Tai chi for seniors: Health and wellness benefits

Written by Sue Williams for Australian Seniors

As she was walking over rain-soaked leaves along a path near her home in Sydney, retired retail manager Mona Beashel felt herself beginning to slide. Without even thinking about it, she tucked her pelvis under her spine, adopted a stance with her feet more firmly on the ground and stood rigid on the spot.

“It was great as I didn’t even think about it; it was complete instinct,” she says. “But I know I stopped myself from falling and, on that path, I could have cracked a rib or broken a hip or leg. But I’m lucky. Years of doing tai chi has built up strength in my legs and my core, and has really helped my balance.”

Related: Strengthening exercises for bones and health for seniors

Mona, 71, took up the exercise 15 years ago after a massage therapist suggested it might help her lower back pain. Since then, she has attended a class every week and feels it’s done her a huge amount of good. “I know I’d be in a lot of pain if I wasn’t doing this,” she says. “A lot of people might see it and think it isn’t a cardio workout, but it is. It’s just that you’re doing everything slowly, which is so much harder than if you were doing it quickly!”

Learn more about cardiac health: How Greg Page survived a sudden cardiac arrest

Mona is one of a growing number of Australians taking up the ancient Chinese martial art, known for its gentle flowing movements, controlled breathing, mind-body connection and stress reduction.

While tai chi attracts devotees of all ages, it can be especially helpful to older people as it’s a low-impact fitness option that improves balance and flexibility, strengthens the limbs, improves posture and has been found to boost overall wellness.

Related: 5 healthy habit hacks for over 50s

The benefits of tai chi for seniors

Recent Australian research highlights the wide-ranging benefits of tai chi for older adults. A 2025 University of Melbourne study found that tai chi significantly improves pain and physical function in people with chronic knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. The free online program, My Joint Tai Chi, was especially effective for participants in regional and remote communities.

Tai chi also supports fall prevention and balance, which are critical for older Australians. Healthy Bones Australia recommends exercises like tai chi to help reduce the risk of fractures in people with osteoporosis.

In terms of mental health and cognitive function, a 2023 study by Charles Sturt University found that older tai chi practitioners reported better psychosocial wellbeing, including improved mental and physical health, self-efficacy, balance confidence, and fewer memory complaints compared to non-practitioners.

Additionally, vigorous physical activity – including practices like tai chi – has been linked to reduced levels of dementia-associated proteins in the blood, according to research from the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania.

The rising popularity of tai chi in Australia

Aaron Khor, 35, is the son of grand master Gary Khor, who brought tai chi to Australia back in the 1960s and in 1976 established his Australian Academy of Tai Chi. Gary even gave on-camera lessons to Chris Hemsworth for an episode of the actor’s popular docuseries ‘Limitless’, where the action hero said it was much more of a workout than he’d ever imagined.

“Tai chi is becoming more and more popular now in Australia as people are starting to recognise that slowness can be much more helpful than moving fast in the Western way,” Aaron says, who is a tai chi master and Chinese medicine practitioner. “The slow isometric contractions and weight-bearing exercise stimulates the muscles and replenishes oxygen around the body.”

An investment in your health

Aaron’s mother Wendy Khor, 65, is also a teacher at the academy and says over 50s can find it extremely helpful for their health, whereas before they might have simply tried Pilates, yoga or a barre work. “The numbers have been really growing as more and more people hear about it,” she says.

“They come once or twice a week to do classes and see it as a very real investment in their health. They feel themselves getting stronger, and their balance improving, and always learning something new is good for your brain.”

There are a number of tai chi classes all around Australia these days, held at either official academies, in gyms or community halls. The Australian Academy of Tai Chi offers a number of classes and online courses, while Tai Chi Australia provides a series of programs, with either standing or seated options for the less mobile.

Semi-retired accountant Steve Smith, 68, came across it when he went on a work conference 17 years ago, and participants were encouraged to take a class as a break from the main action. When he returned home, by complete coincidence, there was a leaflet in his letterbox. He went along to a class and was immediately hooked.

“It’s just great fun, apart from everything else,” Steve says. He attends a class every week, and practises tai chi at his home for 15 minutes every morning to kick-start his day. “You go and you meet people and it’s a bit of a social activity as well as exercise. As you get older, it’s more difficult to move and I think tai chi has helped me a lot. I can feel the benefits.”

He adds: “I’m definitely much more flexible than I was, my balance is better and I know that even if I did fall over, I’d land a lot better as a result of what I’ve learnt. You do a lot of stretches which is really good, and you don’t need any equipment. It’s just you and the movements.”

Read our guide for more tips on exercise over 50.