A Tai Chi practice fosters balance/equilibrium in all aspects of life; that is the inherent meaning of the familiar yin/yang symbol. That, of course, includes physical/anatomic balance in the gravitational field in which we exist. It is not unusual for a doctor to recommend a patient to seek out tai chi to improve their balance and reduce the chance of falling, especially with increasing age. I have written a summary of the reasons tai chi is beneficial for improved physical balance with links to background references. This is found on the Santa Cruz Tai Chi website – http://santacruztaichi.com/?p=757
Despite its many benefits for balance there are additional exercises that more completely address other vital arenas of balance–the inner ear and the brain, specifically the cerebellum. When we practice tai chi, our eyes are open and in line with the body’s central axis. Our stepping and weight-shifting is slow and considered and a shoulder-width stance is most common except when standing on one leg. We also practice on a firm, flat surface. This does not adequately challenge the equilibrating role of the inner ear and cerebellum. The following additional “brain” exercises do. They are all done standing still. The challenge consists of adding the variables of: 1) narrowing the stance, 2) closing the eyes, 3) moving the head and 4) standing on an increasingly unstable surface.
The Variables
1) Stance: Decreasing the distance between the parallel feet, from shoulder-width to feet/ankles touching is one variable that challenges our equilibrium.
2) Eyes: Closing the eyes removes one source of our brain’s incoming information regarding orientation in space.
3) Head motion: Turning the head side-to-side (rotation) and forward and back (flexion/extension) activates the inner ear component of balance. The eyes either follow the head motion or remain fixed straight ahead.
4) Surface: Transitioning from a flat surface to a varied/unstable surface (cobblestones, a pebbled path, baserock, etc) or to a foam pad challenges the information the brain receives from the soles of the feet. There are many foam balance pads available at a wide variety of prices. My personal experience is that you get what you pay for and, while quite expensive, the Airex pad (16 x 20 x 2.5”) is the best for our purpose.
The Exercise Progression
These exercises should all be done in bare or socked feet and either near a wall (preferably facing a corner) or with a chair or table handy, in case you need to reach out to steady yourself if you momentarily lose your balance.
1) Begin by standing on the floor with eyes open and feet parallel, a shoulder width apart. Then close your eyes and stand for 3 minutes (set a timer of some kind). Then open your eyes and turn your head side-to-side, all the way left and right, three times to each side, with eyes tracking with the motion. Then bend the head forward and backward to your comfortable limit of motion, again with eyes open and following along, looking up and down. If that is easily done, then progress to an increased challenge: keep your gaze fixed on a point straight ahead as you move your head in rotation and flexion/extension as before. If you are unable to stand with eyes closed for 3 minutes or unable to move your head/eyes as described, then practice those until you are able to do them with out losing your balance. Note: if, for example, you’re able to turn your head side-to-side with eyes open but not forward and back, do the entire sequence, i.e., even the part you can do as well as the part or specific direction where you fail to maintain your balance. When you are able to stand with eyes closed and move head/eyes with eyes open without losing your balance, you may progress to the following additional challenges.
2) After standing with eyes closed, feet a normal width apart, for 3 minutes, try the head/eye motions described above with eyes closed, even the staring straight ahead part. Again, if you lose balance at any part of this challenge level, practice it all until you are stable.
3) The next challenge is to move your feet progressively closer together until your ankles and feet touch and repeat, number #1 (eyes open) and progress to #2 as you are able. If you cannot do it with feet touching, then separate them a bit to find where you first start to lose your balance when moving the head with eyes open or closed.
4) When you are able to do all the above with eyes closed and feet/ankles touching, progress to an uneven or unstable surface like cobblestones or uneven pavement or other firm surface. Or stand on a foam pad as described above. Again, start with eyes open, feet apart. Then progress to eyes closed, and finally to feet together, eyes closed.
When you are able to stand on the foam pad with feet together and eyes closed for 3 minutes and then turn and bend your head with eyes closed and gaze straight ahead several times in all four directions without losing your balance, continue a few times a week to maintain this level of balance competency. You’re done. Congratulations.
PS: Hearing is another way the brain orients and determines body position in the environment. These exercises will be slightly easier in a room with music or TV playing and slightly more challenging in a quiet space.
PPS: When you find a particular exercise that makes you reach for a chair or the wall, positioning your hand close to and as if you were touching the stabilization point will also improve your stability a little.