In terms of health, are internal arts more benefitical?

What I am about to ask is probably totally wrong because of myths I have heard from various people, but I am really curious about the truth and what's the real deal.

What I like to ask is the health aspect of internal martial arts as opposed to all the "does it work on the street" argument that has been debated to death.

I have been told by Chinese people who said internal martial arts strengthens your internal organ inside out as opposed so you become a healthier person as a whole; as opposed to just become muscle stronger like when you go to the gym.

But then, I work out at the gym myself... my internal organs are definitely have to work for it one way or the other... I have to constantly breathing rapidly during cardio's, so that's using my lung, heart, and how my body needs to constantly converting oxygen to energy... I am pretty sure you need a good set of internal organs to do that!! Does internal arts actually do more than that?

So how does internal arts look at the human body? What might they think about people working out at the gym and training in external arts, is it good, bad, or neutral when it comes to being health "internally"? I have looked at video of people doing Tai Chi, I noticed some "masters" are overweight looking fat, of course I have no ideas which are really "authentic" masters, but I have heard internal art critics that some masters do have got it wrong, that some thinks doing Tai Chi is the all and end all and do no alternative exercise like running, and they are actually not very healthy... what do you think about it?

 

I think not getting punched in the face is probably good for the health.

 

Haha, congrats on the 1000th post!!

 

It depends on how it it is practiced.

A lot of the taijiquan practiced today (especially in Europe and the USA) is of poor quality, and can be detrimental to your long term health. The same for baguazhang and xingyiquan.

 

I live in Australia but I suppose I should not assume it is any better here... anything to look out for? What not to do that could be detrimental?

 

Don't listen to BS - that'll save you tons of time and energy.

You're right - a lot of the people who lecture us about so called 'internal martial arts' are fat snd unhealthy, and often outright lie, to pretend that they have developed some kind of inner power or skill, simply to hide the fact that they have been lazy all these years.

Some relaxation exercises help with, well, relaxing. Some standing exrcises - zhan zhuang - can help with health, but only if people do it the right way and understand the point of it. Otherwise, active life, good diet, lots of laughs and sex, good friends, love of family, the odd blow out - all contribute to a healthy life far more than taiji or Xing yi.

 

Then compare the average Chinese elders doing Taijiquan in the parks and the European/US elders in their homes, sitting wheelchairs.

Of course, IMA are the perfect way to keep healthy, get healthy again and regain lots of outer mobility and inner disease resistence. They teach you economic movment, not too much and not too less, you never waste your enegry and you learn to create power and accumulate it in your body.

I cured a tendon handicap and easily getting a cold by Taijiquan, but of course, one needs to get proper instruction. As I live in Taiwan, many really good teachers are to be found just around the corner. But there should be a few good ones in the West as well?

 

Listen well, for he speaks the truth.

European and North American elders tend to be less healthy than their Asian counterparts not because they don't practice internal martial arts, but because they don't practice anything. Just getting up every morning and being active does a heck of a lot for your body, regardless of what it is you're doing.

If all you're concerned about is staying healthy and active, your best bet is to choose something that you enjoy doing. That way you're more likely to stick with it long-term, and it'll be able to keep you interested, satisfied, and motivated, long into your senior years

 

So does a lot of other things that keeps one healthy, good diet, EMA, sports and activities alike... so how does IMA differ from the others, do they focus on different parts of the body, or different methodology? What is "inner disease resistance", do you mean the immune system? How does it relate to IMA?

Or let me rephrase the topic, are IMA more beneficial compared to other sports, activities, and martial arts? If so, in what aspect?

 

Absoloutely true - at the gym where I train there are plenty of older, healthy people playing tennis. Equally, if you look at an OAP's regular dance club you see lots of active, healthy older people. Just keep active is the main thing - active, eat well, live well.

I think a big part of all of this is that as you never, or almost never see any so called 'internal' martial artists demonstrate realistic application to their stuff, well, they have to feel like there is some point to it, so they say it cultivates all kinds of mysterious health benefits... in reality, the health benefits are just those that come from being active in the first place.

 

Right, so when you get down to the real benefits, things like Tai Chi are like dancing*, older people benefits from it simply by being active, they both provide balance and coordination, but not really that intensive. When they say old people practise IMA are healthier, they have not take into consideration of people practising other stuff, and therefore a flawed deduction there.

*(ignoring any martial application in this topic, since we are focus on the health benefit on this topic.)

 

You guys in your 20s have easy talking. Let's see how you feel with 50, like me, or 70 or even older. Then you will see the difference between any choosen activity and IMA. Don't you guys know about medical studies, showing effects of IMA in bone structure, walking ability, blood pressure, even diabetis?
You better check research from California.
And of course, the whole approach to activity in IMA is totally different to any western sports, maybe yoga would be a comparison, but for sure nothing done in the gym or a western dancing parlour.

 

I'm 40 this year - and I'm a far fitter, more powerful athlete than I have ever been. I saw an old guy at the gym yesterday- maybe in his late fifties - who had oneof the most superb physiques I'v ever seen. He's a tennis player. The secret - regular exercise, good genes, good diet. Which particular exercise I don't think really matters, as long as it isn't damaging you.

Are Chinese martial arts good for health? Yes, of course. Do they have somekind of monopoly on that? No, of course not. Do you need to take up Chinese martial arts to ensure health in later years? No - you're far better off choosing to do an activity which you enjoy - half of the equation is stimulating the mind's will to live, not just the body, through keeping up with a hobby or skill that you truly enjoy doing.

 

Having said that, I'm off to practice zhan zhuang now!

 

Taiwandeutscher, the very intention of me starting this thread is that I am wondering IMA might benefit health in the long term and just like you said, when you are 50, 70 and beyond. I have heard a lot of claims of how it is beneficial to the internal organs but on the other hand I know there is a lot of myths and lies going around.

So you are saying that there is a difference IMA to other activities, well one thing for sure if that they have different movement and terminology... but what's the actual difference in terms of how it affects your body? What does it do that other sports and activities lacks? And how does it do what it does?

 

That's not a particularly fair comparison, and despite my earlier post I am not against the idea that there may be some excellent benefits of IMA.

There probably are. But to say that some elderly Chinese people practice tai chi and some elderly westerners sit in wheelchairs, as if it is some kind of evidence for it, seems absurd.

 

use it or lose it. abuse it and lose it. over-use it and lose it.

do whatever strong, bendy old people do and you'll be fine

 

If we are takling about elderly Chines practicing TaiJi in parks...

They get up early...WALK to the park...do a couple of hours excercise...WALK back home and than have breakfast. Some repeat this at dusk.

Mosr western elderly people get up...shuffle to the kitchen eat breakfast and read the newspaper or watch daytime tv.

A gross generalisation, but, if you are active you will be fitter.

 

I get what you're saying - but apart from it being a gross generalisation, there are so many factors at play here including genetics and diet.

 

No doubt, exercise is going to help people live longer healthier lives. So, like other's have said, keeping active in any way is a good idea.

Interestingly someone was telling me that line dancing is getting popular in some parks in the far-east.