Jill Whinnery doesn’t have to think long about what she loves most regarding teaching tai chi and qigong to seniors. 

“People are telling me their balance is so much better,” she said. “They’re warding off the threat of falling. I’ll get reports from people saying, ‘I can now put my pants on one leg at a time while standing up.’”

Tai chi (tie chee) and qigong (chee gong) may not get the same attention as yoga or Pilates, but they offer many of the same benefits. Each uses slow, intentional movement to improve balance, body awareness and mental focus while being gentle on the joints. 

These practices improve stability through gradual weight shifts from one leg to the other, the same kind of control needed for everyday tasks like pulling on pants, stepping into a shower, reaching into a cabinet or going up and down stairs. And because the movements are done standing, tai chi and qigong can be an easier option for seniors who want the benefits of movement without having to get up and down from the floor.  

Jill Whinnery demonstrates a tai chi form as students mirror her movements.

TAPPING INTO QI

Whinnery, 57, first learned qigong in massage therapy school in her late 30s. She later took up tai chi, studying in San Diego and traveling to China, where she taught qigong in exchange for tai chi lessons with Master Jesse Tsao. 

“Part of the massage therapy school training was to learn qigong because it’s almost like doing a massage on yourself,” she said.

During her time in China, Whinnery said she was struck by how many older adults practiced tai chi and qigong in parks and how easily they moved.

“Even though they were older—say 60s and 70s—they moved like they were children,” she said. 

Qigong is often described as a practice for moving qi (chee), or vital energy, through the body. It uses gentle movement, posture and breathwork to help relax the body, improve
alignment and support healthy circulation.

Tai chi builds on that foundation. While it developed as a martial art, the added focus is on flowing sequences of movement called forms.

Tai chi includes many forms and variations, including some that use props such as a cane. However, beginners don’t need to know any of that to get started.

MOVE WITH MORE EASE

Whinnery returned to Grand Junction and started teaching about five years ago. Forms can be refined over many years, and she builds both long and short forms into her teaching. 

“It’s kind of like learning a dance,” she said. “There are different levels, but in our classes, all beginners are welcome.”

She also offers modifications for more experienced students who want an extra challenge.

That same is true for Edith Johnston’s free tai chi and qigong class at Delta United Methodist Church, which she started in 2017. The class meets twice a week and draws mostly seniors.

Johnston, who began practicing in her 30s and 40s, said qigong and tai chi can be adapted for almost anyone, including those recovering from surgery or illness. She encourages her students to work within their limits and focus on small, repeatable movements instead of trying to master a long sequence.

“We have chairs always set up, so you can sit down at any time you want to,” said Johnston, 73. “There’s no wrong way of doing it.”

Tai chi also strengthens the legs and hips through subtle, repeated movements. Even without heavy resistance training, it can build the kind of strength people need for stability and everyday movement.

Johnston, who has a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling and previously worked in mental health and pain management, said she also used tai chi and qigong with clients coping with chronic pain and life-changing injuries.

One student, she said, began attending after abdominal surgery and later said the class helped her regain mobility and movement. 

She also points to breathing as one of the most overlooked benefits.

Long, slow, deep breaths are a core part of the practice and of Johnston’s class. Many people are shallow chest breathers, she said, which can increase anxiety.

“I teach [students] how to breathe,” said Johnston. “If nothing else, breathe.”

Jill Whinnery practices tai chi during a trip to China, where she studied the flowing movements she now teaches back home in Grand Junction

FOR BODY & MIND 

Whinnery said tai chi and qigong support emotional health as much as physical health.

“Another thing that I just loved about it is it doesn’t have just these physical health benefits, but it’s also really great for emotional health and mental health,” she said.

She describes both as “moving meditation,” which can be especially helpful for people who struggle with wandering thoughts during a traditional seated meditation practice.

As people practice, Whinnery said they often become more aware of how they carry themselves—if they hunch, shift their weight unevenly or hold tension in their hips and back. That increased awareness can lead to healthier movement patterns over time.

“It’s also about becoming a little softer in your thoughts,” Whinnery said, “and shaving off some of the harder edges and becoming just a little more content and at peace.”

Johnston said she wants more people to know the practice exists as an opportunity to improve health, vitality, balance and overall well-being. 

“They can come once, one day a month, once a week or twice a week—whatever works for them,” she said. “They can learn a movement or a set of movements and do them anytime, anywhere for their own health.”

students follow instructor Edith Johnston as they move through a gentle tai chi form during a free class at Delta United Methodist Church

JOIN A CLASS

Johnston and Whinnery said you can gain benefits from tai chi and qigong in as little as five minutes a day, but learning in a group can deepen the experience. 

“Qi is everywhere—when you’re in a community of qi that’s moving, it’s like being in the ocean that’s moving around you,” Johnston said.

Whinnery teaches classes several times a week at Sherwood Park in Grand Junction during warmer months and indoors in winter. She recommends wearing clothes that are easy to move in, comfortable shoes and bringing a water bottle. 

“It’s just the best way, hands down, to start your day,” Whinnery said. “We just laugh a lot, and the students just have fun.”

No commitment is required. Both classes have a core group of regulars, but the format works well for drop-ins.

Learn more about Whinnery’s classes at MoonTaiChi.com. Classes are $10. For help choosing the best class, contact her at 805-729-7804 or [email protected].

Johnston’s free class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Delta United Methodist Church, 477 Meeker St., Delta. For more information, contact her at EdithD [email protected] or 970-216-5753.