The BBC's 'Trust me, I'm a doctor' set out to discover whether Tai Chi is as good for you as vigorous exercise. They ran a series of tests on present Michael Mosley as well as two test groups, one of which did zumba and the other Tai Chi.
"As might be expected, our Zumba group were all fitter after 12 weeks. Their blood vessels were more elastic and their blood pressure had dropped. Their blood results improved in line with people undertaking an exercise regime.
More surprisingly, the results from the tai chi group also showed similar benefits to the more rigorous Zumba group, with improvements in blood biomarkers, blood pressure and vessel flexibility.
The answer as to why tai chi might have similar benefits may rest in the fact that tai chi might not be as gentle as it seems. Previous studies undertaken by Sarah and Jet show that people who practise tai chi have a similar rise in heart rate to those doing moderate intensity exercise." Source: BBC