Movement, Medicine and The Martial Arts
Acupuncture, a mainstay of TCM and a principal method of improving qi, is having its own unexpected but well-timed fillip. New converts have been intrigued to discover that studies by renowned medical institutions such as Harvard have found evidence that acupuncture can provide relief from conditions including lower back and menstrual pain, headaches and fibromyalgia. The popularity of mixed martial arts, currently one of the fastest growing sports internationally, can also be attributed in part to Google searches for fitness routines from the east. TCM regimens such as tai chi, which incorporates both vigorous and gentle natural movements to release stress, improve balance and coordination and strengthen muscle, and qigong, which features movement, breathwork and meditation to unify body and mind, are in the ascendancy. PTs such as Jillian Michaels, who has trained the likes of Julia Roberts and Maria Shriver, incorporate tai chi into workouts, while many Mandarin Oriental spas hold classes in both disciplines.
