In this issue:

-- From me to you, by Dr Lam
-- Elevator speech competition winners
-- How theTai Chi @ Work program was developed, by Dr Paul Lam
-- Tai chi: A mind-body solution to meeting educational standards while addressing the childhood obesity crisis, by Roy W Geib and Melissa Dominguez Geib
-- Tai Chi provides kids with summer fun, we reprint a newspaper article about Kathy Falzone’s Tai Chi 4 Kidz program
-- Making a habit of tai chi, with Patricia Lawson, Cynthia Fels and Dr Stephanie Taylor as the Tai Chi Sisters of the Woods, as narrated by Jay Van Schelt
-- What emergency phone number should you call in Australia using a mobile (cell) phone? A clarification by Pat Webber
-- Tai chi: a valuable adjunct for knee replacement therapy, by Vince McCullough
-- Tai chi training in China, by Jay McGough
-- Humor, laughter and radiant health’, by Dr Bob McBrien

Click on the titleabove to read the articles, this link to read all previous newsletters and here to subscribe.

Hello Everyone,

I would like to invite you and your friends to our 10th annual tai chi workshop in Sydney, which runs from 6-12 January 2008. You can find more information and register on the Workshop Calendar page on my website.

From 1 September I will be on the road again, conducting workshops and public talks in Singapore; Zurich, Switzerland; Stockholm, Sweden and in Virginia, Pittsburgh and Monterey in the USA. Hope to see some of you there.

Tai Chi @ Work is the latest addition to my range of Tai Chi for Health programs, which include Tai Chi for Arthritis, Tai Chi for Diabetes, Tai Chi for Back Pain, Tai Chi 4 Kidz and Tai Chi for Osteoporosis. I would like to tell you the story of how Tai Chi @ Work was created. It typifies the developmental path that I’ve followed with most of my programs. They have all been the result of years of contemplation, a flash of inspiration, then at least another year of composing, testing and filming by a team of colleagues and experts.

Having worked as a doctor for more than 30 years, I have seen so many patients suffering the effects of excessive stress. I’ve seen many people forced to retire from work at a much younger age than me. This can happen to people engaged in any job or profession, and I have always wanted to introduce them to the benefits of tai chi. Only a small number of people who are working find the time and determination to try out tai chi, however, those that do find that it has helped them cope with the stress of their work much better.

The idea of developing such a program for people to do at work came to me a few years ago when I met Margaret Brade, CEO of Age Concern, Stockport, in the UK. Age Concern is the United Kingdom’s largest charity organisation working with and for older people. Margaret loves tai chi, but said to me, “I get stressed learning tai chi because it takes too long to learn”. That conversation stuck in my mind, and for the last three years I have been thinking about how I can make tai chi even simpler to learn and do than the other Tai Chi for Health programs, yet be as powerfully effective as they are. You can read the rest of my story about the development of the Tai Chi @ Work program in the newsletter.

Elevator speech competition winners

Last month, we announced a competition to win one of our new Tai Chi for Health t-shirts by sending in an ‘elevator speech’, a very brief explanation of the benefits of tai chi for health that you could give to an interested person while you wait for an elevator to arrive.

Thank you to all those who participated in this competition. We had some really creative entries and I would like to thank our judges, Shelia Rae and Ralph Denner, for so cheerfully undertaking the difficult job of choosing our winners.

The winners of our Tai Chi for Health t-shirts are: Julie Buffalo, Cynthia Fels and Janice Zurzolo. You can read their elevator speeches later in this newsletter. Would the three winners please contact Shelia at TCPDistribution@taichiproductions.com to confirm their mailing address and t-shirt size.

I strongly encourage all instructors to have an answer ready for when they are asked about tai chi, so read the winning entries and see if you can create your own ‘elevator speech’ about tai chi that will intrigue and inform others of the benefits of Tai Chi for Health practice.

