The human was moving slowly, very slowly, and doing deep breaths with each slow movement. They almost looked like moves one would do in combat, but these were too languid.. too.. relaxed. The saurian scientists aboard the ship were curious and a few even tried the movements, with varying degrees of success, and one asked the human as they paused a moment to watch their friends, what was that odd motion just now? The human smiled and said in a relaxed tone "Tai Chi".
The reasons for Tai Chi
Stress Management
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184
Preventing Mental Health issues due to stress
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3917559/
Improving mobility and weight control.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-tai-chi
Physical health benefits
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4620402/ -- DaniAndShali
[AN: It's also yet another way to kick buttock]
Human Kin had set aside this time for exercise, but this did not look like more common methods of exercise known to the Alliance. Companion Thresk watched in fascination. They were fighting moves, and Thresk had seen Human Kin fight using most, if not all, of the motions involved.
It was fascinating. The rhythm of Human Kin's breathing was almost soothing, and the motions were almost hypnotic. Sometimes it was hard to stay awake as Human Kin exercised. The exercise itself was slow and graceful and Havenworlder-Friendly.
Companion Thresk joined in with the breathing, first. It must be assistive in keeping Human Kin awake. When that almost failed, Thresk attempted the motions. Human motions did not adapt well to saurian morphology. Human Kin noticed in seconds and put a stop to it.
"No, no, no. You'll only hurt yourself like that. You have to work with your own body. Further, you're new at this, so you're not up to this level. Let's start at the beginning. You've got the breath, so that's good."
Thresk immediately moved out of the attempt at imitating Kin's stance. "Oh good," he said, "I could feel the strain."
"You don't strain yourself unless you are working within your own limits. You should start with a stable stance. Everything about Tai Chi is in your feet..."
Humans are good at sharing knowledge. Martial arts taught simply to protect a companion from harming themself was the new thing. Most students of Human fighting skills did so at the request of the student. This was the first time that an education happened at the insistence of the teacher.
There was a lot to learn, on both sides. Kin learned about the motion limits of Thresk. Thresk learned about how to fight by using inner strength and restraint. The slow motions of Tai Chi taught the body how to move in combat situations without actually having combat involved.
It was meditative, and cleared the head of intrusive thoughts. It was disciplinary, and made the body fit. It was regular, and introduced regimen and routine to the day. It had, in its essence, a great potential to help anyone, regardless of their body structure.
Companion Thresk noticed the difference in two months. After this, he told his friends. Soon, Human Kin had an entire Dojo running within the ship.
Which came as quite the shock for the next set of Vorax raiders.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Tamara1K]
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