What do you think?
Rate this book
Mindful Exercise: Metarobics, Healing, and the Power of Tai Chi: A revolutionary new understanding of why mindful healing works
Today, more doctors than ever are prescribing tai chi for patients recovering from injury, illness, and surgery.
This book presents over ten years of research into how and why tai chi benefits health from an evidence-based, medical perspective.
Dr. Peter Anthony Gryffin demonstrates the link between health and metarobics, his term for slow, meditative exercises that enhance blood oxygen saturation, diffusion, and oxygen-based metabolism. Metarobics—including tai chi, qigong, and yoga—focus on relaxation and deep breathing. Dr. Gryffin’s research shows that these exercises offer a wide range of benefits for treating chronic disease.
Dr. Gryffin cites numerous scientific studies as well as testimonials from patients who have experienced the natural healing benefits of metarobic exercise. Many have surmounted chronic health problems to improve their quality of life. Some even overcame grave diagnoses.
This book features
• More than 120 scientific studies on tai chi and other metarobic exercises
• More than 50 case stories from tai chi qigong, and yoga practitioners
• Clear, straightforward language
• Tested guidelines to improve your metarobic exercise and maximize health benefits
“This book presents over ten years of research into how and why tai chi benefits health from a physiological perspective,” Dr. Gryffin says. “The links I discovered will allow everyone from novice students to veteran teachers to maximize benefits for health and chronic conditions.”
In 1968, Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s book Aerobics changed the world of health and fitness. Mindful Metarobics, Healing, and the Power of Tai Chi is the next step in this evolution.
This book presents over ten years of research into how and why tai chi benefits health from an evidence-based, medical perspective.
Dr. Peter Anthony Gryffin demonstrates the link between health and metarobics, his term for slow, meditative exercises that enhance blood oxygen saturation, diffusion, and oxygen-based metabolism. Metarobics—including tai chi, qigong, and yoga—focus on relaxation and deep breathing. Dr. Gryffin’s research shows that these exercises offer a wide range of benefits for treating chronic disease.
Dr. Gryffin cites numerous scientific studies as well as testimonials from patients who have experienced the natural healing benefits of metarobic exercise. Many have surmounted chronic health problems to improve their quality of life. Some even overcame grave diagnoses.
This book features
• More than 120 scientific studies on tai chi and other metarobic exercises
• More than 50 case stories from tai chi qigong, and yoga practitioners
• Clear, straightforward language
• Tested guidelines to improve your metarobic exercise and maximize health benefits
“This book presents over ten years of research into how and why tai chi benefits health from a physiological perspective,” Dr. Gryffin says. “The links I discovered will allow everyone from novice students to veteran teachers to maximize benefits for health and chronic conditions.”
In 1968, Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s book Aerobics changed the world of health and fitness. Mindful Metarobics, Healing, and the Power of Tai Chi is the next step in this evolution.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2018
13 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Peter Anthony Gryffin
2 books1 followerDr. P. Anthony Gryffin has over 30 years of experience with Mindful Exercise, Tai Chi, Qigong, and Kung Fu. His research includes implications related to hypoxia, cancer and Tai Chi; the development of the theory of Metarobics; and Mindfulness Based Practices for health of mind and body. He has been a Tai Chi instructor for the Shands Arts in Medicine program, and for Fullerton College, where he developed the curriculum for eight new courses oriented around mind/body health and fitness (using traditional martial training and wilderness experiences). Tony is a regular presenter at state and national conferences. His work includes over fifteen commercial and professional publications. He was an Alumni Fellow at the University of Florida, where he received his PhD in Health and Human Performance.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 20, 2024
Pretty informative. I don't remember everything, but it has definitely made me want to try Tai Chi, and even start up yoga again.
September 11, 2018
Heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, lung disease, asthma, diabetes, pain, stress
- there are a lot of studies out there that show Tai Chi has a lot of benefits
for a lot of people suffering from a number of conditions.
This book references several of them.
There are a lot of anecdotes out there about and from people
whose lives were dramatically changed by the practice of Tai Chi.
This book shares several of those as well.
If that's all this book had going for it, it really wouldn't be all that interesting
- that's all been done before (see for example The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi
https://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Medica...)
What's new in this book is that the author offers a theory for WHY
Tai Chi has beneficial effects for so many people.
The theory is that smooth, flowing, gentle, relaxed exercise that involves deep rhythmic breathing
enhances blood oxygenation and diffusion, and that this in turn assists the body
in staying healthy and preventing disease, as well assisting the body in coping with a number of ailments.
The author coined the term "Metarobics" to distinguish this kind of exercise
from aerobic and anaerobic/weight-training exercises.