Also in this month’s newsletter

• Roy W Geib and Melissa Dominguez Geib have especially written a paper on the very important topic of combating childhood obesity with exercise. Their paper is called, ‘Tai Chi: A mind-body solution to meeting educational standards while addressing the childhood obesity crisis’.
• Kathy Falzone, very soon after attending one of my certification classes to teach the Tai Chi 4 Kidz program, started her own class (in which she also teaches her grandson Kameron) and before long caught the attention of her local newspaper. We reprint the article, written by staff writer, Natasha Carter, later in this newsletter.
• At the mid-year workshop in Terre Haute participants were treated to a learning experience far removed from, and infinitely more effective than, a conventional talk or lecture. ‘The Tai Chi Sisters of the Woods’, Pat, Cyndy, and Stephanie, performed a skit for them, in which they taught, in a novel, fun, and stimulating way, something of the history of tai chi and its different forms. Jay Van Schelt was the narrator.
• It’s very important for all instructors to have ready a procedure for dealing with accidents or medical emergencies. But do you know which is the best emergency phone number to call in Australia using a mobile (cell) phone - 000 or 112? Pat Webber has sent us a clarification of this important topic.
• Vince McCullough tells us how recently he had a knee replacement and used a modification of the Sun forms to help him recover quickly.
• Jay McGough recently made a trip to China for almost a month of Qigong and Tai Chi training. She tells us how much she enjoyed this and how it has contributed to her tai chi journey.
• Finally, lie back and let Dr Bob administer to you a healing dose of his humor.

September’s product of the month

In September, buy two copies of the Tai Chi 4 Kidz DVD and get a free Tai Chi 4 Kidz youth t-shirt. September is back to school time for many students, so send your kid or grandkid off to school in a colourful Tai Chi For Kidz t-shirt and, after school, help them unwind by following the Tai Chi 4 Kidz DVD.

Tai Chi for Kidz was developed by Dr Paul Lam together with Cheryl Lee Player, a dance and tai chi teacher who has been teaching children tai chi for many years. They have combined their experience and love for children to create this fun activity to develop children's concentration and coordination.

Product review of the month

Congratulations to Hazel G of Christchurch, New Zealand for winning a tai chi music CD for this review of the new Tai Chi @ Work DVD:

'The Tai Chi @ Work DVD is very well presented, offe ring flexible programs for different time slots. Whilst I hope that it will be used by many business organisations, it also has a lot to offer the retired community.

' Today I trialled the whole form (3 warm ups, 3 movements, 3 cool downs, 3 principles) with two of my over 65s groups, both of which are proficient in TCA2, and also a younger group.

'All three groups enjoyed the challenge of mastering different movements, and liked the fact that we could work through the entire program in one session. Having had previous tai chi experience they quickly recognised that there is quite a lot of depth to this set.

'Many elderly people have limited suitable space in which to practice, so the very small area required is ideal.

' I also see this having a lot of potential for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and anyone who works with pupils who have a short attention span or memory problems.

'Congratulations to Dr Lam and his team for producing versatile program, which offers a compact but satisfying form for all physical ability levels.'

Thanks Hazel for your review. We would like to send you a tai chi music CD for being our winner. Please email us at service@taichiproductions.com and give us your postal address.

Enter your review of any of my products in the Forum and you will have a chance to win a tai chi music CD too.

Upcoming workshopsby Dr Lam

September 14-15, Zurich, Switzerland
Tai Chi for Arthritis Instructor's Training

September 17-18, Zurich, Switzerland
Tai Chi for Diabetes Instructor's Training

September 21-22, Stockholm, Sweden
-- Tai Chi for Arthritis Instructor's Training
-- Tai Chi for Arthritis Update & Part II Instructor's Train///ing

September 29-30, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
Explore the Depth of Tai Chi for Arthritis

October 4-5, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Tai Chi for Diabetes Instructor's Training

October 13-14, Pacific Grove, CA , USA
Explore the Depth of Tai Chi for Arthritis

Yours in tai chi,

Paul Lam, MD

back to the top

Elevator speech competition winners

Congratulations to our three winners of August’s competition to write an ‘elevator’ speech, a very brief explanation of the benefits of tai chi for health that you could give to an interested person while you wait for an elevator to arrive.

I strongly encourage all instructors to have an answer ready for when they are asked about tai chi, so read the winning entries and see if you can create your own ‘elevator speech’ about tai chi that will intrigue and inform others of the benefits of Tai Chi for Health practice.

