Dr Klaus Stelter, an experienced family physician and Trish Wisbey-Roth, a manipulative and sports physiotherapist, and the physiotherapist for the Australian Olympic team in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

This program will be divided into 8 lessons. Depending on your physical ability and time available, you can learn each lesson in one or several sittings. If you are unable or uncomfortable to do the full extent of the movements, simply do what you can and visualize the full extent.

Lesson 1 - stationary
" Warm up, stretching and cooling exercises
" Qigong exercises:
1. The Posture of Infinity
2. The Posture of Tai Chi
3. The Posture of Opening and Closing
" Movement 1. Commencement

Lesson 2 - stationary
" Qigong exercises:
4. The Posture of Yin Yang Harmony
" Movement 2 - Opening and Closing Hands
" Movement 3 - Single Whip

Lesson 3 - stationary
" Movement 4 - Waving Hands in the Cloud.
" Movement 5 - Opening and Closing Hands
" Movement 6 - Closing
" Both sides of the six movements

Lesson 4 - moving
" Warm up, stretching and cooling exercises
" Qigong exercises
" Both sides of the six movements

Lesson 5 - moving
" Advanced movement 1 - Brush Knee
" Advanced movement 2 - Playing the Lute

Lesson 6 - moving
" Advanced movement 3 - Parry and Punch

Lesson 7 - moving
" Advanced movement 4 - Apparent close up
" Advanced movement 5 - Pushing the Mountain
" Advanced movement 6 - Opening and Closing

Lesson 8 - moving
" Both sides of the six advanced movements

Demonstration - both sides of the complete 12 movements
" Front on
" Back on

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Comments

"...I have experienced the following benefits by practicing the Tai Chi for Arthritis programme:
1. A heightened sense of spirituality and peace
2. A deep relaxation, which helps to control the physiological responses to stress.
3. Increased energy level, and sense of well being.
4. Increased Postural awareness, re-education and coordination of postural muscles.
5. Functional retraining of posture and core stability. I have found that Tai chi for Arthritis is excellent in training these elements in a weight bearing routine that is non- stressful exercise for the spine.
6. Increased balance and coordination
7. The fact that the Tai Chi for Arthritis programme is specifically designed for arthritis is very beneficial. It is modified to avoid movements that would be potentially aggravating for compromised joints, including the spine. Thus I was able to do this programme when other forms of Qi Gong practice were inappropriate for my condition.

For me, practicing Tai chi gives me a greater sense of body awareness..."
Margaret Mack, Canada

"...certainly TCA's emphasis on 'tail tucked in' has made a tremendous difference to the almost constant low level back pain I have experienced for 30 years or more. The pain caused difficulty particularly when I was standing for more than a few minutes at the kitchen sink, the laundry tubs, the supermarket checkout, and when I was on my feet for more than a couple of hours shopping, housekeeping, etc. Now I know that being aware of 'tail tucked in' will alleviate my discomfit when I have slipped back into my old posture habits.

Most of the time now I am doing it automatically. "Tail tucked in' also strengthens the pelvic floor muscles, so that's a real bonus. I expect that 'tail tucked in' alsovalleviates uneven wear on my hip joints and knees and perhaps will preservevthem from excessive wear.

Thank you for your commitment to your work and for bringing Tai Chi health to so many people..."
Margaret Gaff, Australia

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