In a recent class, we were focusing on many details in a series of t'ai chi moves. A student commented, "The hardest part is remembering to breathe." I've heard this before. During a lesson, I remind students to breath and they've thanked me for the reminders.
Involuntary breath holding in adults can occur due to stress, anxiety, or intense concentration. Focused attention is a hallmark of t'ai chi practice. Just a few things that require continuous, moment to moment focus: how to perform each move, the order of the moves, how your body feels, your posture, your mind's focus, and the quality of your balance as you transition from move to move. Oh, and breathing!
Balance plays a big part of t'ai chi. it is fairly common for older adults to feel increasingly less steady on their feet and lack confidence in their balance. That anxiety, or "fear of falling", can be a precursor to falling. Anxiety, added to the intense concentration during t'ai chi, can cause some to unconsciously hold their breath.
Maintaining an even flow of breath makes balance easier. At the first sign that you are losing your balance, pause, breathe, then complete your movement.
