The self-treatment will mobilise the stiff and often immobile thoracic spine and lower back, alleviate headaches, aches and pains and ultimately improve performance. The process involved postural assessment in 3 planes (saggital, frontal and transverse) and techniques (3 ilterations) of treatment; these may involve some corrective exercises and soft tissue work.

The rack can be purchased and is specifically designed to achieve mobility (Refer to http://taichihealthfitness.blogspot.com/ for the full descriptions and purchases).

■ It allows you to stretch the anterior muscles of the chest and shoulders that are deemed short and often inflexible due to poor posture.

■ It mobilises the thoracic spine, increasing your ability to extend and rotate through this important area.

■ Mobilising the thoracic region helps increase the available movement in the shoulder and pelvic region, allowing us to move more freely and efficiently.

■ Serves as treatment equipment and later as fitness equipment during the maintenance phasse. Enhance quality of life over life cycle

Many good results and testimontials have been received from Sedentary adults, Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi practioners / instructors, cyclists, runners, swimmers, golfers, tennis players, badminton players, dancers, scoliosis clients, clients with low back pain / hand numbness / nerves impingement etc.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Part I - Health-Related Physical Finess, Exercise, and Physical Activity. Part II - Wushu Classification

Health Related Components of physical fitness (more important to public health than athletic ability components of Physical fitness)
1. Cardiorespiratory Fitness
2. Body Composition
3. Flexibility
4. Muscular Strength
5. Muscular Endurance

Athletic Ability Components (Performance or skill-related components) – not inclusive
1. Balance
2. Reaction Time
3. Coordination
4. Agility
5. Speed
6. Power

Exercise represents structured, planned activities designed to promote or enhance over fitness, not just health-related physical fitness. Examples of exercises include swimming, jogging, Taichi etc.

Physical activity is any bodily movement, regardless of intensity, that is not designed specifically around the purpose of enhancing physical fitness. Examples of physical activity are walking your pet or taking a shower etc. (Roitman et al., 2008)

Wushu Classification

Basically, Wushu consists of many schools and is classified into 2 main areas; namely the Set Exercise and Combat Exercise. Taichi which has many health benefits (Li, Hong, & Chan, 2001; Liu, Mimura, Wang, & Ikuda, 2003; Thornton, Sykes, & Tang, 2004; Xu, Li, & Hong, 2006) is part of Wushu and various subsets highlighted in yellow.

References

1. Li, J. X., Hong, Y., & Chan, K. M. (2001). Tai chi: physiological characteristics and beneficial effects on health. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 35, 148-156.
2. Liu, Y., Mimura, K., Wang, L., & Ikuda, K. (2003). Physiological benefits of 24-style Taijiquan exercise in middle-aged women. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 22, 219-225.

3. Roitman, J. L., Robertson, D. M., Lupash, E., Ruppert, K., Murphy, C., & Willson, B. (2008). ACSM's health-related physical fitness assessment manual (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
4. Thornton, E. W., Sykes, K. S., & Tang, W. K. (2004). Health benefits of Tai Chi exercise: improved balance and blood pressure in middle-aged women. Health Promotion International, 19(1), 33-38.
5. Xu, D. Q., Li, J. X., & Hong, Y. (2006). Effects of long term Tai Chi practice and jogging exercise on muscle strength and endurance in older people. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40, 50-54.

Appreciate your comments and feedbacks

No comments:

Client Testimonials

"My knees and lower extremities feel better now during my Tai Chi practice. Thank you for your postural assessment, corrective exercise therapy prescriptions and methodologies used in Tai Chi movements." - after one consultation on Sunday morning

Joan, Tai Chi student from Yio Chu Kang CC

"Hi Maureen, Enyu,
Thank you for taking time to prepare and share your knowledge at our training clinic on Sunday. Nice to have you around to share on your expertise. I think I speak for all attendees to say that we all brought back muck insight to our walking techniques.

FYI and already confirmed, we will also load the pictures into LTAW's website "

Ng Yousi - Let's Take A Walk 2009 - Chairperson
Weizhen Chen - Let's Take A Walk 2009 Committee

"I learnt loads and enjoyed Sat's session!" Thank you very much Coach Tan :)" - Tapering Training

" The whole team (Maureen, GG, Coach Tan and Jon) worked well with each other strengths, which I truly respect. Based on the tentative resulta, EneRgyworkz team was accompanied by other teams with similar timings. More importantly, the distance was finished and not with terrible injuries"

Diane, Shariff, GiaYee - EneRgyWorkz Marathoners NorthFace100 2009

"I am doing the exercise prescriptions every daily and really I am feeling better. Thank you very much with you around, I will be well"

Ang KH, Polytechnic Lecturer - walking deficiencies, cannot squat, diabetes and high blood pressure (under medication)

" Wishing you a Happy Teacher's Day (1st Sep). Thank you for your patience in helping your student auntie to heal. I managed to knee at church on Sunday. I am so happy that my legs does not hurt already. I will always remember you as my World Best Teacher :-) Thank you. "

Elise Nge, Business Executive

"I have followed the training methods you taught me on stretching and postural techniques; and now when I do my Tai Chi, my knee pain has disappeared. Truly appreciate and thank you so much for teaching me the scientifc ways of practising Tai Chi"

Bay MK, Product Promoter

" Thank you for treatment to solve my heel pain problem(plantar facsiitis). It really hurt me alot before I met up with you. You have trained me on the correct posture and your coaching is easily understood. Thank you"

Kelvin Koh, Pharmaceutical Manager

" Your treatments using T-Rack and corrective exercise therapy prescriptions allow me to correct my conditions and my pain has reduced tremendously. I can now do my self treatment at home and thank you for spending your valuable time"

Zubai, Business woman (Client with scoliosis)

"Dear Therapists of Let's Take a Walk 2008

8 months of planning, 13 committee members, 33 hours of event, close to 100 volunteers, over 900 participants and more than $60,000 raised. These are some numbers from Let's Take A Walk 2008 successfully held over the last weekend.

Thank you. Thank you to all of you who have sacrifice your time to help us over the weekend. Your contribution and professionalism has contributed to the success of our event."

Chan Peng, On behalf of Organising Committee 2008

Incorporating all the health and fitness components (Oct '08 articles) into exercise programs may not be easy for busy working adults, executives, businessmen and women when time is hard to optmise. The amount of time spend on exercises whether it is physical preparation and conditioning or routine practices must be effective and meeting the health and fitness requirements.

This requires a proper exercise prescriptions (daily and weekly) for individuals and appropriate circuit design (including bad weather) using existing natural environment (depending on individual preferences, preferably mixture of indoor and outdoor) around us to keep us healthy and fit. Time must be well-spend.

For example: some of my clients are doing warming up and stretching at home, their Taichi aerobic activties are done using the outdoor circuit and cooling down with Taichi routines followed by stretching near thereby their house. The re-hydration with fuild is done at home during rest followed by his bath. They have multiple version of programs (changing the variables of the components and types) for variety.

If you are interested, call +65 94312135 or email to tsenyu1@singnet.com.sg