Which is better to learn, yoga or tai chi?

In fact, there is no absolute standard answer at all. It all depends on the individual's physical foundation, learning goals and even personality habits. It is a typical honey for one and arsenic for another.

Friends around me who have been exposed to both at the same time are particularly divided. Xiao Tang, a designer born in 1996 who I met at a yoga studio, usually likes to dance in female group dances and has good flexibility, but her shoulders and neck are stiff all the time when she is sitting at a desk. At the beginning, she signed up for a yoga experience class and a Tai Chi class in the community. In the first week, she made a difference - Yoga This is the most basic Hatha class. Even if she can’t touch her toes when bending forward or can’t press her heels firmly in downward dog pose, the teacher only needs to say “stop when you reach your own range.” After practicing, most of the soreness and swelling in the shoulders and neck will disappear immediately. After three classes, she can keep up with the rhythm of the whole class. ； On the other hand, after standing for 10 minutes in the first Tai Chi class, her legs were shaking like chaff, and she was always corrected by the teacher: "The shoulders are not sinking, the hips are not sitting, and the waist is stiff." After the whole class, she didn't remember anything. She just felt tired, but naturally she found yoga a hundred times easier to learn.

But for another person, the conclusion may be completely opposite. My 62-year-old Aunt Zhang downstairs had an old meniscus injury in her knee. She was dragged by her old sisters to practice yoga. The seated angle pose caused pain in her crotch, and the downward dog pose made her Achilles tendon twitch. After practicing twice, the pain in her knee became even worse. She decisively gave up and switched to Tai Chi. She chose the most basic 24-style simplified Tai Chi. The teacher first taught her to relax her shoulders, drop her elbows, and sink her breath. You don’t need to compete with others about the range of movements for these basic essentials of Dantian. After doing one set slowly, your whole body will be warm and your knees will not be burdened. You can complete the whole set in two months. Last week, I won the third prize in the Tai Chi event at the senior citizens’ sports competition in the street. Now everyone says that Tai Chi is much friendlier than yoga and is not at the same level of difficulty.

If you want to practice in depth, neither of them is actually a fuel-efficient lamp. There is no way to say who is better at learning. I have been practicing both intermittently for almost five years. It was only when I practiced yoga in the Ashtanga Vinyasa sequence that I discovered that it is useless to be flexible, and the coordination of breathing and movements is not so good. After practicing, not only do I not relax, but my whole body feels tight. It takes many years of hard work to reach the stage of breathing control and meditation. ； Not to mention Tai Chi. It’s easy to get started with the 24 postures. You have to understand the “loose and heavy” energy and be able to push hands with others. You won’t be able to master the basic skills in three or five years. If you really want to master them, both are hard skills that take time.

If you are really confused about which one to choose, don’t just listen to other people’s opinions. Find an experience class in a regular venue and give it a try. The physical experience will be the most honest. The one that you don’t have any difficulty in taking and you are willing to take the time to go every week will be the best one for you.