Tai chi concept of core stability: Sink your body weight onto your feet, feel your pelvis and just sink a little closer to the floor.

Tai chi concept of solid core stability is in the center of gravity - those vital points a couple of inches below your belly button, and a couple of inches toward the spine. The key to tai chi concept of core stability is to maintain your core body posture upright and let your feet move first, pulling you along. Beginners must first master this form of tai chi exercise.

Most people walk without thought. We lead by using the upper body leaning to create momentum, and simply hope our legs will keep up. Works most of the time, but without this tai chi concept of stability, and if anything hinders or slows the legs - a fall ensues.

Is there a safer way to walk to prevent falls? Absolutely and apply tai chi concept of stability: Imagine crossing a river and stepping from stone to stone. Slowly, step by step, let your foot goes first, to test the stability of the stone, and then transfer your core weight. Move gracefully from stone to stone, with your feet moving first.

While this tai chi style of walking may seem a bit odd and not appropriate for walking in the mall, you can speed it up and nobody will notice anything more than your grace and stability. Use the same tai chi method for stability when walking on a slippery surface.

Core stability

The tai chi concept of core stability is that your center must rest over the base of support. In learning tai chi, there is a tendency to become 'uptight' and being more in the head than in the body. The most common mistake when learning tai chi is that to have the heel of the back foot up and this can result in stability problem.

In tai chi concept of core stability, your center must be as close to the center of the base as possible and the wider the base, the greater the support. Keep your core body weight over the middle, not too much leaning forward or back, or to either side. The key is to keep both feet firmly planted on the ground. Check yourself out in a mirror at home.

Page topic – tai chi