The movement and meditation practices known as Qi Gong and Tai Chi are based on ancient Chinese philosophies purported to promote mental and physical health, vitality and functional well-being. In the West, increasing interest has focused on the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi as gentle physical activity for promoting health and as moving meditation for stress management and disease risk reduction. Growing evidence suggests that these practices may be among the best modes of physical activity for diverse populations, since they are low impact, low cost and easy to learn.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong may sometimes be associated with complex choreographed sets of movements or forms. However, the essential components of Qi Gong are simple to learn and practice, and many modified forms of Tai Chi are more accessible and less complicated than the original forms imported from China.
Traditionally, Qi Gong and Tai Chi practice includes 4 major components:
• body posture adjustment and gentle movement
• meditation and purposeful relaxation
• breath regulation practice
• self-administered massage (Qi Gong)
It is possible to integrate these essential components into various combinations, resulting in activity options ranging from very mild and slow to dynamic and vigorous. Qi Gong and Tai Chi can be practiced walking, standing, sitting, or lying down.
Background to the expert meeting
To foster greater access to the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi, the Archstone Foundation
provided funding to the National Blueprint Office at the University of Illinois, the National
Council on the Aging, and the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi to convene a national
expert meeting.
In November 2005, more than 30 nationally and internationally recognized experts in Qi Gong and Tai Chi, physical activity and aging, and biomedical research convened to explore and recommend key strategies on issues related to providing accessible and widespread programs. This article provides an overview of the expert recommendations and outcomes of the National Expert Meeting on Qi Gong and Tai Chi.
Program content and structure
Although some variation across programs will inevitably exist, the expert participants identified the essential components of most well-organized and effective Qi Gong and Tai Chi programs as follows:
Course content
• dynamic body movements that promote balance, flexibility, strength and range of motion while sitting, standing or walking
• static standing postures that promote balance and concentration
• static sitting postures that are the foundation to meditation
• breathing practices that promote oxygenation, relaxation, and concentration and foster self-awareness
• meditation practices for concentration and focus
• self-administered massage, which accelerates natural healing mechanisms
• information about complementary and holistic healthcare (e.g., natural healing, diet, longevity or vitality enhancement and philosophies that foster inner peace)
Class characteristics
• group activities that provide ample opportunities for social interaction
• interesting practices that are stimulating and provide fun and enjoyment
• quiet environment for optimal meditation and movement practice
• safe and supportive facilities to accommodate participants of differing physical activity levels
Ideally, group programs should be offered 3 or more times per week for about one hour each session. However, the expert panel recognized that many facilities schedule programs once or twice per week. Certain populations will need briefer interventions or carefully modified practice settings to accommodate a wide variety of disabilities and limitations.
Program instructors
The experts concurred that there is a need to train basic-level lay leaders who could introduce older adults to Qi Gong and Tai Chi concepts and programs. Lay leaders should demonstrate the following minimum requirements and competences to teach these practices safely and effectively:
• awareness and understanding of the connection between Qi Gong and Tai Chi philosophy and practices
• basic knowledge of Qi Gong or Tai Chi movements and principles
• ability to tailor programs for specific populations and limitations
• enthusiasm for learning about and teaching Qi Gong and Tai Chi
• leadership qualities
• teaching and problem-solving skills
• ability to empathize and connect with participants
• creativity
• safety knowledge (CPR and First Aid)
Ideally, prior to leading classes or practice sessions, lay leaders should have practiced Tai Chi or Qi Gong for about 6 months in an institutional setting with a qualified Tai Chi instructor. Alternatively, they should have received 20–50 hours of initial formal training from a recognized Tai Chi or Qi Gong organization. The experts conceded that a high-intensity weekend course (14–16 hours), with a clearly defined internship or practicum, may substitute for longer formal training activities for those with prior knowledge in exercise/health.
Diffusion of Qi Gong and Tai Chi in communities
In the minds of many older Americans, Qi Gong and Tai Chi are often perceived as foreign and inextricably linked with Chinese culture. Accordingly, it may be worthwhile to present Tai Chi and Qi Gong programs translated in Western language, focusing on the 4 essential health practices described previously. Organizations could advertise these programs as gentle movement and meditation, as opposed to Tai Chi or Qi Gong.
Since older adults often perceive the practices as complex, difficult to understand, and difficult to perform, it is important to emphasize the simplicity and ease of both Qi Gong and Tai Chi, as well as the 4 essential health practices. It is also key to stress that everyone can derive benefits from Qi Gong and Tai Chi, regardless of age or physical status.
The expert panel offered these additional marketing and communication strategies for promoting programs:
• Present information about Qi Gong and Tai Chi at professional conferences related to physical activity, fitness and wellness, medicine, and aging.
• Provide television and radio programming about Qi Gong and Tai Chi for widespread distribution.
• Develop press releases and other materials for the news media with information on Qi Gong and Tai Chi.
• Develop a clear and concise marketing message about the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi programs for target populations, including older adults. In addition, market the value of adopting these programs to community-based organizations.
• Highlight successful community Qi Gong or Tai Chi programs and provide participant testimonials for media use.
• Develop information about Qi Gong and Tai Chi for distribution at community health fairs and other local venues.
• Target and implement additional research and communicate the findings to the media and to healthcare professionals. Explain the benefits of Qi Gong and Tai Chi in Western terms.
Conclusion
The panel of the National Expert Meeting on Qi Gong and Tai Chi has addressed the challenges of developing effective, evidence-based Qi Gong and Tai Chi programs that can be disseminated widely throughout the Western world. Their consensus recommendations will assist organizations, agencies and facilities that seek to develop and implement successful mind-body practice programs for their constituents.
Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, PhD, Yang Yang, PhD, Karl Rosengren, PhD, Lisa Sheppard, MA, and Chae-Hee Park, MS, are with the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Roger Jahnke directs the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi, located in Goleta, California. James Firman, EdD, Lynn Beattie, MHA, and Rita Chow, EdD, are with the National Council on the Aging, in Washington, DC.
This article originally appeared in the Journal of Active Aging, a publication of the International Council on Active Aging.
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