What people think about Tai Chi
What the participants thought:
Ms Barbara Corrigan (70): "I have arthritis down one side and I've had two falls recently so I found that the Tai Chi classes helped me improve my balance. It's so nice and slow and smooth - the beauty of it is in the flowing movement. It also has a calming effect because you can switch off and meditate while you are doing it."
Ms Fionnuala O'Neill (85): "It was very disciplined and you had to attend all the classes. It was completely different from anything I had ever done before and I thought it was quite good. I've had a bit of trouble with my neck so I found the neck exercises difficult. And it was difficult to remember all the moves. I've also got osteoporosis but I think the psychological benefits were good."
Ms Mary Ryan (66): "I joined the Tai Chi classes for exercises and to get out of the house. The exercises weren't heavy or strenuous so I wasn't tired afterwards although my muscles were a bit shaky and sore in the beginning. The instructor told me that was a good sign as it was a sign that I was using muscles I hadn't been using for a while.
"I have chronic asthma and a lung complaint and before I started doing Tai Chi and some other things with the Arklow Active Retirement Group, I used to be in hospital every three months or so. Now, I haven't been in for one year and nine months."
Ms Ann Murray (69): "I enjoyed the classes and I used to look forward to doing them. It wasn't strenuous. We were told to take our time, take it easy and relax our bodies. Although the classes I was doing are finished, I still do the Tai Chi at home in the evening for about 15-20 minutes."