Ten older men who practised Tai Chi Chuan (TCC), 10 older healthy sedentary men and 12 younger healthy sedentary men were studied. The older TCC subjects had practised classical Yang TCC for a mean of 11.2 years; mean attendance was 5.1 times weekly. Sedentary subjects had not participated in any regular exercise training for at least 5 years. Different doses of 1% acetylcholine (ACh) and 1% sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were iontophoretically applied to the skin of subjects’ lower legs, and cutaneous microvascular perfusion responses were determined by laser Doppler measurements. In addition, arterial and venous haemodynamic variables were measured by impedance plethysmography. The older TCC group had greater lower leg arterial blood flow (LABF); LABF in response to reactive hyperaemia, and lower leg venous capacity, tone and blood flow than their sedentary counterparts. The arterial and venous haemodynamic variables of this older TCC group were, however, similar to those of the younger sedentary group. The younger sedentary group had a higher ACh-induced cutaneous perfusion and a higher ratio of ACh- to SNP-induced cutaneous perfusion than the two older groups. The older TCC group showed a higher ACh-induced cutaneous perfusion and a higher ratio of ACh- to SNP-induced cutaneous perfusion than the older sedentary group. Skin vascular responses to SNP did not differ significantly between the three groups. The authors concluded that regular practice of TCC is associated with enhanced endothelium-dependent dilation in skin vasculature of older individuals. Moreover, TCC training may delay the age-related decline of venous compliance and hyperaemic arterial response.