Improving exercise motivation and physical fitness in college students through a long-term mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan program: a randomized controlled trial
Ping Qu, Xiaoqing Zhu, Ting Zhu, Hui Zhou, Minghua Huang, Feng Pan, Xiaoyan Wang, Jingsi Wen, Yang Liu, Yu Zhang, F. W. S. Li, Yuyin Wang
PeerJ January 9, 2026 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.20602 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 80 |
| Population | College students |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan (MTCC) |
| Duration | 24 weeks (24 weekly sessions) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | The authors report that a 24-week mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan program improved exercise motivation, physical fitness, mindfulness, and subjective well-being in college students, with effect sizes from 0.033 to 0.210. They argue that integrating mindfulness into Tai Chi fosters intrinsic motivation and supports holistic health. |
Abstract
Background: While Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is widely recognized for its physical and mental health benefits, its mindful components are often overlooked in traditional training. Mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan (MTCC) has been proposed to address this limitation, yet little research has explored its long-term impact on exercise motivation and physical fitness. This study extends previous findings by investigating the sustained effects of a 24-week MTCC intervention in improving physical and mental health outcomes among college students, with a focus on long-term sustainability and motivation maintenance that distinguishes it from our prior short-term research.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 80 college students assigned to either an MTCC group or a traditional TCC group. Seventy-one participants completed the allocated intervention, while nine participants dropped out for personal reasons. No serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported. The MTCC program was delivered in two stages over 24 weekly sessions. The first stage introduced participants to mindfulness-enhanced Taiyi Mirrored-heart Chuan, emphasizing foundational postures and mindfulness principles. The second stage involved traditional TCC training to consolidate the skills and motivation gained during the first stage. Outcome measures, including exercise motivation, physical fitness, mindfulness and subjective well-being, were assessed pre- and post-intervention.
Results: = 0.033-0.210), highlighting the value of long-term intervention.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the long-term benefits of integrating mindfulness into TCC practice, particularly in fostering intrinsic motivation for physical activity and enhancing overall well-being. The study underscores the potential of MTCC as a sustainable intervention for promoting holistic health in college students and its applicability in educational and wellness settings. Clinical review
Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2200058449.