Submitted by: Jenny Pilarowsli, Health Education Participant
I have been a fan of Tai Chi for many years. My sister has practiced it for at least 45 years. In addition, my son lived in China for several years and while visiting him I was enthralled with watching people practicing their Tai Chi in the park early in the morning. I was delighted to learn that a class would be taught here in Bluffton at our Senior Center and was pleased to secure a spot in that class. I did participate in a short Tai Chi class taught by Tony Jacomet at the Jacomet Martial Arts studio here in Bluffton. I was particularly pleased that the class at the Senior Center was being sponsored by our Area Agency on Aging as I figured it would include people my age. I then learned that it would emphasize balance and strength – skills that cannot help but enhance my life and help to protect me from devastating falls in the future.
My goals for the class were to strengthen my legs and enhance my balance. I believe the class has helped in both areas plus so much more. Ashlin has emphasized warming up exercises as well as specific breathing patterns that I have found particularly helpful (ie. – with relaxation techniques). The brain challenges of learning the Tai Chi forms have been great as they make me really concentrate on what I am doing which carries over into lots of areas of my life.
I believe my legs ARE stronger and I certainly am more conscious of thinking about my balance with every move I make. I have also enjoyed the comradery with the other folks in class and have made some new friends.
I want you to know how much we all appreciate Ashlin. She is patient with each of us as our “old” brains focus on learning each new form. She understands that repetition is so helpful. She is humorous and so down to earth that she makes each class a real pleasure. She has done everything she can to encourage us to practice at home – even participating in a video of her doing the forms so we can have her helping us at home. She talks us through the forms as we practice them, then repeats them with less prompting so we really have to concentrate and remember what comes next. She is an amazing teacher!
Thank you for making this class available to us.
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