----<><><>----

Winner 1: Julie Buffalo, RN

'Tai Chi for Health is a series of movements created to enhance our health. These movements circulate chi or energy, which allows our body, mind and spirit to function at their highest levels. Chi accumulates in our body and creates a feeling of well-being and serenity. The body benefits by becoming flexible, strong and stable. There is so much to say about tai chi, but you should try it to really feel the benefits for yourself! Here is my card.'

Winner 2: Cynthia Fels, M.Ed, Senior Trainer and Certified Tai Chi for Health Instructor

‘I wear this shirt as a proud teacher and advocate of tai chi. Tai chi is an ancient Chinese exercise practiced by thousands of people all around the world. Some call it a moving meditation as it is so relaxing and it has powerful health benefits too. These include, helping to improve balance, strengthening muscles and bones, reducing stress, and improving blood pressure. I practice and teach a special tai chi for health form of tai chi that is fun to do and easy to learn. Before I leave my house every morning, I go to my patio and greet the day by doing my tai chi. Sometimes a hummingbird will fly by, look me in the face and check me out. You should check out a local class too and see what a difference it can make in your life.'

Winner 3: Janice Zurzolo

‘Tai Chi for Health benefits the body as a whole by exercising the physical body with gentle movements, using all the joints and muscles, which also increases leg strength, but at the same time, also exercises the mind by focusing on the movements to integrate with the body and breath control. You don't need a lot of space, change of clothes or shower afterwards, and 5, 10 or 15 minutes can relax your body and mind to be fresh and productive for the rest of the day or clearing after a busy day.'

back to the top

How theTai Chi @ Work program was developed, by Dr Paul Lam

After years of thinking and working on it we have completed the Tai Chi @ Work program. We have used three forms from three tai chi styles and have incorporated the three core tai chi principles into these new forms. Tai Chi @ Work is an easy to learn, simple yet profound program that can be used to improve your own tai chi as well as helping people at work to relieve stress and improve their health. By understanding and applying the tai chi principles to our daily activities, we can gain health benefits with less formal training.

The idea of having a program like this came to me a few years ago when I met Margaret Brade, CEO of Age Concern, Stockport, in the UK. She said to me, “I get stressed learning tai chi because it is too long and too complex to learn”. That comment stuck in my mind, and for the last three years I have been thinking about how to make tai chi simple, flexible, and easy for people at work to use, something that people can practise in their work clothes, in a small space. Most importantly, however, how to make it powerfully effective, that is, how to apply the tai chi way of coping with stress to people’s normal stressful and busy work environment.

I was fortunate to have the help of many talented and dedicated people including Jef Morris, a Master Trainer who is also in senior management in an international corporation; Rani Hughes, a Master Trainer, who is an occupational therapist, with a special interest in people at work; Wilfred Kwok, another Master Trainer, who is a physiotherapist and ergonomist (a physiotherapist who takes care of workplace safety, and ensures that the environment is worker-friendly, such as having better chairs and keyboards for typing); my friend Tony Coyle, a business executive; and many other tai chi colleagues. Together we spent a lot of time working on this program. We incorporated elements of three different styles of tai chi into the new forms, ending up with three warm-up exercises, three movements, three cool-down exercises and three essential tai chi principles. I like the idea of doing things in threes, as it is much easier to remember three things than a whole long list. And when you really remember something, you can then get to understand their deeper layer of meaning.

Tai Chi @ Work is easy to learn and you can practise it practically anywhere. We show you how to apply tai chi principles and incorporate them into your forms, and then how to apply that to your daily life. So when you are under stress you can use your tai chi principles to help you de-stress and come out with a better solution, turning stress into a source of strength.

We also put in movements that can prevent injuries. For example, when you are sitting at your keyboard typing, too often you will get overuse injuries of the wrist and elbow. With Tai Chi @ Work, you can still sit at your desk, but by taking a couple of minutes to do movement number two, Leisurely Tying Coat you will gently stretch your upper limbs, allowing the qi to flow and relieving or preventing the overuse injuries. At the same time it will help you to relax and centre, making you a more effective worker.

