Tylenol for arthritis – check
CBD
cream on my knee – check
A few
limbering exercises before I leave – check
And I
was off to try Tai Chi.
I’m
ready to try anything since the Big A has muscled its way into my world this
year, bringing all its luggage and showing no inclination to leave.
At my
Wednesday yoga class at the Y, our instructor had mentioned his Tai Chi class
and I thought why not. Its focus is arthritis and I like Dan’s low-key style.
He’s a
story in itself – a young guy (late 20s?) who looks more like he spends his
free time in the basement with video games than leading a bunch of senior
citizens through soothing, stylized moves. At the opposite spectrum of the
spindly yogi master, he looks more like the high school linebacker gone to
seed. And when his tee rides up during Warrior II, it can make us all feel a
little bit better about our own extra poundage.
The Tai
Chi class had the usual assortment of seniors, all women except for one man who
seemed to have been brought by a significant other. One woman did stand out, a
tiny muscled gnome of a person with a leathery Florida tan, what appeared to
men’s boxer shorts three sizes too big, and a can-do attitude.
She was
as new as I was to the whole thing and allowed herself to be pushed to the
middle where she’d be able to see Dan better. I positioned myself to the side
in the back.
Just as in
yoga, Dan’s instructions were clear and measured, taking us through the
rudiments of each move and then bringing them all together at the end of the
session.
Not sure
this is for me. With yoga, I feel as though my muscles are getting more of a
workout and I miss the meditative aspect that comes with it, while with Tai Chi
my brain is too busy trying to sort the moves.
I did tai chi for years in Colorado and you made me miss it a little. Not enough to start again, though. You are sure a good writer; I enjoyed this post.
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you Djan. :0)
DeleteI've been doing yoga regularly for about 40 years and off and on most my life. I really like it. I've wanted to try Tai Chi for years but there's no class out here in this little red town in a sparsely populated agricultural county and I'm not driving into Houston for any reason. I tired a youtube video but couldn't get through the lecture at the beginning and I don't really like watching instructional videos anyway.
ReplyDeleteTo each his own, but yoga's more my thing.
DeleteI wonder whether when you become more familiar with the moves you will find it has benefits of its own? Or will you give it a miss?
ReplyDeleteAs it happens, the class is on Thursday mornings when I'm usually doing something else, so I guess my lack of enthusiasm is all for the best.
Delete