I really appreciated the author's honesty and candor
- this is a theory that needs more study
- many studies "indicate" or "suggest" rather than prove
- a healthy body needs all three kinds of exercise to stay as healthy as possible
- Tai Chi is not the only Metrobic exercise out there
No "Tai Chi is a panacea" here, just documentation that it is probably very good for you.
The author also points out that the long learning curve for traditional Tai Chi
(memorizing lengthy sequences) may limit or delay any benefits
as well as limit accessibility. He apparently created his own simple to follow along,
no memorizing necessary style that he used in his studies.
Details on that practice are not provided, but it sounds a lot like David-Dorian Ross's TaijiFit programs
(see for example https://www.amazon.com/Bundle-2-DVD-F...)
To be clear, there is very little actual Tai Chi in this book, so I think the audience for it is somewhat limited.
If you're a Tai Chi instructor interested in related medical research,
or if you have a medical condition and have been told Tai Chi may be good for you
and you want to understand more of "why" that may be the case,
or if you know someone with a medical condition and you want to convince them Tai Chi might be good for them,
this is a good book to turn to.
I fit all those categories, and I enjoyed this book immensely.
- there are a lot of studies out there that show Tai Chi has a lot of benefits
for a lot of people suffering from a number of conditions.
This book references several of them.
There are a lot of anecdotes out there about and from people
whose lives were dramatically changed by the practice of Tai Chi.
This book shares several of those as well.
If that's all this book had going for it, it really wouldn't be all that interesting
- that's all been done before (see for example The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi
https://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Medica...)
What's new in this book is that the author offers a theory for WHY
Tai Chi has beneficial effects for so many people.
The theory is that smooth, flowing, gentle, relaxed exercise that involves deep rhythmic breathing
enhances blood oxygenation and diffusion, and that this in turn assists the body
in staying healthy and preventing disease, as well assisting the body in coping with a number of ailments.
The author coined the term "Metarobics" to distinguish this kind of exercise
from aerobic and anaerobic/weight-training exercises.
I really appreciated the author's honesty and candor
- this is a theory that needs more study
- many studies "indicate" or "suggest" rather than prove
- a healthy body needs all three kinds of exercise to stay as healthy as possible
- Tai Chi is not the only Metrobic exercise out there
No "Tai Chi is a panacea" here, just documentation that it is probably very good for you.
The author also points out that the long learning curve for traditional Tai Chi
(memorizing lengthy sequences) may limit or delay any benefits
as well as limit accessibility. He apparently created his own simple to follow along,
no memorizing necessary style that he used in his studies.
Details on that practice are not provided, but it sounds a lot like David-Dorian Ross's TaijiFit programs
(see for example https://www.amazon.com/Bundle-2-DVD-F...)
To be clear, there is very little actual Tai Chi in this book, so I think the audience for it is somewhat limited.
If you're a Tai Chi instructor interested in related medical research,
or if you have a medical condition and have been told Tai Chi may be good for you
and you want to understand more of "why" that may be the case,
or if you know someone with a medical condition and you want to convince them Tai Chi might be good for them,
this is a good book to turn to.
I fit all those categories, and I enjoyed this book immensely.
September 15, 2018
This book is clearly written with many research citations. The testimonials show that tai chi is not a replacement for traditional medicine, but a partner with traditional medicine. The testimonials are revealing and inspiring.
Because of a childhood spinal injury that medical professionals misdiagnosed for 33 years, I cannot do tai chi. My hips and pelvis shift out of place easily doing anything like tai chi, Pilates, or yoga. Out of place hips are painful. Reading this book gave me two personal revelations. I learned about qi walking in this book. Before I finished reading the book I found online videos and books about qi walking. After learning only two movements, I discovered the second revelation. Qi walking can erase procrastination. I have to do several different types of exercises everyday to keep my pelvis and hips in place. Because of a current temporary situation, I kept putting off one particular set of exercises. Since I started qi walking, however, I no longer have to talk myself into doing that set of exercises. I just do them.
Shortly after I started qi walking, I sprained one knee. I tried doing modified arm movements for qi walking while sitting in a chair. I also did the rise and fall breathing. My knee has hurt less after every chair qi walking session. I've even figured out small hand movements to do along with the rise and fall breathing while walking down the street. If you think you don’t have time for tai chi, try looking up qi walking. I can do two rise and fall breaths with hand movements walking from one end of my house to the other. I'm going to fit qi walking into my daily life every chance I get.
I recommend this book for both physical health and emotional serenity. Dr. Gryffin will help you understand the mindful exercise options so you can choose the one that’s right for you.