So Tai Chi @ Work is like all our other Tai Chi for Health programs: it developed out of a need, which inspired me to bring a group of experts together and we worked diligently, developing and testing the new program before we filmed it.

Each one of the Tai Chi for Health programs takes us virtually years to complete. Each one is presented to you in a way that is simple and user friendly, so you can benefit from it and improve your health relatively quickly, with relatively little effort, because we have done all the hard work for you.

Give Tai Chi @ Work a try.

back to the top

Tai Chi: A mind-body solution to meeting educational standards while addressing the childhood obesity crisis, byBy Roy W Geib and Melissa Dominguez Geib

Melissa D. Geib, M.Ed. is a licensed teacher in three states and has taught grades from pre-school to college for over 20 years. In addition to hands-on classroom experience, she has been involved in curriculum development and implementation, particularly in the area of the health sciences. She has dance/movement experience and is certified to teach the Tai Chi for Kidz program.

On January 8, 2002, U.S. President Bush signed into law the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001”. This was one of many similar programs enacted by governments around the world – all of which had the same intention of improving economic growth through enhancing the academic performance of students in the pre-university stage of their education. Many analysts have designated that point-in-time as THE moment that began the childhood obesity crisis or, at the minimum, hastened its approach. The rationale most often stated is that this legislation that mandated school administrators shift funding from non-academic programs – such as physical education, music and art – to academic programs. The expectation was that this shift would guarantee increases in student performances that would meet the national performance standards. The contradiction of this emphasis on meeting educational standards at the expense of limiting physical activity is that the inclusion of daily physical activity is essential to brain development and function (1).

Despite what the leading critics emphasize, the reality is that the events leading to the current obesity crisis began many years before the authorization of the “No Child Left Behind Act”. Moreover, a critical review of the literature examining the global obesity crisis demonstrates that causality is clearly multi-faceted in nature and may include the following: increased affluence allowing for increased caloric consumption; increased poverty resulting in an increase consumption of the energy-dense, low-cost foods; reduced levels of physical activity in schools coupled with the dissatisfaction in the sports-model of physical education coinciding with the reduction in school budgets; as well as combinations of other events related to changing lifestyles globally. Consequently, the best approach to resolving the contradiction is to put our valuable resources – time and energy – not on placing blame on policy makers but on working together to develop viable evidence-based solutions to the problem.

The most logical solution to the crisis is to develop a multifaceted approach to physical activity that would include restructuring the sports model of physical education programs and incorporating physical activity throughout the school day. Components of the restructured physical educations program must include sports and non-sports oriented activities that can transition into adulthood. Although this approach is being implemented or considered by many school districts, the targeted age group is usually students in the upper grades (middle and high school). When it comes to physical activity the spirit of “no child left behind” left behind many children particularly in elementary schools. Too frequently, there is a “shortage” of certified physical education instructors teaching at elementary schools due to fiscal issues. In elementary grade levels, physical education is primarily the responsibility of and often at the discretion of the elementary school classroom teacher.

The obesity crisis is a global problem that requires a global response from policy makers, educators, parents and we, the concerned public. The response needs to be global; provide physical activity options that can be adapted to a variety of academic levels; and most importantly remove stress – not add performance stress typically associated with some of the traditional sports-model physical education. Additionally, the options need to be fiscally conservative and culturally adaptable. The ideal situation would include selected activities functional in both a physical education class and standard classroom situations, and most significantly have a high probability of transitioning to adulthood.

What exactly would be included in that ideal set of physical activities? A number of activities could be considered – walking, dance, pilates, yoga, and Tai Chi. All are appropriate activities. However, one stands out from the rest and offers the greatest possibility of providing not only a means of addressing the childhood obesity issue but also issues related to stress, academic performance, and to the chronic diseases of adulthood: Tai Chi.

So how exactly does Tai Chi address the contradiction of meeting academic standards and the obesity crisis? A major assumption is that Tai Chi is a moderate form of exercise and will, therefore, provide the same benefits as other moderate forms of exercise. This would include the substantiated observation that daily exercise is important for brain function - “Physical exercise is the best way to optimize the brain. The public has been unaware of the connection.” said Dr. John Ratey, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (3). However, Tai Chi has advantages over other forms of moderate education. Published data indicates that Tai Chi utilizes about 60% more calories than walking (4). The regular practice of Tai Chi by adult populations has been shown to have the following mind-body benefits: reduce stress while raising awareness of and development of breath control; improve cardiovascular function; improve balance and coordination; improve the immune system; improve control of glucose metabolism; and in general improve quality of life (5). Robert Wall reported that Boston Middle School students who participated in Tai Chi classes reported a sense of well-being, calmness, relaxation, improved sleep, less reactivity, increased self-care, self-awareness, and a sense of interconnection with nature (6).

The availability of several forms and styles of Tai Chi make it applicable to multiple age groups of children and a wide range of environments. Younger children can be introduced to modified forms of Tai Chi, such as Dr. Lam’s “Tai Chi for Kidz” program. As they gain experience the students may elect to progress to more physically challenging forms such as “Tai Chi for Young People” or to the competition forms of Chen, Yang and Sun. An added advantage is that Tai Chi is also easily adaptable to individuals with special needs – a group of students that have an exceptionally high incidence of obesity.

For school corporations and parents concerned about fiscal issues an important advantage of Tai Chi is that it does not require the purchase of specific equipment or specialized clothing – thus it is adaptable to all academic settings regardless of budget. Another advantage of Tai Chi is that both physical education and classroom teachers can be taught to incorporate Tai Chi into their respective classroom situations affording opportunities for practice throughout the school day – as an arrival and/or dismissal activity, transitional activity between subjects or classes, “quieting” activity following a disruption, activity after lunch to redirect attention to academics, and most importantly for those concerned with standardized tests – as focusing / centering activity right before an exam, during exam breaks or stress relief at the conclusion of exams. Finally, another advantage to incorporating Tai Chi throughout the school day is FUN. Tai Chi is FUN for children and adults. Thus, ALL age groups will enjoy the health benefits associated with the regular practice of Tai Chi. This is one form of physical activity that children should be strongly encouraged to share with their parents / guardians, and grandparents.

So how do we as advocates of Tai Chi and concerned citizens begin the process of getting Tai Chi into classrooms across the world? First we need to promote Tai Chi and in particular Dr. Lam’s “Tai Chi for Kidz” program to school teachers, school administrators, parents, and to policy makers. Having participated in the instructor workshop program during the June session in Florida, we can strongly recommend it to those interested in introducing Tai Chi into their classroom. In fact, for several years we had been using the Tai Chi for Arthritis form in a series of science-health programs we developed for elementary, middle school and high school students. After participating in the instructor workshop we began incorporating the Tai Chi for Kidz form with great success. (For a full review of the Tai Chi for Kidz program see the article at taichiproductions.com written by Dr. Richard Livingston.) Second, we need to contact our policy makers and support the modifications in policy that include time and funding for daily physical activity for all children. Third, we need to gather evidence to support the effectiveness of including Tai Chi in schools – improvement of math and reading scores, decrease in BMI, etc. In the United States, the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001” required that educators move toward “evidence-based education” that is supported by strong scientific research. We, the Tai Chi community need to be involved in this process by offering our help and expertise to educators and legislators.

In conclusion, we encourage you all to participate in the Tai Chi for Kidz workshop, consider being an advocate for incorporating Tai Chi in the schools in your community. A mind-body solution to meeting academic standards while addressing the obesity crisis: Tai Chi for Kidz.

References
1. http://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103479.htm
2. http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2006-02-28/lyon-childobesity/
3. http://www.johnratey.com/ ; http://edworkforce.house.gov/testimony/051007PhilLawlertestimony.pdf
4. http://www.nutristrategy.com/activitylist4.htm
5. Wang et al.; Archives of Internal Medicine 164:493-501, 2004 March
6. Wall, J.; Journal of Pediatric Health Care 19: 230 – 237, 2005

back to the top

Tai Chi 4 Kidz makes the news in Florida, by Kathy Falzone

Greetings Dr. Lam,

I thought you might find the article on Tai Chi 4 Kidz that was printed in my local newspaper interesting. Teaching the class has been very enjoyable and rewarding and at times quite challenging! My 7-year-old grandson Kameron is attending the class and looks forward to it every week! Thank you for bringing such beneficial programs to so many people of all ages.

With warm regards,
Kathy Falzone

----<><><>---

“Tai Chi provides kids with summer fun

By Natasha Carter, staff writer, Home Town News, Sebastian, Florida
(http://www.myhometownnews.net/index.php?id=27602)

Children being calm, silent and displaying slow movement may seem out of the ordinary, but not for a class of students at the Sebastian Community Center.

The reason for this rare behavior was Tai Chi.

For the first time Tai Chi instructor Kathy Falzone introduced the art for kids in seven-week summer program.

Tai Chi is an art that originated in China. The art is known for the slow motion routines that are commonly practiced by groups of people.

The art is sometimes described, as "meditation in motion," which was exactly what it was for some students.

"I learned to focus," said 9-year-old Payge Johnson.

Focusing is one of the main objectives Mrs. Falzone wants students to gain from the class. "I thought this would be very beneficial for kids, because they are used to doing everything so fast. It's not like karate or soccer. It's slow exercise that helps the mind focus on what the body is doing," she said.

Mrs. Falzone, teaches Tai Chi for Health at the community center with adults two times a week.
Her teachings included Tai Chi for Arthritis, which was developed by Dr. Paul Lam.

Dr. Lam is a practicing physician and Tai Chi master for more than 30 years. He is also a world leader in the field of Tai Chi for health improvement.

Since 1997, he and a team of medical specialists have worked together to create several Tai Chi for Health programs.

"It's a simple program for people with health problems," Mrs. Falzone said.

When she found out about the class for kids she was attending a four-day workshop by Dr. Lam in Bradenton.
"Because I have grandkids and I saw it opportunity to show kids there is another way to exercise and gain energy, rather than expending it," Mrs. Falzone said.

Parents also are encouraged to participate with their children.

Susan Green of Sebastian joined her son, Christopher as he participated for the first time.

"I wanted to learn more. It seemed like something we could use for life," she said.

Although her son is 5-years-old, she believes he enjoyed the class.

"I think the class peaked my kid’s curiosity," Mrs. Green said.

She found out about the class by coming to the community center, which offers an array of classes.
"I learned a lot and the kids liked it," Mrs. Green said.

Other than exercise, Mrs. Falzone said that children could use the art for test preparation.

"If kids need it to clear their minds before test taking, it helps relieve stress," she said.

Parents can also benefit she said."By coming along and learning the art they can practice with the children, and use it as a calming method before bed," Mrs. Falzone said.

If none of the benefits interest parents it is a nice activity for the long boring summer months.
"Summer time is good because kids want something to do," Mrs. Falzone said.

Tai Chi for Kids is offered on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:15 at $40 per session. Parents or Grandparents may attend for free. To learn more about the Tai Chi for Kids and the other class offered at the Sebastian Community Center contact Kathy Falzone at (772) 589-1009.”

back to the top

‘Making a habit of tai chi’, with Patricia Lawson, Cynthia Fels and Dr Stephanie Taylor as the Tai Chi Sisters of the Woods, as narrated by Jay Van Schelt

‘Not everyone learns in the same way!’ ‘Learners will retain more information and remember more when learning is fun and presented in ways other than a lecture format.’ We have all heard these educational learning facts before, but so frequently go to a lecture or a conference and find that conference presenters are doing just the opposite; that is everyone is giving a ‘talk’, or presenting information in a lecture format.

Pat, Cyndy, and Stephanie, however, wanted to teach a bit about the history of tai chi, the different forms, and do so in a novel, fun, and stimulating way. In essence they wanted to teach using optimal learning principles, get participants to easily remember the information and have fun at the same time.

And that is exactly what they did! Participants at the last annual workshop in Terre Haute, Indiana, were treated to a skit about ‘The Tai Chi Sisters of the Woods’, who lived at St Mary¹s of the Woods College. These tai chi sisters had entered a contest to win money for their school.

The skit finds the sisters practicing their tai chi forms as their entries for the competition. Pat became Sister Chen, the oldest sister, as Chen is the oldest style. Dr Stephanie Taylor became Sister Yang, and Cynthia Fels became Sister Sun. Each sister moved in a way that exemplified their different tai chi style, and gave snippets of information on the background of their styles. The three sisters kept the audience laughing throughout the skit, while at the same time teaching valuable information on the history and background of each style, and demonstrating some of the differences found in some of the moves between the styles.

