I had some people interested in a recent post about the rebounding effect of Tai-Chi on the body. When we say rebounding we mean rebounding in the sense of using a rebound exerciser. Rebounding has been an on and off exercise craze since NASA began to study the uses of trampolines on the body. They wanted to use them as preparation for going into space and as recovery from space. You can see that the effects of gravity and acceleration as well as deceleration need to be thoroughly understood if you were to fully understand the conditioning effects from space and the requirements to prepare to go to space. The resulting space age science opened the door to explaining why the ancient exercise systems like Tai-Chi and the martial arts had such profound effects on human physiology.
Gravity
Let’s start with gravity. One of the first limiting factors in space was osteoporosis. People would come back and some of their bones would break. Subsequent testing showed that they were indeed losing bone mass. What changed in space? In space there was no gravity. We began to understand (I am simplifying greatly) that end over end pressure was necessary to cause bones to increase mass, grow and stay healthy. This was the beginning of modern science beginning to look at exercise as a broad subject affecting all systems and functions of rhetoric body, rather then a narrow subject limited to the pursuit of building up muscles. next we began to understand that there was a whole hydrolic system in the body that pumped fluids like synovial and lymphatic fluid to where it was needed in the body. These fluids fulfilled many functions including nourishing, lubricating, detoxifying etc. These fluids were affected by acceleration and deceleration.
Acceleration and deceleration created gravity like effects in the body but a varying gravity force. Anyone that ever took a ride in a fast car can tell you that the forces of acceleration will drive you into the seat and make you heavier. Thus zero gravity was available (for split seconds on earth) as well as double or even triple the gravity force under extreme acceleration. These changes in pressure created a pumping affect In the body necessary for healthy physiology. It soon became apparent to these pioneers in exercise science that using a trampoline properly created all of these effects. The portable version of this is a rebounder.
What Else Was Missing?
As my bodybuilding coach once put it many years ago; “it isn’t how much weight you use , it is how much you put across what.” In other words it is more important how you move than what you move with your body. This is true in building huge muscles but it is even more true in training and benefitting the other systems of the body. Then we all began to wonder how 75 year old Wang-Shu-Chein could withstand a bone crushing kick that could fracture two baseball bats across his leg with no side effect. In fact often the other combatant (much younger) would often fracture their legs. It was because during his Tai-Chi training he aligned with gravity and pressured his bones end over end, thus building them.
Conclusion
Rebounding is a wonderful exercise. It is also a terrific compliment to authentic Taichi training. My firm opinion is that natural alignment and motion as it is taught in great detail in an authentic Tai-Chi program has many of the benefits of a rebounding program. It helps you to master acceleration and find deceleration.
This is a long post but it is a gross simplification. To find out more call Rich 570-454-6377 leave a message. We will get back to you about training with us no matter where you LIVE!
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