Because of a childhood spinal injury that medical professionals misdiagnosed for 33 years, I cannot do tai chi. My hips and pelvis shift out of place easily doing anything like tai chi, Pilates, or yoga. Out of place hips are painful. Reading this book gave me two personal revelations. I learned about qi walking in this book. Before I finished reading the book I found online videos and books about qi walking. After learning only two movements, I discovered the second revelation. Qi walking can erase procrastination. I have to do several different types of exercises everyday to keep my pelvis and hips in place. Because of a current temporary situation, I kept putting off one particular set of exercises. Since I started qi walking, however, I no longer have to talk myself into doing that set of exercises. I just do them.
Shortly after I started qi walking, I sprained one knee. I tried doing modified arm movements for qi walking while sitting in a chair. I also did the rise and fall breathing. My knee has hurt less after every chair qi walking session. I've even figured out small hand movements to do along with the rise and fall breathing while walking down the street. If you think you don’t have time for tai chi, try looking up qi walking. I can do two rise and fall breaths with hand movements walking from one end of my house to the other. I'm going to fit qi walking into my daily life every chance I get.
I recommend this book for both physical health and emotional serenity. Dr. Gryffin will help you understand the mindful exercise options so you can choose the one that’s right for you.
September 17, 2018
Peter Anthony Gryffin’s Mindful Exercise is an interesting new addition to the literature relating the effects of Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, and other practices that work with the concentrated regulation of the breath. The author, who has a PhD in health and human performance, is well within his area of expertise when commenting on how Tai Chi “works” since he has been a practitioner for over 30 years.
In attempting to understand the “training effect” that these type of exercises manifest in their practitioners, Dr. Gryffin observed an “enhanced blood oxygen saturation, diffusion, and metabolic function” improvement that didn’t fit into either aerobic or anerobic strength building exercises, so he coined the term, Metarobics to cover this third category. This book discusses how Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, and other Metarobics seem to oxygenate the various organs and processes of the body in a distinct manner.
After an explanation of Metarobics, most of the remaining chapters deal with the effects of Tai Chi and Qigong on specific illnesses such as Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart, Lung and Kidney ailments. Although the author is quick to emphasize that these various practices DO NOT cure any of these diseases, the multitude of short testimonials throughout Mindful Exercise seem to indicate otherwise. To me, this was the biggest weakness of the book.
While a later chapter offers some general rules for Tai Chi practice, some actual forms could have been helpful, but I assume future volumes will give more specific instruction.
All in all, Mindful Exercise is a good introductory book on the health benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong and it points the way to areas for further research.
I was given an advance copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
In attempting to understand the “training effect” that these type of exercises manifest in their practitioners, Dr. Gryffin observed an “enhanced blood oxygen saturation, diffusion, and metabolic function” improvement that didn’t fit into either aerobic or anerobic strength building exercises, so he coined the term, Metarobics to cover this third category. This book discusses how Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, and other Metarobics seem to oxygenate the various organs and processes of the body in a distinct manner.
After an explanation of Metarobics, most of the remaining chapters deal with the effects of Tai Chi and Qigong on specific illnesses such as Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart, Lung and Kidney ailments. Although the author is quick to emphasize that these various practices DO NOT cure any of these diseases, the multitude of short testimonials throughout Mindful Exercise seem to indicate otherwise. To me, this was the biggest weakness of the book.
While a later chapter offers some general rules for Tai Chi practice, some actual forms could have been helpful, but I assume future volumes will give more specific instruction.
All in all, Mindful Exercise is a good introductory book on the health benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong and it points the way to areas for further research.
I was given an advance copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
September 18, 2018
The book , MINDFUL EXERCISE by PETER ANTHONY GRYFFIN, PHD, has an unique look into the wonderful benefits of practicing such arts as tai chi, yoga, pilate, reiki healing , etc.... This book used the western scientific approaches to explain how the slow exercises like tai chi can be beneficial to a person's health and how they can be an important adjunct to the conventional treatment to cancer and diseases. To verify and support these results, the author provided multiple datas from various verifiable sources as well as testimonials of real people. I would like this book more if he provide a few mental and tai chi exercises that will allow the readers to try. Nevertheless, I believe that this metarobic concepts and the mindful exercise approach will be important add-ons to modern medicine in the near future and definitely helpful for those seeking an alternative w
February 24, 2019
A good reference for the health benefits of tai chi. The angle particular to this book is that slow movements coupled with relaxed breathing improve oxygen saturation in the body, this in turn is beneficial for a host of issues outlined in the book. There is not a whole lot about tai chi in the book so it is not a practical manual, though there are some pointers on how to practice to get the desired affect.
October 11, 2021
Went through the benefits of Tai chi for health. Many studies referenced which can be valuable. helpful to me as an instructor of Tai Chi.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews