Introduction to Aquatic Ai Chi

Course Details

Ai Chi is a breath-centered exercise program developed to relax, assist and educate a participant in moving with increased energy and flow in life.   It is an efficient exercise that increases oxygen, de-stresses the muscular/skeletal systems and utilizes caloric consumption.  Simple movement form and positioning in water creates a perfect medium for clients with pain issues, over-challenged, high stress, balance and coordination issues.

Ai Chi was created by combining T’ai Chi concepts with Shiatsu and Chi Kung technique’s.  Smooth standing postures are performed in shoulder depth (92-95 degree) water.   Using a combination of deep slow breathing, the waters support and resistance and broad full body movements, a participant can gain strength, mobility, range, balance and an overall sense of well being. 

This form of slow breath centered movements can be used with groups or one on one in  combination with other types of treatment or exercise program.  Ai Chi has been successfully used with a broad spectrum of challenges and disorders such as: pain management, arthritis, fibromyalgia, COPD, diabetes, MS, balance deficits, neurological and orthopedic diagnoses.

Course Objectives

• Identify the basic principles of Ai Chi as relates to movements and posture utilizing water.
• Describe the fundamentals of breath centered movement and importance in treatment utilizing an Ai Chi approach.
• Demonstrate basic Ai Chi postures and body mechanics both on land and in water.
• Identify the meridians and demonstrate stretching of meridians.
• Describe the basic 5 element theory and how it applies to Ai Chi.
• Identify indications and contraindications for use of Ai Chi in an aquatic environment

About Cameron West

Cameron West, a certified massage therapist and adapted physical education teacher, has practiced somatic therapies and water-based rehabilitation for more than 20 years and is also credited with developing aquatic integration techniques. Cameron has been very influenced by her studies of Watsu and the Jahara technique and is a practitioner and teacher of such modalities as Watsu, Waterdance, adaptive aquatics and aquatic rehabilitation therapy. She has combined her knowledge, her experience and skills of working with a large variety of dysfunctions in creating a simple framework of clinical alternative based moves that work well in any kind of aquatic therapy setting. Cameron currently is the owner/director of the AquaZen Center in Templeton, California where she teaches and has a private practice.

Schedule

Day 1
8:30-10:00 - Lecture
10:00-10:30 - Break and change for pool
10:30-12:30 - Pool Lab on basic principles and movements and fundamentals of breath-centered movement.
12:30-1:30 - LUNCH
1:30-3:00 - Lecture/class time
3:00-3:30 - BREAK/change for lab
3:30-5:30 -Pool labs

Day 2
8:30-10:00 - Lecture
10:00-10:30 - Break and change for pool
10:30-12:30 - Pool lab on basic principles and movements and fundamentals of breath-centered movement
12:30-1:30 - LUNCH
1:30-3:00 - Lecture
3:00-3:30 - Change for pool
3:30-5:30 - Pool Lab

CEUs Earned

14 contact hours have been applied for through TPTA and TOTA.

Hotel Accomodations

Contact Information