Beating corporate stress through ‘tai chi’ and ‘chi kung’
BY PERRY GIL S. MALLARI REPORTER

Most people spend most of their waking hours in the office or commuting to work—more than they do with their loved ones or on vacations.

It is not hard to imagine the toll that stress is taking from their health. Relaxation is the antidote to stress. And while there is a myriad of exercises promoting it, few are as enjoyable and potent as the practice of tai chi chuan and chi kung.

Tai chi chuan is the most popular branch of the internal school of Chinese martial arts while chi kung is the Chinese way of cultivating chi or internal energy through various exercises. Both arts are reputed for their therapeutic components.

Samuel Chau, a businessman and a private instructor of tai chi and chi kung catering to the corporate world, attests that he has experienced first hand how effective the two arts are in reducing stress, “Whenever I am exhausted and stressed, I would just perform some of the exercises of tai chi or chi kung and I would feel energized,” he examples.

While the topic of chi cultivation may sound esoteric to some people, much of tai chi and chi kung’s health benefits can be explained scientifically. On the most basic level, both arts improve breathing and oxygen intake, which by itself carries tremendous therapeutic properties. Tai chi, with its smooth and flowing movements, also promotes kinesthetic awareness—meaning the practitioner would become more mindful which muscles are tensed and which are not.

“To clients who want a scientific proof of the health benefits of what I’m teaching, I usually present them medical research on the subject as many of these are now available on the Internet,” he says.

Chau learned the Yang style of tai chi from Sifu Cheng Chi Tsim, a master from Binondo, Chinatown.
Besides immersion in traditional Chinese medicine, he also supplements his knowledge by attending courses on other forms of alternative therapies.

Chau describes how a regular four-hour introductory session goes, “I usually start with meditation then commenced teaching two to three exercises of chi kung,” he relates, adding, “Then I would proceed on teaching the tai chi forms.” He said that the basic course he is teaching requires 15 sessions.

“How fast the materials can be learned would depend on the aptitude and physical ability of a student,” Chau explains.

He points out it will take time to learn the forms of the traditional Yang style of tai chi; however, a shorter version has been designed in Beijing, China, for the benefit of people who do not have the time to learn the longer traditional version. “It’s perfect for students and office workers,” Chau says.

Chau emphasizes that while physical exercise is important for the attainment of health, it is but one point of the equation. Besides teaching tai chi and chi kung, he is encouraging his clients to pursue a healthy diet and a positive attitude. “The symbol of tai chi is the yin and yang,” he says, concluding, “It’s about achieving balance in every area of your life.”

Sifu Samuel Chau can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it