First things first, fearless reader (and/or listener, as the case may be)! Before we dive into what tai chi is and isn’t, let us presuppose a few things:
- Social media both reflects and shapes society
- AI-generated ads are here, with the result that some digital content quality has begun circling the drain
- Human beings have brains, which means we can exercise discernment and choice
Through the words of this humble blog, written imperfectly by me – an actual imperfect human, I aim to help you be more informed and less overwhelmed about your health in this (bonkers!) age of the world.
If you’re spending time on the social media, you have almost indubitably encountered a series of truly bizarre AI advertisements for tai chi. These wonky videos1 feature a silver-haired, ludicrously chiseled “man” or “woman” touting the health (that is to say beauty) benefits of tai chi.
Behold this screenshot of one such ad. If you look super-duper close, you’ll see there’s a tiny line of copy at the bottom.
It reads, “AI-generated actor. Story is provided for entertainment purposes only.”
If you listen to it, you hear that his accent changes completely after 30 seconds or so.
Primarily aimed at people over the age of 50, these ads make all manner of wild claims about simple tai chi that will melt belly fat into abs with very little effort, thus turning the clock back on your physique. Mkay. Sure.
It doesn’t take a terribly critical eye to know these purported benefits are too good to be real.
So, is tai chi a legitimate form of exercise? Or is this a classic case of carpetbagging? Let’s find out!
Tai Chi is a Martial Art
While the “AI-generated actor” making these exaggerated and money-mongering claims is a relatively new phenomenon (at least as of this writing), tai chi is nothing new.
It’s a form of martial arts that originated in China hundreds of years ago. How many hundreds isn’t really clear. Similar to Chinese medicine, the exact origins of tai chi are unknown, legendary, and/or contested. Online sources I found seem to agree that we can be reasonably confident that tai chi became somewhat formalized in the 1500s, but movement exercises in China go centuries back.
Many different styles of tai chi exist, such as the Chen, Yang, Wu, Hao, and Sun schools. For more info on the differences between these forms, I point you to Tai Chi for Health Institute’s very handy history page full of info about the origins and styles of tai chi2.
Suffice it to say, the different styles are exactly what you might think; they teach varying versions of form and movement. Some styles are more or less vigorous, and may – as a result – suit you better than others.
Internal v. External Martial Arts
If you grew up in Western culture, it may surprise you to know that tai chi is, in fact, a martial art. The term “martial arts” might conjure up – depending on your generation – “Daniel-son” getting whipped by the nefarious Kobra Kai in Karate Kid, any number of incredible Bruce Lee moves, Jet Li fighting off a roomful of people in Kiss of the Dragon, or Donnie Yen as Ip Man, just generally killing it.
The fact is, there are two major types or styles of martial arts into which all(ish) specific schools or forms are categorized. These two major types are call internal and external marital arts3. Both internal and external martial arts can be competitive, challenging, beneficial for human health, fun to do, and fun to watch.
And both types, I should say, are considered kung fu (or gongfu). This delightful term is worthy of its own post, and has a much deeper meaning than what we typically encounter in the west. For now, let’s just say that gongfu is more about the way a person does a thing than the specific thing that person is doing. It describes a certain patience, artistry, and engagement.
A professional chef can (and arguably should!) have gongfu, for example. Gongfu tea preparation is a whole thing the internet can tell you about; if you’re interested, check out MeiLeaf Teas (the owner’s dad was one of the first Chinese acupuncturists in Britain!)
But back to the martial arts question at hand: the difference betwixt internal and external martial arts. An internal marital art is more focused on one’s own body awareness, balance, and the cultivation of qi than it is on attacking or fighting. The movements are generally slow, smooth, and involve a fair amount of stance training or isometric movement. Prepare to sink deeper into your horse stance again and again and again in internal martial arts.
External martial arts focus more on speed, strength, feats of physical prowess, and self defense in the form of a good ole fashioned derrière whoopin’, à la Donnie Yen (pardon my French).
As you’ve probably ascertained by now, tai chi is an internal martial art. During our training in Chinese medicine school, we learned that tai chi developed out of daoyin and qigong. Indeed, the movements and styles are traceably similar. Other internal martial art forms, if you’re interested, include xingyi and bagua.
Most other forms of martial arts – karate, taekwondo, jujitsu, and judo – are considered external martial arts.
I say “most other” forms are considered to be external because, as this astute blog post points out4, the Japanese martial art Aikido and the Chinese style of Wing Chun (Ip Man and Bruce Lee’s style) are “on the fence” between an internal and external martial art.
And, as ever in Chinese medicine and philosophy, these seemingly different styles freely share elements. In other words, internal martial arts contain aspects of the external styles, and vice versa.
The (Legit) Health Benefits of Tai Chi
Practitioners and students of tai chi cite varied benefits: increased balance, stamina, joint stability and flexibility, lower levels of pain, greater mind-body connection, better and stronger breathing, improved digestion, fewer headaches, and a generalized sense of well-being.
Biomedicine also by and large documents and discusses the health benefits of tai chi. In the US, the Department of Health and Human Services oversees the National Institute of Health, or NIH. Within the NIH is a division called the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
This branch has all kinds of interesting info, and is one of my go-to sources5 for essays like this one. If you hop on over to the page I’m linking you to, you’ll find information like:
Tai Chi Has Similar or Greater Benefits Than Aerobic Exercise for Fibromyalgia, Study Shows
Study Shows Tai Chi and Physical Therapy Were Equally Helpful for Knee Osteoarthritis
This is, of course, great to see and hear. It helps spread the word, which in turns helps improve quality of life for more people. And it’s also no surprise to people who’ve been practicing tai chi for ages.
If you’re interested in trying tai chi out for yourself, there are loads of qualified folks out there making excellent DIY and intro-to-tai chi videos on YouTube – just find yourself one led by an actual human being.
Sources and addenda:
- @Beach4Head2 has several lovely little playlists of these incredibly odd ads. Check out the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@Beach4head2 ↩︎
- https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/history-of-tai-chi/ ↩︎
- Some people say “soft” for internal and “hard” for external. I don’t love this distinction because I think it creates confusion and bias. ↩︎
- https://www.zing-zang.com/what-are-internal-and-external-martial-arts ↩︎
- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tai-chi-what-you-need-to-know ↩︎
by Mary Beth Huwe
These writings are an exploration of what it means to be human – to be sick, to be well, and to heal – viewed through the lens of classical Chinese medicine. My words aren’t medical advice, and these essays don’t constitute a practitioner-client relationship. They also aren’t meant to be the final word on… well, anything. Rather, I hope they are the beginning of a conversation you have with someone in your life. Thanks for reading!