Isolde In fact, there is no standard answer at all. Both are physical and mental synchronization exercises that have been verified for hundreds of thousands of years. There is no absolute statement that one is healthier than the other. The one that suits your physical condition and practice needs is a better choice for you.
I have a friend who has been practicing yoga for 12 years. He used to work as an Internet operator and stayed up late at night for a long time. His lumbar disc herniated to the point where the doctor recommended surgery. Later, he started practicing the most basic hatha yoga and slowly adjusted his force generation mode. Now, let alone the lumbar protrusion, She did it again, and the anxiety state that she had been relying on sleeping pills for all the year has been relieved by most of it. She always said that yoga is more effective for her than any other conditioning. She was dragged by her family to practice Tai Chi for half a month, but she always felt that it was too slow to sit still, and there was no effect at all.
But if I say this to the 72-year-old Uncle Li downstairs in my house, he will definitely be the first to disagree. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with high blood pressure and mild Parkinson's disease. His hands were shaking so much that he couldn't even hold chopsticks. His children signed him up for one-on-one yoga classes. After practicing twice, he almost stretched his groin ligaments. Later, he followed the Tai Chi team in the park to do horse walking and walking. Yun Shou has been practicing steadily for four years. Now his blood pressure is so stable that he has even reduced the amount of antihypertensive medicine. He drinks water from a cup without shaking at all. When he meets everyone, he says that Tai Chi is the most nourishing exercise. Yoga's "stretching muscles and pulling out bones" program is not suitable for their elderly at all.
In fact, both statements are correct. Many people have too deep stereotypes about these two sports. They think that yoga is a soft exercise for young people, and Tai Chi is a slow exercise for old men and women. If you really need to look at the research on sports medicine, there is sufficient empirical support for the performance of both in improving core stability, improving balance, regulating autonomic nerves, and reducing chronic stress. If practiced correctly, they are both the best health programs.
But it doesn’t mean that you are healthy. In the past two years, I watched short videos and followed the trend of practicing yoga like the "Seven Days Slim Belly Challenge". My core was not strong and I relied on my waist arch. It hurt for almost half a month and I finally went to physical therapy.； I have also seen people practicing Tai Chi in the park. In order to compete with others, whose stakes are driven low and hard to press down on the knees, the meniscus eventually wears out and requires minimally invasive surgery. To put it bluntly, whether it is yoga or Tai Chi, if you practice without following the rules of the body, it is better to lie down and rest for health.
If you really have to choose, it’s easy. If you usually suffer from stiffness after sitting for a long time, like some rhythmic exercises, and want to improve your flexibility at the same time, find a reliable certified yoga teacher and learn from the basics. It will definitely be comfortable.； If you have old joint injuries, or you want a low-impact exercise program all year round, or you are usually too impatient and want to sharpen your mind, find a serious Tai Chi inheritor to practice slowly, and you will gain a lot. Anyway, the one that allows you to persist for a long time and makes you feel comfortable after practicing is the healthiest one for you.
