Unlike traditional workouts, yoga and tai chi focus on a precise movement which lets your body slowly transition between positions. Both of these practices try coordinating your muscles, heart, mind and bones with the positive energy around you. Even though both of them have similar goals, if you compare the two, you will notice a few differences.
Identification
The movements and body positions used during yoga and tai chi may appear similar, but they actually vary quite a bit. Tai chi sessions focus on relaxed movements. Postures evolve constantly and there aren’t any pauses as your body moves between postures. But yoga is focused on stillness. Every posture is held for a number of minutes or seconds and helps positive energy go through your body with every movement. Both yoga and tai chi use meditation and controlled breathing in order to enhance this practice.
Medical benefits
Both are known to be effective treatments for pain relief from various medical conditions. Tai chi is known to help with the symptoms of high blood pressure, arthritis and Parkinson’s. Yoga is known to help lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, alleviate depression and relieve physical pain. Both practices can certainly improve quality of life for patients with heart disease or cancer.
Reduced stress
It’s difficult to compare stress relieving benefits. Both methods have a mind body approach which helps calm your being instead of just your body. Before you determine which method is better for you, you should try out both. It most cases, it will all depend on the one which suits you the most. If you prefer constant movement, tai chi is the best choice for you. If you prefer stillness then go for yoga.
Improved balance
Tai chi needs constant movement. Your balance is going to benefit a lot from learning how to flow effortlessly from one move to the next. Tai chi has been credited with helping improve balance in people as old as 92. Apart from this, it is also known to help get rid of the fear of falling for seniors. But yoga emphasizes on static postures which make it a better choice for people looking to improve their balance while remaining still. Practicing yoga regularly can help you learn how to evenly distribute weight across your feet and this will certainly help improve stability. Just remember to try both before choosing one. Who knows which one you will like more?