Tai Chi Therapeutic & Clinical Benefits

The Therapeutic and Clinical Benefits of Tai Chi

written by: Master McCorry


Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art famous for its medicinal and clinical benefits. The therapeutic and preventive value of Tai Chi was known in China for thousands of years. Recent studies have brought this wealth of tradition to the public eye outside China and have made Tai Chi one of the most desirable martial arts.

Tai Chi Through Ages
The roots of Tai Chi date back to the ancient Chinese faith-cum-philosophy of Taoism, which stresses the harmony and balancing of contradicting elements as the path to truth. Tai Chi is supposed to be the invention of a 17th century warrior Wang Ting Chen. It remained within the Chen family circles for nearly two centuries. In the late 19th century, Chang Xing Chen, a descendant of Wang Ting, brought Tai Chi to outside the bounds of the family and taught it to Lu Chan Yang and his followers. They, in turn, propagated Tai Chi all over China. By 1956, two milestones happened in the development of Tai Chi:

* Government took initiative to reduce the multiple and complex variants of Tai Chi to 24 simplified styles

* The purpose of Tai Chi shifted from self-defense to health


The 70s saw Tai Chi being introduced to the US. It remained an esoteric art till 1996. Steven Wolf’s study of the health benefits of Tai Chi in 1996 made it popular all over US, and gradually, in the rest of the world as well. At present, Tai Chi is a celebrated martial art with millions of learners all over the world.

The Clinical Benefits of Tai Chi
Many studies since 1990s have expounded the health benefits of Tai Chi. Taken together, they can be summed up under the following notions:

1. Tai Chi can enhance balance, improve control and reduce falls in adults and seniors.

2. It improved the Unified Scale score of patients suffering from Parkinsonism (MS Lee, 2008)

3. In patients suffering from osteoarthritis, Tai Chi was found to reduce pain and inflammation (Lee, 2008)

4. Studies in rheumatic arthritis patients found that Tai Chi improved the flexion of their ankles (A Han, 2004)

5. Usually bone density diminishes in women in post-menopause stage. Women who learnt Tai Chi, however, was found to maintain their bone density. This means reduced risk of osteoporosis in women.

6. A study by A. Dechamps et al (2007) pointed out that Tai Chi can foster belief in one’s own ability and enhance mood.

7. Regular practice of Tai Chi can bring down blood pressure and diabetes to normal. It can also reduce the chances of CVD (Cardio-Vascular Diseases) by preventing hypertension and abnormal lipid levels.

8. When Tai Chi was paired with medical treatment in cancer patients, it was found to boost their will power and thereby increase the chances of survival. It can develop self-esteem in cancer survivors as well (P. Mansky, 2006)

9. Tai Chi can augment aerobic capacity and reduce stress


Bruce McCorry’s Lessons in Tai Chi
Tai Chi is often hailed as a medication technique in motion, a phrase which proves how important it is to practice it scientifically. Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy (Peabody, Massachusetts) offers professional training in Tai Chi to learners of all age groups. Tai Chi coaching at Bruce McCorry’s starts with simpler low-intensity forms for beginners and gradually proceeds to higher levels. For patients, systematic Tai Chi learning at Bruce McCorry’s can be coupled with medicinal treatment to achieve better clinical results. Private instruction is also available to better work with the students needs.  Visit www.brucemccorrys.com today or call for your free trial course, at (978) 535-7878.

Kung Fu Classes Peabody Ma

A Look at the History and Advantages of Kung Fu

written by: Michael Fulcher

Before learning martial arts, people tend to be concerned whether 
martial arts will desensitize them to violence. Though all martial arts 
involve physical moves that may look aggressive, the basic philosophy 
beneath each art propagates peace and tranquility. If you still have 
apprehensions, Kung Fu is your solution – a unique martial art from 
China with its core tenets based on the virtues of defense and peace 
rather than aggression and violence.

Kung Fu through a Historical Perspective
Also known by the names of Wushu or Gongfu, Kung Fu is a Chinese 
fighting style that acquired popularity all over the world. It is ironic 
that a martial art which stresses peaceful philosophy at present was 
born out of the incessant battles that the ancient Chinese had to 
contend with. But even then, the emphasis was to self-defend rather than 
victory and aggression.
The proper origins can be traced to King Huang-Di of the Xia Dynasty of 
China who is supposed to have introduced the art form to his country. 
Since then, Kung Fu had remained an inevitable component of the defense 
strategies of dynasties that followed, most significantly the Shang, 
Zhou, Qin, Han and Song dynasties. Over these ages, Kung Fu acquired a 
philosophical aura which expanded its horizons beyond self-defense and 
fighting.

A monumental event in the growth of the philosophical doctrine of Kung 
Fu was the establishment of Shaolin style. Ancient forms of Kung Fu were 
already practiced in the Shaolin Temple, a Chinese Buddhist monastery 
since the 16th century itself. A southern Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma 
shaped it to the renowned Shaolin style in circa 720 CE. Introduction of 
the philosophical dimension established Kung Fu as a sought-after 
martial art in China. In the modern era, when the value of martial arts 
started being recognized in general, Kung Fu got the status of a 
universally accepted and preferred martial art, and aspirants started 
flocking to learn Kung Fu.
Learning Kung Fu: The Advantages
What sustains the glory of Kung Fu even after two millenniums since its 
origin? Modern scientific and psychological inquiries have thrown light 
over the remarkable potential of this martial art. The hand-knee 
movements in Kung Fu can tone your body and make you healthier. An 
authentic study by Tsang TW et al shows that Kung Fu can increase bone 
density and enhance aerobic capacity. Kung Fu can also de-stress you and 
help you to face stressful situations in a composed manner. 
Psychotherapists opine that Kung Fu can make you insight-oriented, 
patient and calm (K. K. Wong, 1981). Kung Fu is a healthy and soothing 
retreat, a spiritually rich alternative to the hectic hours you spend in 
your workplace.

Bruce McCorry Kung Fu Instruction

Learning from the Master: Kung Fu Lessons by Bruce McCorry's Martial 
Arts Not every Martial Art academy can proudly state that they are led by a 
man who performed right at the Shaolin Temple, the venerated shrine of 
Kung Fu aspirants. Only the greatest masters get such an opportunity, 
and that is the achievement of SiFu Bruce McCorry, the visionary 
leader of Bruce McCorry's Martial Art Center (Massachusetts). Through 
the Kung Fu lessons, the academy puts before you a golden chance to 
learn the fundamentals of Kung Fu from McCorry and other veteran 
masters. The lessons are open to all regardless of age, and provide you 
with individual attention from teachers who comes up with customized 
teaching methods that suit you.

Bruce McCorry at the Shaolin Temple

Give a new direction to your life through Kung Fu lessons with Bruce 
McCorry and his team!


www.brucemccorrys.com