Today, everyone knows that practicing Tai Chi Chuan can improve the practitioner's health. In the following I will explain how the Tai Chi Chuan Classics make this clear.

1. The Tai Chi Chuan Classics say "Use intent, not physical force." and "Intent ahead of movement." These quotes point out to the practitioner the significance of the brain and the nervous system. When one uses the brain often, this will improve the blood supply to the brain, delay aging and have additional benefits.

When the Tai Chi Chuan Classics emphasize applying the intent over physical force, it is but to review the information that muscle contraction can inhabit blood flow. When the blood does not flow smoothly, vessels hardness and pressure build up.

The Tai Chi Chuan Classic puts emphasis on the concept of intent ahead of movement, this means a practitioner should always pay more attention to the internal over the external. When one is focusing and concentrating, all the negative factors resulting from living in a stressful society will be forgotten. This will prevent bad emotions from affecting the practitioner's health.

2. The Tai Chi Chuan Classic also says "Suspend the head from above" and "Sink the chi down to the dantien." This points out the importance of posture in breathing. These requirements also work to improve the condition of the central nervous system, skeletal and muscle systems.

When the breathing is deep, soft and slow, it helps to stretch the diaphragm muscle to increase the lung's capacity to take in more oxygen, massages the internal organs and improves the blood circulation. When the head is suspended from above, it works on the skeleton, joints and muscles to improve the vertebra and the nervous system. When the chi sinks down to the dantien, the upper body is more relaxed and the lower body is more balanced. One will be in a natural and comfortable position.

3. The Tai Chi Chuan Classic also says "Pay attention to the waist in all movements." This highlights the importance of the waist in motion. Besides the waist's functions in mobility and coordination, regular rotation of the waist provides gentle massage to the kidneys, the vertebra and releases qi to circulate throughout the body.

The waist is the location of an acupuncture point called "ming men" (gate of life) a point where qi is stored. The waist is emphasized so that the qi will be released from this point and will begin to circulate throughout the body to supply nutrients for the body's organs and physiological functions. When one regularly exercises the kidneys, this will improve the kidneys' function to filtrate the blood and absorb nutrients, a vital function for all life. The spine is a very important axis connected to all the internal organs. When one regularly exercises the spine, it will improve the nervous system's communication among physiological organs and their functions.

4. The Tai Chi Chuan Classic also says "The movement should be soft, relaxed, circular and spiral." These are the characteristics of being natural, and alive and at the same time prevent the body from becoming too stiff. In order for the body to work against gravity in the Solo Form's movements without difficulty or injury, slow, relax and soft movement is the best method. The concept of relaxed, soft, circular and spiral combine with the suspension of the head from above to improve the condition of skeleton, joints and muscles. "The concept of walking like a cat", demands that the practitioner slowly shift the body's weight with control. This benefits the smaller units among the bones, muscles and joints. This results in the bones becoming more elastic and dense; one way to prevent osteoporosis. If there is flexibility in the joints, all movements will be more fluid and coordinated. There is a saying that goes like this, "in order to determine how quickly one uses his brain, all you need to do is observe how efficient and coordinated his lower body is."

When the whole body is twisting, turning, and this is combined with the process of contraction, and relaxation, the concepts of suspending the head from above and the sinking of the chi down to the dantien, and also coordinated with the up and down, left and right, open and close motions in the Tai Chi Chuan's Solo Form, this will improve the body's organs and their physiological functions. The circulatory, musculo-skeletal, respiratory, nervous and digestive systems will be especially benefited.

When people age or get sick, it often happens because the physiological functions failed. Tai Chi Chuan exercise was specifically designed to augment these systems so that one will live longer. For its slow, relaxed and soft movements, it is the perfect exercise for people with a sedentary job, or those who are less mobile, coordinated or older.

Tai Chi Chuan is a complex art. It yields many potential benefits to the practitioner. Each level of practice provides different benefits, information, characteristics and inspirations.