The Ancient Chinese Exercise That Builds Lean Muscle and Trims Your Waist
Tai Chi is a form of low-impact, slow-motion exercise that originated as a traditional Chinese martial art. Today, it's practiced around the world as a way to support both mental and physical health. Known for improving balance, flexibility, and focus, Tai Chi is often praised for its calming, meditative movements. Now, new research shows it can also help reduce waist size and increase lean body mass in just a few short months.
The study published in Scientific Reports followed 46 participants, all with a BMI of 28 or higher. For 12 weeks, participants were split into two groups: one performed Tai Chi three times a week, while the other did stretching exercises with the same frequency and duration. Both groups were evaluated before and after the intervention using body composition and waist circumference measurements and a formula-based estimate for VO2 max.Results showed that Tai Chi significantly improved both waist circumference and lean body mass. On average, participants in the Tai Chi group lost around 3.38 cm in their waist and gained 0.87 kg of lean mass. The participants in the stretching group saw a larger reduction in waist circumference, about 4.68 cm, but did not show meaningful gains in lean mass or aerobic capacity.
"Based on the results, this study demonstrates that Tai Chi exercise is more effective than stretching exercises in improving the physical health of university students with obesity," the study authors said. "Specifically, Tai Chi exercise enhances lean body mass and reduces waist circumference, whereas stretching exercises only contribute to waist circumference reduction."
It's worth noting that neither Tai Chi nor stretching led to significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness. That's likely because both were too low in intensity to affect VO2 max, a factor that may be better addressed through higher-intensity training, such as interval workouts.
"Although Tai Chi exercise does not significantly impact VO2 max, it remains a valuable physical activity for promoting overall health in this population," the authors state. "Future research should incorporate intermediate measurements and utilize more precise instruments to enhance the accuracy and depth of analysis."
The Ancient Chinese Exercise That Builds Lean Muscle and Trims Your Waist first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 8, 2025
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