There is a lot of disagreement and some controversy regarding when you should practice Tai Chi and/or Qigong. Before we go any further, let me say this: that you practice is more important than when you practice.
The actual time of the morning recommended frequently differs but, many practitioners prefer morning because:
The air is cleaner (especially in the city), unless you live in the country where wood smoke might be an issue in the morning. Of note: data from Beijing shows that pollution is higher in the morning and lower in the afternoon.
Morning practice can set the tone for the day. Morning workouts “kickstart your metabolism” and keeps it going.
You are more likely to practice before the busyness of the day takes over. This is likely true because you may come home from work or school too tired to practice.
You build a routine, which becomes a habit and you will practice more consistently.
Your body is fresh, rested, and, hopefully, refueled!
Morning practice can warm up your body and energize your mind.
Of note (but not a compelling argument) in China people usually practice between 6 and 7 am.
When Professor Cheng Man Ching was questioned, he was adamant about not doing “anything else when you arise, just get to the morning round of Tai Chi”. He also declared that if he had to choose between breakfast and Tai Chi, he would “gladly miss breakfast”.
Interestingly, some “authorities” advise practicing before breakfast and conflicting advise for practicing after breakfast!
On the flip side, evening practice can help you wind down, replenish your body, and prepare for sleep. Tai Chi and/or Qigong do this much better and is healthier than turning to alcohol! Note: some people get revved up by Tai Chi and/or Qigong, while others wind down. You need to decide what works best for you.
And here’s advice with a more exacting perspective:
Practice one half hour after rising in the morning (between 5 and 7 am) and at night (between 11 pm and 1 am).
Practice daily at the same time and place.
Practice the same movements over and over again until you master them.
Bill Douglas, co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tai Chi & Qigong, advises practicing 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. Do you have the time? To Bill, the real problem isn’t not having enough time, it’s “deciding to do it”. He even suggests keeping a calendar where you mark an “X” each day that you practice. The idea being that you will want to “keep the string going”.
As you can see by now, there are many different opinions and/or perspectives as to the right time to practice. Keep in mind that you need daily practice in order to see real progress!
No matter if you do it in the morning or the evening, or both, doing some Tai Ch and/or Qigong daily is better than none! It is much better to do a little bit each day than 2 or more hours one day and then none for the next week or so. Remember that practice is going to benefit you mentally, spiritually, and physically whenever you do it.
At this point, I thought I would throw in an opinion (not mine, although it makes complete sense to me) on how much to do when you do practice: Practice the Tai Chi form a minimum of 3 times. “Once to notice the mistakes, then the next time to work on them”, and the final time to enjoy it.
The goal is to make practicing a habit and a lifelong journey!
So let’s get to it and stop procrastinating!
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