Apparently an intriguing new DVD on the science of Tai Chi has just come out. I haven't watched it, but it seems to be recommended by Violet Li at examiner.com and I usually respect what she has to say on her blog (despite the fact that this particular article reads a bit like a "paid for promotional ghost-written blog post" that are becoming a bit insidious). Probably best just to nip over there and read her article yourself. But I might as well include some juicy titbit quotes:
"In the DVD, Rosenfeld first visits Ge Wu, Ph.D. and professor of the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science at the University of Vermont.... The research quantifies the muscle movements during Tai Chi practice. Her studies strongly suggest that Tai Chi can strengthen muscles and is good for endurance training as well as motor control training."
"At his next stop, Rosenfeld stops in to see Ruth Taylor-Piliae, Ph.D. and professor of cardio rehab at the University of Arizona.... Dr. Taylor-Pilliae says that in general, they have seen patients with better blood pressure, improved cholesterol values and higher glucose tolerance."
There is also an extract of the video, which although not focusing on the "science" I quite like what he has to say:
