Tai Chi Chuan in Riverside, Loma Linda, & Redlands CA

11/15/2025

Mindfulness and Tai Chi for Cancer Health (MATCH) Study: Primary Outcomes of a Preference-Based Multisite Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial
Abstract
Purpose
Many cancer survivors have high levels of distress and psychosocial symptoms. Two mind-body interventions for treating these problems are Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) and Tai Chi/Qigong (TCQ). However, while both interventions show efficacy compared with usual care, they have never been studied together. This trial was the first, to our knowledge, to incorporate innovative design features including patient choice while evaluating two interventions to treat distressed cancer survivors.
Methods
A preference-based multisite randomized comparative effectiveness trial design with broad pragmatic inclusion criteria was used. Participants with a preference for either MBCR or TCQ received their preferred intervention, while those without a preference were randomly assigned 1:1 into either intervention. Furthermore, participants were all randomly assigned 2:1 into immediate intervention or waitlist control. Total mood disturbance (TMD) on the Profile of Mood States after intervention was the primary outcome.
Results
Five hundred eighty-seven participants provided baseline data, 75% were female, with an average age of 60.7 years. Of 12 cancer types, the most prevalent were breast (40.7%), prostate (11.2%), and GI (9.7%) cancers. Most had stage 0-II (50.1%) diagnoses, with 17% having more advanced disease. Approximately two thirds had a preference, with 57% of those choosing TCQ and 43% choosing MBCR. The remaining 36% were equally randomly assigned. Choosing a specific program or choosing to be randomly assigned had no significant effect on outcomes. Both the combined random assignment and preference MBCR and TCQ groups improved more than their respective waitlists on TMD scores with small to medium effects. The largest improvements occurred for MBCR on subscales of tension, anger, and vigor and in TCQ on anger, depression, and vigor.
Conclusion
This large, pragmatic trial demonstrated both mindfulness and TCQ interventions improved mood in distressed cancer survivors, whether they chose a program or chose to be randomly assigned.

PURPOSEMany cancer survivors have high levels of distress and psychosocial symptoms. Two mind-body interventions for treating these problems are Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) and Tai Chi/Qigong (TCQ). However, while both interventions show ...

11/12/2025

Another Paper on the Research Study by Loma Linda University Researchers on our Curriculum teaching Symmetrical Yang style to Seniors and Diabetics with Neuropathy, this one showing a significant lowering of their Blood Pressure. Teachers of t'ai chi ch'uan for this study were Harvey Kurland and Myra Allen

Effect of Tai Chi Combined with Mental Imagery on Cutaneous Microcirculatory Function and Blood Pressure in a Diabetic and Elderly Population
Abdulrahman Alsubiheen 1 , Jerrold Petrofsky 2 , Wonjong Yu 3 , Haneul Lee 4
Healthcare (Basel) 2020 Sep 16;8(3):342

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi (TC) training combined with mental imagery (MI) on blood pressure and cutaneous microcirculatory function in individuals with diabetes and age-matched healthy subjects. All subjects participated in a one-hour Yang style TC exercise with MI twice per week for 8 weeks. An activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) measurement, a single-leg stance (SLS), a functional reach test (FRT), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and skin blood flow were assessed. All functional outcomes were significantly improved in both groups, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lower in both groups after the TC training (p < 0.05), but there was no significant group effect. Skin blood flow decreased in the age-matched elderly group when heat and occlusion were applied (p < 0.05), but no difference was found in the diabetes group. Combining TC with MI showed an improvement in functional outcomes and blood pressure but cutaneous microcirculatory function did not improve. Combining TC intervention with MI theory showed an improvement in functional outcomes and blood pressure, which showed cardiovascular benefits not only in diabetes but in age-matched healthy subjects. However, cutaneous microcirculatory function was increased only in age-matched healthy subjects.

Send a message to learn more

11/06/2025

Ch'i Kung - Qigong Workshop 11/9/25
UCR Student Recreation Center
3:30

10/31/2025

Shared with Public
Tai Chi in the News for Chronic Heart Failure
Johns Hopkins Health Alert
If you have mild to moderate heart failure, the ancient Chinese exercise tai chi may help improve your mood, your ability to exercise independently and your quality of life, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Volume 171, page 750).
Investigators randomly assigned 100 people, average age 67 years, with mild to moderate heart failure to attend tai chi classes for 12 weeks or traditional classes on diet, exercise, medication use and other self-management strategies. Participants in the tai chi group learned a simplified Yang style of tai chi. Both groups received educational materials and the tai chi group also received an instructional video and was encouraged to practice at home at least three times a week.
On average, tai chi participants attended 75 percent of their classes, while those in the standard group attended about 66 percent of their sessions. Those in the tai chi group reported practicing at home for an average of 10 hours each week.
Take-away thought. After 12 weeks, the tai chi group showed significant improvements in indexes used to measure quality of life and mood disturbances and in their ability to exercise independently. Tai chi is a safe complement to standard therapy for heart failure. If you want to give tai chi a try, get clearance from your doctor first.
Posted in Heart Health on October 26, 2012

Send a message to learn more

10/25/2025

Weight and Health in T'ai Chi Ch'uan?
Harvey Kurland MSc, CSCS
2022

In the following article "In these analyses the fastest cognitive decline was observed in those with both obesity and metabolic abnormality."

Some, not all, t'ai chi teachers gain weight when they get older. As do many other athletes. Part of that is they are older and don't exercise as much as when they were younger. For example for many years I worked out 6 hours a day and was pretty slim, getting a more sedentary job and cutting back on the hours of exercise took its toll. And being sensual beings. real t'ai chi ch'uan does that to you, enjoy a good meal or two or three or four, and don't forget the dessert, then you get fat. Weight gain is primarily diet related for most people.

This is a complex issue. Also an issue for many retired or off season athletes who have a tendency to gain a lot of weight.

Exercise is helpful in a weight loss program but diet is the main issue. Most of us don't exercise enough to produce meaningful changes in weight, but exercise does protect against muscle loss, which is very important as we get older. Frailty which lowers life expectancy is related to muscle loss, sarcopenia.

Some people are lucky and can eat what every they like and never gain weight. I worked with an exercise physiologist who ate over 1000 calories a day more than I do, and never gained a pound. In some ways he was lucky, but in a famine in theory he would be in trouble.

A study on women track athletes in the 1980s found some athletes ate significantly more calories per day to maintain the same weight as others in their group. Lucky?

Most research studies have found exercise isn't the key to weight loss. Diet is. Exercise is important to help protect muscle, as crash diets result in large muscle losses.

But the point of this is, some t'ai chi ch'uan pushing hands experts try to stay heavy, in some cases fat, so they can compete better. Which isn't a great idea for their health.

Several competitive t'ai chi push hands aficionados told me they wanted to keep their weight up, or even gain weight so they could be harder to push over. More ballast. When I first heard this I thought wow, you are not getting paid to push hands, you aren't a sumo wrestler, why jeopardize your health to keep your weight up? Most of us are trying to keep our weight down.

Yes you are like a mountain of fat standing there and hard to push over, but your physical and mental health may sufferer. Better to Invest in (fat) Loss and lose the weight for better health. I know that is my plan as well.

Your BMI should be below 25 if European, and if Asian the BMI recommendations are Lower less than 23. I went into great detail in my text Asian Mind-Body Techniques Revealed on that and also looked at BMI of MMA fighters. Body fat is another issue. Basically a high BMI combined with a high Body Fat is a risk for heart disease and diabetes as well as cognitive issues.

Muscle does counter the fat. to a small extent. Some health experts even claim being overly muscular is also a health risk. But I haven't seen the data on that. They might be looking at competitive professional bodybuilders who use drugs to gain immense amounts of muscle weight. But for now it is conjecture on their part as far as I know. Many in the exercise physiology community now believe that Percent of Body fat is more important than BMI which is just a crude computation of height and weight. Percent of Body fat also has a tendency to go up with age due to loss of muscle with age as well as gaining fat. In contrast being underweight with high body fat is related to frailty and lower life expectancy.

Below is an older study looking at obesity and brain health.
Basically, the fastest cognitive decline was observed in those with both obesity and metabolic abnormality.

Obesity phenotypes in midlife and cognition in early old age: the Whitehall II cohort study.
Neurology. 2012 Aug 21;79(8):755-62. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182661f63.
Singh-Manoux A, Czernichow S, Elbaz A, Dugravot A, Sabia S, Hagger-Johnson G, Kaffashian S, Zins M, Brunner EJ, Nabi H, Kivimäki M.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To examine the association of body mass index (BMI) and metabolic status with cognitive function and decline.
METHODS:
A total of 6,401 adults (71.2% men), aged 39-63 years in 1991-1993, provided data on BMI (normal weight 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2), overweight 25-29.9 kg/m(2); and obese ≥30 kg/m(2)) and metabolic status (abnormality defined as 2 or more of 1) triglycerides ≥1.69 mmol/L or lipid-lowering drugs, 2) systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mm Hg, or antihypertensive drugs, 3) glucose ≥5.6 mmol/L or medications for diabetes, and 4) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Send a message to learn more

10/22/2025

Even a few minutes of exercise can be beneficial

Every Minute Counts in Exercise, even short bouts of fast walking can be beneficial. "The current ≥10-minute MVPA bouts guideline was based on health benefits other than weight outcomes. Our findings showed that for weight gain prevention, accumulated higher-intensity PA bouts of

Send a message to learn more

10/05/2025

UCR Student Recreation Center Fall quarter schedule:

Tai Chi Yang Style, Beginning **Combined w/Advanced class Starts 10/8
*No class 11/26
$61 $83 Wednesday 7 – 8pm MPR C 10/8 – 12/3
https://recreationregistration.ucr.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=1e72e372-1bab-407e-bfc6-8904e084cef4

Tai Chi Chuan Yang, Advanced *No class 11/26
$61 $83 Wednesday 7:15 – 8:45pm MPR C 10/8 – 12/3
We close at 7pm the day before Thanksgiving so no classes will be held that day.
https://recreationregistration.ucr.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=5005c5f6-ad29-40fb-9c11-91ac6998e270

Tai Chi Workshops:
https://recreationregistration.ucr.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=b862cb79-d991-4755-a860-ab6aaab75fb5
Kuang P’ing Yang Style review and Mirror Form
$37 Sunday 10/19 3:30 – 5:30pm MPRC
10/19 Kuang P'ing Yang Style review and Mirror Form 廣平楊氏太极拳
This is an Older Traditional Style of Yang style t'ai chi ch'uan, also spelled Taijiquan. Kuang P’ing (Wade-Giles) also spelled Guang Ping (Pinyin) Style 廣平楊氏太极拳 was taught to Harvey Kurland by Kuo Lien Ying who brought this style to America. Kurland is one of the few remaining first-generation students of Kuo who teach the form. This form is said to be originally taught by Yang Ban-hou, son of Yang Lu-chan, the founder of Yang style, both being martial art instructors for the Imperial Guards. We will work on the original version taught by Kuo as well as variations. If time allows, we will also work on the Mirror version.

Ch’I Kung - Qigong
$37 Sunday 11/9 3:30 – 5:30pm MPR C
11/9 Ch'i Kung - Qigong 氣功
Literally meaning “Energy work” 氣功 is Spelled two ways in English, Ch’i kung (Wade-Giles) and Qigong (Pinyin). We will work on the O’mei Ch’i kung (Emei qigong) and pa-kua ch’i kung (bagua qigong) These ch'i kung are part of our Internal Arts system. There are several simple to learn exercises. The method includes movement, breathing and visualization. These are methods that are used for health promotion and improve t’ai chi ch’uan and other arts practices.

10/01/2025

UCR Student Recreation Centerr Fall quarter schedule:

Tai Chi Yang Style, Beginning **Combined w/Advanced class *No class 11/26
$61 $83 Wednesday 7 – 8pm MPR C 10/8 – 12/3
https://recreationregistration.ucr.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=1e72e372-1bab-407e-bfc6-8904e084cef4

Tai Chi Chuan Yang, Advanced *No class 11/26
$61 $83 Wednesday 7:15 – 8:45pm MPR C 10/8 – 12/3
We close at 7pm the day before Thanksgiving so no classes will be held that day.
https://recreationregistration.ucr.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=5005c5f6-ad29-40fb-9c11-91ac6998e270

Tai Chi Workshops:
https://recreationregistration.ucr.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=b862cb79-d991-4755-a860-ab6aaab75fb5
Kuang P’ing Yang Style review and Mirror Form
$37 Sunday 10/19 3:30 – 5:30pm MPRC
10/19 Kuang P'ing Yang Style review and Mirror Form 廣平楊氏太极拳
This is an Older Traditional Style of Yang style t'ai chi ch'uan, also spelled Taijiquan. Kuang P’ing (Wade-Giles) also spelled Guang Ping (Pinyin) Style 廣平楊氏太极拳 was taught to Harvey Kurland by Kuo Lien Ying who brought this style to America. Kurland is one of the few remaining first-generation students of Kuo who teach the form. This form is said to be originally taught by Yang Ban-hou, son of Yang Lu-chan, the founder of Yang style, both being martial art instructors for the Imperial Guards. We will work on the original version taught by Kuo as well as variations. If time allows, we will also work on the Mirror version.

Ch’I Kung - Qigong
$37 Sunday 11/9 3:30 – 5:30pm MPR C
11/9 Ch'i Kung - Qigong 氣功
Literally meaning “Energy work” 氣功 is Spelled two ways in English, Ch’i kung (Wade-Giles) and Qigong (Pinyin). We will work on the O’mei Ch’i kung (Emei qigong) and pa-kua ch’i kung (bagua qigong) These ch'i kung are part of our Internal Arts system. There are several simple to learn exercises. The method includes movement, breathing and visualization. These are methods that are used for health promotion and improve t’ai chi ch’uan and other arts practices.

09/19/2025

UCR Student Recreation Center Class

Victoria and Joe of the Tai chi chuan class at the University of California Riverside, Teacher is Harvey Kurland who is certified to teach by Grandmaster Tch...

09/12/2025

09/11/2025

Similar to our form in that the width and length of the stance are the same. But he is dropping his knee and we round the knees. Dropping the knee can cause pressure on the inside of the knee joint in some people.