How to Do the Ai Chi Forward and Backward Walk

Ai Chi is the practice of Tai Chi in the water. For the best benefit you should practice in warm water about 80-85 degrees. The forward and backward walk is beneficial to help improve balance, however, since you are in the water you do not need to worry about falling. This movement is also helpful for still or sore knees. It provides some gentle range of motion exercise for the knees. Being in the warm water will elax the muscles and joints.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Ai Chi Forward Walk

1. Stand up straight in water that is waist to chest high. Your arms are relaxed by your sides.

2. The deeper you stand in the water the less pressure there is on the joint, however, deeper water makes the movement harder to do. It may be best to start in more shallow water until you are more comfortable with the movement and then slowly transition to deeper water.

3. Bend the right knee and lift it up to waist height. Keep the knee in the water. At the same time bend the elbows (like a biceps curl) to ninety degrees and have the palms facing the ceiling. The elbows and hands should remain in the water.

4. Extend your right leg in front of you and place just the right heel on the pool floor. At the same time turn your palms to face forward and extend the arms out to the front as if pushing something away from you. Again, keep arms and legs underwater.

5. Bend your right knee and shift into a lunge position. Your left leg is straight with the heel on the floor. Your right knee is bent and the right foot is flat. The arms remain the same.

6. Next, step the left foot up to the right foot and stand with equal weight on both feet. At the same time slowly lower your arms back down by your sides.

7. Repeat the process stepping on the left. Keep moving forward a few steps alternating feet. Then follow the steps below to go backwards.

Ai Chi Backward Walk

8. Bend the right knee and lift it up to waist height. Keep the knee in the water. At the same time bend the elbows (like a biceps curl) to ninety degrees and have the palms facing the ceiling. The elbows and hands should remain in the water.

9. Extend your right leg behind you and place just the right toe on the pool floor. At the same time turn your palms to face forward and extend the arms out to the front as if pushing something away from you. Again, keep arms and legs underwater.

10. Bend your left knee and shift into a lunge position. Your left leg is bent and the left foot is flat. The right leg is straight with the heel on the floor. The arms remain the same.

11. Next, step the left foot back to the right foot and stand with equal weight on both feet. At the same time slowly lower your arms back down by your sides.

12. Repeat the process stepping back on the left. Keep moving backward a few steps alternating feet.

Tips & Warnings

• Ai Chi like Tai Chi is about moving slowly and with control. The slower you go the more you help to strengthen the muscles that help you maintain balance. The smaller the steps you take the better you balance, so if this is challenging, start with small steps and little by little make your steps larger.
• This exercise can be helpful for those with knee or hip pain. However when you are in the water you may not feel it if you are overdoing it. Start slowly and monitor your body for a couple of days to see how you react to this exercise.

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