Seniors get their kicks with Tai Chi

Mike Owens / News Virginian
Published: June 29, 2007

But stop by the Waynesboro YMCA on a Tuesday or Thursday morning and there it is.

"I'm so proud of those guys," said instructor Ginny Lindsey.

Sure, it's not exactly fists of fury moving as fast as lightning in there.

But it is a slow-motion Chinese art form that even the wheelchair-bound can do.

And it seems to be catching on nationwide.

"It's becoming more of a norm for fitness facilities to run this kind of class," said Y Executive Director Jeff Fife.

Arthritis- Knee problems-

No worry. You can do the 45-minute routine.

It might even help. Just keep in mind there are simple range-of-motion exercises almost anyone can do.

Some routines are designed for wrists. Others are designed for fingers.

Lindsey - proud to proclaim her 63 years - swears by the benefits of tai chi.

"Most important, I don't trip and fall, I find. I trip and stumble, which is very important for the elderly," she said.

The idea to practice tai chi first struck her nearly 20 years ago.

She was in China at the time. A prized tourist, she often grabbed the attention of locals who never before had seen blue eyes and blonde hair.

An early-morning wake up one day had her strolling outdoors right at sunrise.

Lindsey wasn't the only person ready to greet the sun. Others were outside already. More people than normally expected.

"They were doing this wonderful, very slow moving activity," she recalled.

The fighting art dates back nearly 200 years. And Lindsey vowed never to forget what she saw.

Already a longtime activist for arthritis and diabetes foundations, she found this type of exercise a natural fit.

Her certification as a teacher came just last year. She began the class at the Y shortly after that.

The class still has room for newbies.

"It's growing," Fife said. "It's not huge. I'd like to have more people in it."

Contact Michael L. Owens at 932-3563.

Tags relating to this article:

• No tags are associated with this article.

Can't find what you're looking for? Try our quick search: