Tai chi
Staying healthy in body and mind
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
T
Tai chi
instructor
Crish
Hamilton
leads a class
at the Prairie
City Senior
Center.
16 / FAMILY HEALTH GUIDE 2019
here’s no
need
to
travel half-
way around
the world to enjoy
the benefi ts of tai
chi, an ancient Chi-
nese martial art.
Tai chi has been
gaining in popularity
among Grant County residents over the
past few years.
A free class with instructor Crish
Hamilton is available at the Prairie City
Senior Center, 204 N. McHaley St.,
each Wednesday, starting after the cen-
ter’s 12-1 p.m. luncheon.
Tai chi is a low-impact exercise,
making it a good fi t for all ages and
abilities, even people in a wheelchair.
Experts say the exercise may help
improve balance and reduce back pain
and pain from osteoarthritis. It can
also improve conditions for those with
heart disease, cancer and other chronic
illnesses.
Although there is a low risk of injury
with tai chi, checking with a doctor is
recommended.
Crish Hamilton, a Mt. Vernon resi-
dent, said the eight-form (yang style) tai
chi she teaches can help seniors achieve
better balance, but the benefi ts don’t
stop there.
“There’s much more to be gained
than just balance, including improved
memory, muscle tone, bone density and
general health,” she said.
Another positive is the social aspect
of being involved in the group.
Hamilton also teaches two classes
at the John Day Senior Center, 142
NE Dayton St., at 12:30 p.m. on Mon-
days and 10:15 a.m. on Thursdays.
The classes are free to the community,
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
funded by Blue Mountain Hospital.
She previously taught yoga for
20 years, and at age 55, she was a
world-champion deadlift weightlifter.
“I discovered you’re never too old to
achieve some form of fi tness,” she said.
The moves for the type of tai
chi Hamilton teaches involve fl ow-
ing motions to the left and right with
breathing to give energy to the move-
ments, “not like hoeing in the garden,”
she said, adding the instruction is indi-
vidualized for each person.
One of her students, Karen Corwin
of Prairie City, attends all three tai chi
classes each week.
“It’s a confi dence builder in your
ability to exercise,” she said. “I enjoy
that it’s a gentle way to get the body
moving.”
Corwin said her sister, who lives in
central Oregon, pays to take these types
of classes.
Hamilton said she usually has six to
10 people in her Prairie City class and
nine to 10 in John Day. One student
travels from Dayville to John Day to
take part.
“Several people told me their bal-
ance has improved,” Hamilton said,
adding that one person told her their leg
injury has improved since participating.
Tai chi can be done while sitting in a
chair, standing while holding a chair or
just standing.
Hamilton said the body can “freeze
up” with age and less activity, but the
good news is that adding movement,
such as tai chi, can reverse that.
“It’s a fun class to teach,” she said.
“It’s low pressure and doable for
everybody.”
For more information, call Prairie
City Senior Center at 541-820-4100 or
John Day Senior Center 541-575-1825.