How to Not Die Tripping Over Your Dog at 70 | Patrick Bonello - 935

·55 min·5 clips

Patrick explains why a major fall after age 60 can cut life expectancy to just 12 months.

The episode begins with host Tiff Cook welcoming Patrick Bonello to the newly professional recording setup of Roll With The Punches. Initial banter covers hot chocolate, Patrick's schnauzer dog Fritz, and a tangent about online shopping platforms like Temu and AliExpress, discussing consumer ethics and product quality. Patrick then introduces Tai Chi as a slow-moving martial art, describing its origins in China and standardization in the 1950s. He explains the four families of Tai Chi and his connection to a school linked to the original grandmaster. Patrick details how Tai Chi acts as a moving meditation, improving core stability, balance, and mindfulness through memorized forms and weight shifts. He shares his personal journey with Tai Chi, starting with a short course in Geelong and later deepening his practice under teacher Patricia Kent in Melbourne and Belan. Patrick recounts traveling to China for Tai Chi conferences, performing on the Great Wall, and feeling a strong cultural connection and camaraderie with international practitioners. He describes the emotional response from Chinese audiences when non-Chinese people perform Tai Chi, seeing it as a sign of cultural respect. The conversation shifts to practical applications, with Patrick telling a story of his 70-year-old teacher using an autonomic elbow strike to escape an attacker. Tiff relates this to boxing, discussing how slowing down movements builds muscle memory and body awareness. Patrick discusses the importance of balance training, citing statistics about falls in older adults and suggesting simple exercises like standing on one foot while brushing teeth. He mentions a friend who died after a fall during COVID, highlighting the risks. Tiff shares an anecdote about a fit 61-year-old gym member who survived a bad fall without major injury, attributing it to strength training. Patrick talks about integrating balance into his gym routine using a BOSU ball and free weights. He notes the age range in his Tai Chi classes, from 16 to 86, emphasizing its cross-generational appeal. Towards the end, Patrick promotes his free website, taichiathome.com.au, created during COVID to help students practice at home, and invites Tiff to his dog Fritz's upcoming 10th birthday party.

As heard by us

Patrick Bonello's path into tai chi moves from a persistent local-paper ad to weapon forms, Patricia Kent, and training in China.

Patrick Bonello's conversation with Tiff opens casually, moving from a new recording setup and hot chocolate into the longer story of how tai chi entered his life.

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Why you'd press play

If a tiny tai chi ad kept calling your name for more than a year, you may want to hear what happened once Patrick finally followed it.

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