Taichi Qigong exercise offers numerous health benefits and could serve as a suitable option for college students. Traditional programs, however, are time-consuming and necessitate long-term commitments, which may not suit young people’s fast-pacing lifestyle. Therefore, a more effective program is needed.
A new study reported by the journal Medicine in March 2024 enrolled a total of 31 students who actively participated in a 5-week short Taichi Qigong exercise (STQE) program, consisting of three 60-minute sessions per week. Physical and mental health assessments included the Plank test, vital capacity measurement, 1000/800 m run test, standing jump, and the Zung Self-Rating Scale.
A tutorial with details is available for ATCQA Members and Certified Instructors/Practitioners.
Following the STQE intervention, participants showed improvement in core strength and lower limb explosive force, accompanied by a decrease in anxiety levels. However, no significant improvements were observed in cardiopulmonary endurance, as evidenced by a non-significant increase of 237.84 mL in vital capacity and a non-significant reduction of 1.6 seconds in the 1000/800 m run test.
The study suggests that the STQE program effectively improves core strength, lower limb explosive force, and reduces anxiety levels among university students.
