1 . Tai chi, a traditional, slow-moving form of Chinese physical exercise, is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. New research has been conducted to determine whether tai chi has an influence on lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension (高血压前期).

In the study, Chinese scientists put 342 adults with prehypertension into two groups. The average age of people taking part in the study was 49. About half the participants (参与者) took part in aerobic exercise, including jogging, climbing stairs and cycling. The other half was trained to practice tai chi. Both groups got hour-long exercises four times a week.

Nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to be normal, compared with nearly 16% of people in the aerobic exercise group. And fewer patients in the tai chi group went on to develop high blood pressure than patients in the aerobic exercise group.

So what is it about tai chi that helps lower blood pressure? “The practice tends to get more of a response from the parasympathetic (副交感的) nervous system, which is the network of nerves that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger,” says Ruth Taylor-Piliae, a professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing.

“I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership, you don’t have to have special clothing,” Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime and anyplace. And it does provide a calming and relaxing effect.”

Evidence suggests it can also help protect against cognitive fall and even improve memory. But you have to practice it continually to get the most benefit.

7 . Knowing how many kilometers or miles per hour you’ll likely cover while hiking is of great importance.     1     It’s also important to build in time for breaks and extra time in case of bad weather or harder situations than expected.

If you’re not sure what your average hiking speed is, don’t worry.     2     Naismith’s rule is considered useful and was invented by the Scottish mountaineer William W. Naismith. It’s a great way to work out how long it will take you to complete your chosen path and it takes into consideration both distance and elevation (海拔高度).

It can be worked out as follows. One hour for every 3 miles plus an additional hour for every 600m of ascent (升高). So let’s say you wanted to know how long it would take to hike 6 miles with an elevation gain of 1,200m. That’s 2 hours for the distance and another 2 hours for the ascent, for a total of 4 hours.     3     It doesn’t include breaks.

    4     You can choose exercises that you enjoy, whether that’s running, cycling, dance classes or something else. As long as it helps you build muscle (肌肉) strength, it will help you get your average hiking speed where you want it to be. Interestingly, specific weight training also helps increase your average walking speed on the path. It’s common knowledge that hikers should focus mainly on leg strength.     5    

Since the holding of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, teenagers and young children     1     (show) a greater interest in skiing-related activities. Chinese people born in the 1990s and after the year 2000 are the main groups of skiers, according to Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China,     2     (base) the result on data from a renowned travel agency.

“During the winter that just ended, the number of bookings for skiing-related services made by these two age groups accounted     3     60 percent of the total, and the number of children who had gone skiing with their parents was on the rise.” the travel agency said.

With the trend of Chinese consumers’ higher enthusiasm for skiing     4     (notice), a Swiss luxury watchmaker organized a, day on the slopes for young skiers in early winter last year. “This reflected the company’s     5     (commit) to helping children believe in themselves through sports.” it said.

“We     6     (firm) believe that sport is important for the integration of children. So,    7     means a lot to us to be able to create environments     8     children can experience the fun and joy of sport,” said Franziska Gsell, chief marketing officer of the company. China had become one of the most dynamic markets for the company and they were     9     (confidence) about their operations in the country.

The widespread popularity of ice and the emergence of indoor ski resorts and snow parks have enabled people from the southern regions of China     10     (experience) skiing-related activities at any time of the year.