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Agnes Hayes didn't try Tai Chi until she was in her late fifties, but right away she was hooked. Thirty-five years later, she's a well-known instructor in the gentlest and most graceful of the martial arts. We spoke to her and some of her students as they worked on their moves at Kees Tae Kwon Do.
It's a pursuit that promotes inner peace while improving balance, core strength and coordination. There are lots of good things you can say about Tai Chi, but people often say it helps keep them young.
"Yeah, there are scientific studies that have proven that," said Dr. Milt Stevenson who took part in Hayes Wednesday morning class. "It's just phenomenal that all of us can be alive at 92 and be as active and sound of mind as Agnes is, is just a testament to this."
"It almost brings tears to my eyes," said Kris Jensen who is also a student of Hayes. "She's an amazing woman. 92. It's just unbelievable."
"People are actually living longer now," said Hayes. She believes they might as well do Tai Chi so they can enjoy those years."It would be wonderful if they were actually living longer and being able to move around well and not just living longer and sitting in a wheelchair."
The Canadian Tai Chi Academy leases space in various facilities around Kelowna. There are classes daily for all experience levels.
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