The skit ended by having the audience vote and decide which sister should win the contest. It certainly came as no surprise that it ended in a tie and all three sisters were declared the winners. And just like the sisters, all of the conference participants also became winners as they had been treated to a conference presentation that was fun, chocked full of information and taught in a manner that would enable them to remember the information presented to them for a very long time.

back to the top

What number should you ring from a mobile (cell) phone in an emergency? A clarification by Pat Webber

At the last Tai Chi for Arthritis and Tai Chi for Diabetes workshop in Australia, we talked about how important it is to have a one-page procedure for medical emergencies , which led to a discussion about what is the best emergency phone number to call using a mobile (cell) phone in Australia: 000 or 112. Pat Webber has sent me a clarification of this important topic.

“…the 112 number is a service for mobile phones whereby the caller is connected to the strongest signal in the area and then on to 000. So, even if a caller is, for example, a Telstra customer and the strongest signal in that area is from Optus, the caller will be connected to 000 via Optus as it is recognised as an emergency. This service can be used even if the mobile phone has run out of credit. It’s a pity that it's not widely known.”

If you’re not from Australia, we suggest you take the time to find out if a similar service is offered in your country. Then write the details down in your accident or medical emergency procedure.

For more information about creating an emergency procedure, go to my website and read the chapter on Safety, from my book Teaching Tai Chi Effectively.

back to the top

Tai chi: a valuable adjunct for knee replacement therapy, by Vince McCullough

Six weeks ago I had a full knee replacement operation on my right knee. I decided to use a modified Sun-style tai chi program in conjunction with physical therapy in order to accelerate the recovery process. After a few weeks of tai chi practice and physical therapy the doctor and the physical therapists informed me that I was well ahead of the normal recovery time most people experience. I’d like to share with you what I did.

First, allow me to give a llittle background information on my situation. Over ten years ago I learned the Sun form of tai chi from Dr Paul Lam in order to control osteoarthritis in my right knee. It worked very well and maintained joint strength and mobility and controlled most of the pain. In fact I had no flare-ups in my right knee for the ten or more years that I practiced the form But, as time moved on, due to old injuries, more problems manifested themselves in that knee.

I am now seventy-six years old and my right knee eventually became more of a problem because of cartilage loss. In fact it was mostly bone on bone in the knee joint and my knee was getting more and more bowed. It really was becoming a major problem. I went to consult with a very fine orthopedic surgeon, Dr Mark Kircher, (husband of Dr Pam Kircher, who most of us know as a driving force in the tai chi teaching program). Mark basically told me it was time to do a knee replacement. The bowing of the leg would become worse and worse and could complicate my active life as well as complicate any corrective procedure in the future. I quickly decided to have knee replacement surgery.

After the operation it became my intention to recover as quickly as possible and to get back to full mobility as soon as possible. My goal was to become at least as or more mobile than before. I started physical therapy the next day after surgery.

There were three basic problems to solve after the operation:

• full extension of the affected knee;
• increased knee flexion; and
• lack of thigh strength.

An inevitable component of this type of operation is that these three aspects of the knee were traumatized. The quad muscles in the thigh were very weak and it was an effort just slightly to lift the leg. The leg extension was about fifteen degrees from straight (it should be close to zero) and the flexion of the knee was around eighty to ninety (140 was normal for me). There was a lot of work to do.

Other than use of machines, the major exercises the therapist wanted me to concentrate on were:

• walking forward fully extending the knee before letting the heel touch and then rolling down on the foot,(tai chi forward step);
• next was stepping backward with full extension of the back leg (leisurely tying coat series emphasizes this);
• the third was stepping sideways and squatting, in order to promote knee flexion and thigh strength (cloud hands series).

Since these exercises were already familiar to me I decided to start doing tai chi right away.

A few days after I started physical therapy, I went to my favorite tai chi place in Durango that overlooks the Animus river and was within reasonable walking distance. I started doing a modified form of the twenty set Sun-style. The twenty sun set includes: brush knee to closing door series; cloud hands and I added leisurely tying coat series. I was on crutches at that time so I sat on a bench and performed this series, minimally moving my legs.

