Yoga, Pilates, tai chi, qigong — what’s best for me?

이 글을 시작으로 영어 공부한 글도 여기에 같이 올려볼 예정이다.
영어를 공부하는 것 또한 개발공부의 일환! 뭐 영어 잘하면 어디든 좋으니까 ^^

cnn 기사글과 모르는 단어를 정리해보겠다.

Mindfulness and mind-body practices are hot topics today, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic brought with it increased levels of stress and anxiety. In the US, some of the most popular mind-body exercises are yoga, Pilates, qigong and tai chi. These four are all therapies that integrate movement, breathing exercises and meditation to enhance your physical and mental health, self-awareness and spiritual growth.

All these practices can improve your strength, balance, flexibility, posture and mindfulness, experts say. In addition, studies have shown all, or some, may have a positive impact on health concerns, including substance abuse, pulmonary disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis and back pain.

Before trying to determine which practice best suits you, learn a little about each one. Yoga pairs various poses with breathing techniques, usually in a slow-moving format.

Pilates is a much more recent practice created by German immigrant Joseph H. Pilates, who introduced it to the US in the 1920s. Pilates focuses on stretching and strengthening the body while also concentrating on breathing and meditation.

Many experts believe qigong, which originated in China, has been practiced thousands of years. Like yoga and Pilates, qigong also integrates physical postures with breathing techniques and mindfulness but in sequences of flowing movements that are generally gentler and slower.

These movements can be performed both standing up or sitting down, and there are thousands of different postures that can be strung together. You can also practice qigong as a single movement that is repeated over and over, and sometimes it’s even just a focus on breathing with no motion at all.

Tai chi is a version of qigong, and one of the most popular iterations around the world. Akin to a martial art, it focuses on specific movements that are strung together in a set routine and often performed outdoors.

How to choose the best practice for you
Which one is best for you?

“These all are movements for anybody; they really are,” said Dr. Vincent Minichiello. “They’re movements for people who want to prioritize moving the body in a gentle and healing fashion.”

There are still some differences to consider. “Yoga studios are probably more accessible than places to practice Pilates, tai chi or qigong, so maybe that’s what you do,” Minichiello said.

“Qigong can also be practiced laying down and even through visualization,” he said, “so if you’re having a hard time moving your body, you can practice the movements by visualizing them.”

Pilates can carry a higher risk of injury than the others, because its moves require a lot of control, precision and core strength.

Tai chi requires a lot of space, and preferably outdoors, which may be a hindrance to some. The movements can also be painful when first starting. “One benefit of qigong is that it releases stagnant energy,” Baker said, “but the purging of negative energy from the body can lead to fatigue, nausea, soreness or a mild headache.”

If you’re attracted to Pilates, make sure you begin one on one with a highly skilled instructor. “The problem with Pilates is that it’s not a registered trademark, so everyone can use the name. People who say they’ve practiced it for years come to me injured.”

More confused than before? Maybe you don’t need to choose one of the four. Schatz said she often has her clients simply practice taking three full, conscious breaths when they wake up in the morning.

Or she’ll ask them to do what she calls the “5, 4, 3, 2, 1.” This exercise requires you to sit down and notice, then name, five things you can see, then four things you can feel (emotionally or physically), three things you can hear and two things you can taste or smell. You finish by saying one nice thing about yourself.

No matter which of these practices you end up trying, your body and mind will appreciate the fact that you’re setting aside time to care for yourself, Minichiello said. Because self-care is essential, and your body knows it — and craves it.

“Our bodies are sending us messages all the time, But some people don’t listen or pay attention until it’s too late,” Schatz said, referring to problems such as back pain and ulcers. “Science has backed up the fact that our mental and emotional health are inextricably connected to our physical health.”

주로 웨이트 트레이닝을 해오던 나에게는 필라테스, 요가 , 기공, 태극권 과 같은 운동은 약간은 낯설다.

그나마 필라테스는 약 2~3달 정도 배운 적이 있는데 몸 근육 하나하나를 느끼고 코어 근육을 길려주는 면에서 운동에 도움이 된다는 느낌을 충분히 받았었다. 그래서 여유가 된다면 필라테스는 해볼 의향이 있다.

하지만 다른 운동은 .... 생소하네 ~ 그리고 글 중간에 보면 미국에서는 요가를 더 쉽게 접할 수 있는 것처럼 나오는데 한국은 필라테스가 더 접근성이 좋아서 문화차이를 살짝 엿볼 수 있었다. (문화차이가 맞나??)

여튼 어떤 운동이든 운동을 하는 것, 즉 몸을 건강히 하는 것은 곳 마음을 건강히 만들어준다고 나는 믿기에 취업에 성공하는대로 운동을 다시 시작해야겠다.

• pulmonary: 폐의 relating to the lungs.
• arthritis: 관절염 painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints.
• complementary: 상호 보완적인 combining in such a way as to - - enhance or emphasize the qualities of each other or another.
• disturbance: 방해
• reformer: 개혁가
• cultivate: 구축하다 try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill).
• discipline: 규율 the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.
• prioritize: 우선순위를 매기다 designate or treat (something) as more important than other things.
• preferable: 더나은 ideally; if possible.
• hindrance: 방해물 a thing that provides resistance, delay, or obstruction to something or someone.
• stagnant: 정체된 of a body of water or the atmosphere of a confined space) having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence.
• purge: 제거하다 rid (someone or something) of an unwanted quality, condition, or feeling.
  soreness: 아픔, 쓰라림 pain in a part of one's body.
• ulcer: 궤양 an open sore on an external or internal surface of the body, caused by a break in the skin or mucous membrane that fails to heal.
• inextricably: 불가분하게, 떼려고해도 뗄 수 없는 in a way that is impossible to disentangle or separate.

글 원문
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/28/health/yoga-pilates-tai-chi-qigong-wellness/index.html