It's about time the West catches up with the East
when it comes to Tai Chi.

Many are intimidated by their impressions of Tai Chi. Some see it as an aggressive martial art, or, on the flip side, as a mellow fitness routine best left to creaky-jointed folks in a tranquil park. Cliches aside, Tai Chi is a superb way to unite the physical and spiritual halves of the body.

The benefits of Tai Chi include greater flexibility; excellent core strength and balance; improved muscle tone, breathing and digestion; and all-around better immunity, posture, sleep and stress management. Here are four ways to best experience the Chinese workout:

Pick your style. The practice of Tai Chi, rooted in the dynasties of ancient China, has many forms. Chen Tai Chi retains the martial-arts backbone of its genesis. Master Ren Guang Yi, who trains rocker Lou Reed, says many of his students' ailments disappear with regular practice. Taoist Tai Chi, meanwhile, focuses on the spiritual method of "taming the heart" as part of its routine. Decide which Tai Chi fits your personality best, then plunge in.

Let your inhibitions go. Tai Chi is a journey of the self, and if you treat it as such you'll reap the benefits more wholly. Each set of movements is performed to maximize your body's "qi," or energy. It's an internal exercise, and unites all of the body, rather than, say weightlifting, which focuses on specific muscle groups.

Prepare to sweat. Think Tai Chi is easy? Think again. In about 10 minutes, you'll sweat profusely along with your classmates as you perform balance-challenging positions that generate heat from within, and increase your heart rate. "You don't have to be embarrassed like in other sports, where you're rolling on the floor," says one Ren student. "This is like watching Sumo wrestlers who are in shape."

Practice makes perfect. Don't expect overnight results, but do expect your body to change if you devote yourself to performing Tai Chi on a regular basis. Says longtime devotee Reed, "You can't leapfrog ahead [into advanced levels], but if you practice the form, the form will change you. It's amazing. You can do this for the rest of your life." Ren notes that after a year, your physique is drastically improved, as is your mental well-being. --Kristy Martin

It's about time the West catches up with the East when it comes to Tai Chi. Start a movement:

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