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But don't look for them in the skies.

Students of tai chi, as well as those interested in learning more about this ancient Chinese exercise system, will be moving through a series of postures with names such as Soaring Crane, Tiger Washes His Face and Thread the Needle. As part of World Tai Chi Day, instructors will introduce the fundamentals of tai chi in free workshops and demonstrations around the world.

World Tai Chi Day began in 1999 in Kansas City, Mo., when 200 people gathered to practice tai chi outside the Nelson Atkins Museum, says Bill Douglas, founder and international director of World Tai Chi and Qi Gong Day. During this year's event, groups in 63 countries will perform tai chi at 10 a.m. in a progression that will begin in New Zealand and follow the sun, spreading time zone by time zone across the continents before ending in Hawaii.

"It's a day designed to cover a lot for advanced students, but also be accessible to the novice so someone gets the flavor of what a class is like," says David Clippinger, director of Still Mountain T'ai Chi and Chi Kung in Mt. Lebanon, who will be participating for his third year.

On Saturday, Clippinger will lead an outdoor session that attracts participants who range from dedicated veteran practitioners to beginners to the curious.

"It's an opportunity to share in the experience without making a commitment," he says.

Tai chi is a Chinese system of physical exercises that combine slow, gently flowing movements with deep breathing that focuses the mind while increasing body strength and stamina, improving balance and joint flexibility and reducing stress and tension.

Clippinger chose to hold his workshop outdoors because that's how it's traditionally done in China. In the early morning, parks and other public places fill with men and women of all ages slowly and fluidly moving through the postures, many of which mimic the movements of animals.

"The idea in T'ai Chi is that the air we breathe contributes to the energy we have," says Clippinger. "The outdoor setting is a little less scary for people."

Sometimes referred to as soft kung fu, tai chi developed more than 700 years ago as a way for Taoist monks to defend themselves. Over time it evolved into a low-impact exercise system that requires little equipment. Because it offers a healthy workout without putting stress on joints, it's attractive to older people hoping to maintain or regain flexibility and stamina.

That's what convinced West Deer resident Ellen Kerr to give tai chi a try.

"I wanted to do something so I moved and didn't atrophy," says Kerr, who says it also helped relieve her neck pain. "It's also relaxing. Everything else is so fast-paced. It's nice to come to class and slow down."

North Side resident Dave Whaley turned to tai chi for help with his arthritis after he had a hip replaced.

"I wanted to keep my joints as liquid as possible," he says. "Besides, it looks good."

EngKeat Teh, a licensed acupuncturist on the staff of the Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Shadyside, recommends tai chi to many of his patients.

"It can help with stability, balance, coordination, flexibility and strength," Teh says

Teh also practices what he preaches. He believes his study of tai chi was responsible for lowering his blood pressure by more than 15 points.

When she began studying tai chi eight years ago, Edgewood resident Jennifer Burke's asthma was so bad she could barely walk a block without wheezing.

"Three years ago they told me I no longer have asthma," she says. "It has also been great for enhancing my ability to concentrate. I have a short attention span, and it helps me to be focused. The discipline of the mind helps you slow down thought."

She also credits regular tai chi practice with improving her balance.

"It turned me from one of the world's biggest klutzes into someone graceful," she says.

Tai chi health benefits

Studies have suggested that those who regularly practice tai chi can experience relief from conditions such as arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome and hypertension, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Web site. Practicing tai chi has been credited with slowing the decline of cardiovascular power, increasing bone density, enhancing joint motion and strength and increasing flexibility.

To a culture trained to turn to medication for pain relief, the benefits of tai chi may seem unlikely.

But EngKeat Teh, a licensed acupuncturist on the staff of the Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Shadyside,says tai chi's ability to relieve physical and emotional stress through breath control helps the body in a number of ways.

"Healthful breathing triggers a relaxation response. Blood pressure drops, respiration slows down. It helps you focus on the present, the moment and your own body," he says. "When you are in a state of relaxation your body is better able to heal itself."

While it is relatively easy to learn the basic movements

But of course, there's always a catch.

"Like with any exercise you have to be consistent," Teh says.

The good news is that those who are consistent can see results from practicing tai chi for 30 minutes three days a week, Teh says: "It's not as aerobic as running, walking or swimming but with aerobics there's no connection of body and mind."

Tai chi routines are made up of relatively simple movements that are easy to learn and execute. But those movements can also take a lifetime to perfect, says David Clippinger, director of Still Mountain T'ai Chi and Chi Kung in Mt. Lebanon. Only after he had studied for 10 years did his teacher tell him he was no longer a beginner.

"It really is in a lot of ways a lifestyle," he says. "When you can apply it, that's the lesson of tai chi. It's training the heart and the mind."

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