Tai Chi, Anyone? Trivia Quiz

Answer: An ancient Chinese martial art

In tai chi, you perform a series of movements (called a form) in a slow manner with coordinated breathing. The philosophy of tai chi is softness overcoming hardness, an example being the soft waves on the beach eventually shaping hard rock. Becoming aware of their own breathing, practitioners ease muscle tension while learning the basic movements of their form.

Answer: Medication in motion

The May 2009 issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch says that tai chi is a
"mind-body practice that can help treat or prevent many age-related health problems." The article goes on to suggest that tai chi "may be the perfect activity for the rest of your life", citing that people can get started with tai chi even if they aren't in top shape.

Answer: Kung Fu

Tai Chi Chuan, also written as Taijiquan, was a fighting art that the Chinese military found improved the health of the soldiers, and enabled them to march much further distances. Gentle forms, such as Sun style, pronounced Soon, and Yang styles are found in YMCA classes, hospitals, churches and community centers. Kung Fu is known as Gong Fu in Mandarine Chinese. Karate and Judo are Japanese martial arts, and Taekwondo comes from Korea. Kung Fu is a Chinese fighting style with many schools of thought. Trying to explain it is like trying to describe an ancient Chinese secret. I can't do it justice. One definition of Kung Fu is "skill through hard work".

Answer: Simplified

Since there are many forms and styles of tai chi, it was hard to make comparisons until the simplified 24 movement form (also called Beijing or Peking form named for its place of origin) was devised. It contains 24 unique moves. My teacher teaches Wu Tang's Yang styles containing 32, 45 and 64 movements.

Answer: To become better at your form and develop inner strength

Competition can keep a practitioner from becoming complacent; it will challenge you physically and mentally to keep moving forward. No matter what you are learning, say, classes in school such as History, English, Math, Industrial Arts,and Life Skills, if you never had to take tests you probably wouldn't study (practice) and wouldn't be as motivated to learn. Competing isn't for everyone, though, and there's nothing wrong with not entering tournaments and besides, most schools that teach just for health do not have students compete. Under the right conditions, I believe at least attempting even the idea of competing, will make you a better student at your craft.

Answer: Giraffe

In our classes, before we play tai chi (rather than doing, it's called playing tai chi) we do qi gong exercises which prepare our bodies for the longer fluid movements expressed in tai chi. The stances alone have many health benefits. Dragon, tiger and snake are traditional animal stances as well. Horse stance is one that gets a lot of use - it looks like a cowboy riding his horse, feet spread wide and knees bent. Horse is called the "long life stance", meaning your internal life clock stops while holding this position.

Answer: No

Karate is a Japanese form so it can't be qi gong which is Chinese. When you do tai chi, you are doing qi gong - a moving qi gong. Chi and Qi, and even Ki mean energy, life energy. Qi is the Pinyin version; Chi is the Wade-Giles transliteration (Wade-Giles is named after two men who developed the romanization system for translating Mandarin Chinese), and Ki is the Japanese Kanji for the same idea. Kanji is one of the three Japanese writing systems.

Answer: Find your soulmate

Not saying you couldn't find your soulmate in a tai chi class but it's neither a promise or a good idea. The deep breathing not only increases lung strength, it can also keep your mind in the present moment, leaving monkey mind at rest.

Answer: Bruce Lee

"Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put water into a teapot - it becomes the teapot. Be water, my friend." Now some people say this means your movements should flow, like water. Others say it means to leave your worried thoughts outside the room you are in, at home, in class or competition. I agree with both.
Mimi Kuo Deemer is a martial artist who teaches qi gong, yoga and mindful meditation.

Answer: Needle to the sea bottom

I wish I could wrap up all the benefits I've received from this moving art form which include actually being called graceful, at least while playing tai chi. I've gained better balance, and maybe most importantly a more stable life because my thoughts are calmer, my body is calmer, which I believe is caused by the increased intake of oxygen from deeper breathing.

Many experiences and studies make it easy to recommend this exercise for nearly everyone. Even those who are chair-bound can do modified moves and receive benefits, which not only I saw from years teaching in a skilled nursing facility, but the director and the therapy department checking in on the classes can attest - at the minimum that any extra movement and social comradery benefited their patients.