Which is better, yoga or tai chi?

There is really no standard answer. It all depends on the individual's physical condition, exercise needs and adaptability. My old boxing friends who have practiced Tai Chi for more than ten years and my personal trainer who has taught yoga for eight years will occasionally argue about this matter together. In the end, they are all people who have really benefited from practicing, but they have different "sweetness".

If you usually sit at your desk for a long time, your shoulders and neck are as hard as frozen butter, you are impatient, and you want to see results as soon as possible in everything you do, you will most likely like yoga more when you first start exercising, whether it is a set of flow yoga movements to make you sweat freely, or yin yoga You can feel the tight muscles loosening immediately after maintaining the pose. Half of the yoga studios downstairs in my company are 996 Internet users. I squeezed in 45 minutes during lunch break to practice a shoulder and neck themed class. In the afternoon, I no longer subconsciously shrug my shoulders while typing code. However, several friends said that when practicing yoga, they couldn't help but compare the difficulty of lowering and doing splits with those around them. Even though they couldn't do it, they still struggled to hold on, causing knee pain and lumbar soreness from the practice, which made them even more anxious. They then went to a park near their home to practice Tai Chi with their uncles and aunts for half a month. They said that when they slowly walked around, their minds could completely relax, and they were no longer so irritated after seeing news about group videos at work.

For friends who have old joint injuries, especially meniscus wear and lumbar disc herniation, most of the rehabilitation doctors I have contacted would recommend starting with the simplified 24-position Tai Chi. The range of movements is small, and the knees should always be slightly bent no more than the toes when changing the center of gravity. The impact on the joints is also small. As long as the movements are standard, it will basically not put additional burden on the body. I once had a friend who injured his knee while running a marathon, but the doctor did not allow him to do strenuous running or jumping. When he first started practicing yoga, he couldn’t help but press his legs and stretch his muscles. It took him almost a month of pain before he switched to Tai Chi. Now, for more than half a year, he can walk five or six kilometers on weekends without feeling stiff in his knees. But if you originally want to adjust your posture and shape your body, yoga will be more targeted and more efficient in accurately activating the core, buttocks and legs. I used to have a cousin who had wide hips and severely rounded shoulders. After practicing orthostatic yoga with a reliable teacher for half a year, the lines of my crotch became much smoother when I wore jeans, and even the problem of holding my breasts that I had developed since childhood was corrected.

Some people also think that Tai Chi is slow and makes young people look old-fashioned when they practice it. In fact, many cities now have Tai Chi communities for young people. When practicing new postures, the movements are stretched and there is a link to generate strength. After one set, you can work up a thin sweat. It is not an event that only old people can practice in people's minds.； Some people also say that yoga is an eye-catching and difficult movement, which is an IQ tax. In fact, it is because you have not chosen the right teacher. Nowadays, many rehabilitation yoga and maternal yoga are highly professional. The effect of improving posture and relieving postpartum pelvic floor muscle problems is no worse than specialized rehabilitation training.

In fact, you really don’t have to worry about which one to choose. If you have enough time, try two or three classes each and you will know. If you are not awkward when practicing, feel relaxed after practicing, and will even think about coming back next time, then it is the best one for you. After all, whether it is yoga or Tai Chi, they are essentially exercises that help you feel your body and relax. There is no need to distinguish between higher and lower classes.