Tauranga Taoist Tai Chi members are celebrating 25 years of the traditional exercise in New Zealand by completing 25 sets of more than 100 movements non-stop today.

Taoist Tai Chi Members are celebrating 25 years of tai chi in New Zealand today. Photos: Cameron Avery.

Members are joining a tai chi relay of 25 20-minute sets of tai chi at the club rooms on Koromiko St until 5pm, with people coming and going as they please.

Three-year tai chi member Noel Wylie says the first international Taoist Tai Chi workshop was held in Rotorua 25 years ago.

'Tauranga is the biggest branch in NZ at the moment, with more than 300-odd members.”

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese traditional form of exercise that involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing.

Noel says members are completing their ninth set at the moment, with each set consisting of 108 moves.

'The benefits of tai chi are movement, flexibility and it's very relaxing. I'm 70 and I find it's helping with a crook knee joint that I've got.

'Everyone gets different things out of it from what they put in to it.”

The celebrations will conclude with an evening banquet at the club rooms tonight.