Some days later I found I could move sufficiently with one crutch. So I now did the form standing using one crutch. About a week or so later I found I could move a bit without the crutches. So in my limited way I continued the series without the crutches.

When doing this modified form I emphasized these actions in the following way:

• Stepping forward with the new knee. I maintained deep inward intent of the groin area, and slowly extended that knee as fully as possible before the heel touched the ground. I held it there momentarily and then rolled through the foot. (tai chi forward step ).
• When stepping forward with the old knee I fully rooted that foot and then tried to fully extend the new back knee, held it momentarily and then stepped up with the new back knee.
• When stepping backward with the new knee, the foot was fully rooted on the ground . I tried to fully extend that new knee, held it momentarily and brought the front old knee back backward.
• Doing cloud hands for thigh strength and knee flexion, I stepped laterally, bent the knees as much as possible without causing sharp pain in the new knee, I kept the weight evenly distributed, held momentarily and then recovered step with the other foot.

I was still engaging in normal physical therapy as well as doing the tai chi almost daily.

In a matter of weeks I went from fifteen degrees to almost two to three degrees extension. I went from eighty degrees to one hundred and twenty on flexion, which was enough to do slow controlled heel kicks. The doctor and therapists again mentioned I was way ahead of the curve for recovery rate, particularly for a person of my age. At this point I started to do long sun form, performing the kicks very slowly and very carefully.

Another interesting result for me when I started doing the tai chi early was the psychological effect. Allowing myself to quickly get back into my normal routine got me through the period of feeling like a semi-invalid. I didn’t want to feel that everything I did during the day was just preparing me to get back in normal living. Tai chi is a very important part of my life and I practice every morning at seven o’clock. In fact, looking forward to doing tai chi is one of the reasons I like getting up early and starting my day. It is a major part of my normal routine of living.

In conclusion, let me remind you that I am not advocating tai chi as the only therapy for recovery from knee replacement. I did physical therapy at least twice a week with expert physical therapists. I also stayed in contact with my doctor and informed him of what I was doing with my tai chi in case he had any objections to certain moves. I am merely saying that for me getting into tai chi soon was a valuable adjunct to my physical therapy and allowed me to quickly return to normal activities.

I must confess to the possibility that my major motivation for using the tai chi as I did was the simple fact that it was infinitely more fun than plain old physical therapy.

back to the top

Tai chi training in China, by Jay McGough

Just how many muscles do we have in our legs? Don’t know? Neither do I, but I came to know each and every one during my recent tai chi training in Beijing.

I came home from almost a month in China tired and sore – but also elated and keen to make even more of an effort to learn more about tai chi. Was it worth it? Absolutely! Will I go back for more? You bet!

I went to China for almost a month of qigong and tai chi training. The group was small and almost all participants were tai chi or qigong teachers or alternative therapists. Some were there for their second, third or even fourth visit.

It was my first trip and I didn’t know quite what to expect, but generally speaking, it was a positive experience.

The first series of training sessions was with Grand Master Cheng Zhen at the Daoist Eternal Springs Monastery in Wuhan. Here we focused on meditation and qigong. I learnt a lot about feeling the qi and I experienced some great energy in the group meditation sessions.

You know how you’ve seen on TV the groups of Chinese people doing tai chi in the parks – well it really happens, and it is everywhere.

In Wuhan, my friend Anne (a fellow TCA instructor from Stawell in Victoria) and I went out from the hotel early each morning to where the tai chi was happening. It wasn’t in a lovely green parkland – it was in a car park next to the big department store, but it was still great.
The first morning we arrived before any of the locals were out practising and started to go through our warm-ups and forms As the locals started to arrive, many in their colourful silks, they stopped to watch us practicing. There was much discussion and nodding and shaking of heads. Who were these Westerners?

Two separate large groups gathered in this carpark. For a while they chatted or warmed up or helped out the beginners and then they were in to it.

Generally in the West we think of tai chi as a quiet pastime and use soft soothing music when we are practicing. Not so in China –