Tai Chi Chuan - A Supplementary Balance Exercise

Tai Chi Chuan – A Supplementary Balance Exercise

In general, I don’t prescribe exercises in this blog series.  But I have been given an exercise that is so delicious, I have to share it.  This was given to me by my Physical Therapist who is helping me revive my “surgical” leg. 

Here we go…

Place your feet side by side, gently pressed together and touching.  Now feel your neck float upwards.  Don’t forget to let the chin relax and tuck in a bit without force.  Feel the spine lengthen without tightening it.  Feel the weight of the pelvis hanging.  Feel the feet grounded on the floor.  Feel your center equilibrium from the ground to the top of your head.  I’d even say, let yourself be “open”.  Be in touch with the “bubbling well” in each foot.  This is the basic preparation for this series.  Take quality time to establish this each and every time you move into the next placement of the feet.

Now close your eyes for 30 seconds.  What do you feel?

Next place your feet gently pressed together altered in a half step, left foot forward, where your left heel presses into the area of the right instep, and the ball of the right foot presses into the left instep.  The left foot is again a half step forward and the two feet are joined together as one unit.  Again, with eyes open, do the preparation.  Now close your eyes for 30 seconds. 

Repeat this half step, but reverse the feet with the right foot a half step forward gently pressed against the left foot.  Do the preparation, and then close your eyes for 30 seconds.

Lastly, as if on a straight line, put your left foot in front of your right foot, left heel touching the right toe.  Do the preparation and feel this one for a moment with eyes wide open.  Then close your eyes for 30 seconds.

Reverse with right in front of left foot.  Preparation, then eyes closed.

Frankly, with this last one, I do it in a hallway to catch myself as I fall.  I haven’t mastered it yet but I love the challenge.

What you are getting here are the all the small adjustments of the muscles being used in balance.  Balance is not a frozen event or a static place in space.  Balance is movement.

I hope that you have as much fun as me in taking on the Balance Challenge.  Last one standing gets a piece of cake!