Many claim it has helped relieve arthritis and muscle pain
ESCANABA -- It's rooted in martial arts, but instead of emphasizing force and speed, its practitioners move by using slow, deliberate actions.
Tai Chi has been practiced in China for some 700 years, but in Escanaba, many people are trying it out and finding relief from stress, arthritis, and even muscle pain.
Instructor Cathi Knauf knows firsthand about the positive effects of Tai Chi's relaxed breathing and fluid, circular exercises.
She suffers from arthritis and said that she and many students have experienced noticeable joint and pain relief.
"There are people who don't want to go out and pound the pavement," says Knauf. "There are people there who want to do something very gentle. It's a mind-body exercise, so we have to put our mind into what we're doing; we have to focus."
Tai Chi can be practiced by people of all ages and fitness levels.
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