Tai Chi Colorado Springs

Join us on Instagram! 🌿

Get weekly Tai Chi tips, class announcements, and inspiring content from Tai Chi Colorado Springs.

Scan the QR code below to follow us.

🚀☯️ “Ancient wisdom continues to inspire modern science.”

TAI CHI FOR SPACE?

A newly published study is exploring the potential role of Tai Chi in helping humans adapt to weightlessness, reduced-gravity environments, and deep-space exploration.

On June 17, 2026, the Journal of Taiji Science published:

“Tai Chi for Space: A Regulatory Countermeasure Framework for Human Adaptation to Altered Gravity”

The article was selected as the cover feature of the current issue.

As commercial spaceflight, lunar base development, and deep-space exploration continue to advance, researchers are seeking new ways to help humans maintain health and functional capacity during long-duration space missions.

The study examines how Tai Chi’s established principles of:

• Balance control
• Movement coordination
• Breathing regulation
• Mind-body integration

may offer valuable insights for adapting to altered-gravity environments.

Using the framework of modern movement science, researchers analyzed key Tai Chi concepts, including:

• “Substantial and insubstantial transitions”
• “Waist-led movement”
• “Sequential whole-body coordination”
• “Relaxed without collapse”

The authors propose that these principles may provide new perspectives for future research in:

• Exercise science
• Rehabilitation medicine
• Aerospace medicine

Future research directions include investigating:

• Postural control
• Center-of-mass transfer
• Muscle coordination
• Autonomic nervous system regulation
• Psychological resilience

These ideas could be evaluated through simulated microgravity environments, partial-unloading systems, and mission-relevant movement tasks.

The study was supported by the Jonathan H. Jiang Foundation.

Important: This is an exploratory theoretical study. The authors do not claim that Tai Chi has already been proven effective as an astronaut training method. Rather, they propose a scientific framework for future discussion, measurement, and experimental testing.

📖 Citation:

Yangchen, Xueyuan. (2026).

Tai Chi for Space: A Regulatory Countermeasure Framework for Human Adaptation to Altered Gravity.

Journal of Taiji Science, pp. 167–186.

👉🏻To learn authentic tai chi online visit:
www.taichionlineclasses.com

Inhalation draws in qi; exhalation releases qi.

Inhale with upward extension; exhale with downward sinking.

Expansive motions usually pair with inhaling; contracting motions usually pair with
exhaling.

Breath should be natural, not forced.

Over time, breath and movement become one, seamless and unbroken.

-Grandmaster Wei Shuren

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com

For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com

In Taijiquan, movement is led by intent, and intent moves qi, which drives the body.

When movement aligns with breath, internal and external are unified.

Every lift of the hand or step of the foot should follow qi led by intent, and intent synchronized with form.

When breath is continuous and long, qi circulates freely, and movement is naturally
powerful.

-Grandmaster Wei Shuren

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com
For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com

The dantian is the source of internal energy and the core of all methods.

Calm the mind, focus the intent. When intent abides in the dantian, qi returns
there naturally.

When the dantian is full, energy issues from the feet, is transmitted through the waist, and expressed through the hands.

Thus it is said: “No movement does not originate from the dantian.”

-Grandmaster Wei Shuren

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com

For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com

Taiji skill requires breath regulation to circulate qi.

When the breath is regulated, qi flows; when qi flows, energy becomes unified.

Breath should not be forced, it should arise with movement and follow intent.

In time, the breath becomes deep and long, qi sinks to the dantian, and the whole body becomes one breath.

-Grandmaster Wei Shuren

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com

For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com

Here's a picture of Sifu Michael teaching on the importance of relaxing the tailbone down.

Subtle Tai Chi principles like this one make a huge difference to our health, overall well-being, and even our martial prowess.

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com

For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com

Standing practice is the foundation of Taiji skill methods.

Seek relaxation in the stance, stillness within relaxation, and liveliness within stillness.

Feet rooted to the earth, mind undistracted, qi returning to the dantian, spirit guarding the center.

With time, internal energy becomes abundant, and external form naturally stable.

-Grandmaster Wei Shuren

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com

For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com

Taiji methods cultivate both stillness and movement, but begin with stillness.

Seek stability, relaxation, and spirit within stillness.

Only through stillness can one perceive, sense, and transform.

Standing still (zhanzhuang) is the root of qi nourishment and the foundation of spirit cultivation.

-Grandmaster Wei Shuren

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com

For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com

The beginning of skill training lies in the word “relaxation” (song).

Relaxation is not weakness, it removes clumsiness and generates responsiveness, clears stagnation and creates vitality.

When relaxed, spirit condenses, qi sinks, and energy gathers naturally.

If one forces relaxation, it leads instead to tension and stiffness.

-Grandmaster Wei Shuren

For Tai Chi Online Classes visit:
www.TaiChiOnlineClasses.com

For daily Classes in Southern Colorado visit:
www.TaiChiColoradoSprings.com