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Thread: Is qigong trending?

  1. #1
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    Is qigong trending?

    I hope so. Of course I do. We fund this forum and our publications by selling qigong books and vids.

    The Independent article below seems to be in reaction to this Times article:
    BODY & SOUL
    The ancient Chinese exercise that is suddenly cool
    A 5,000-year-old practice called qigong (“chee-gong”) is said to be the secret to longevity. Anna Maxted finds out why
    Anna Maxted
    August 18 2018, 12:01am,
    The Times


    Kate Beckinsale, left, Iggy Pop and Gwyneth Paltrow practise qigong
    It’s the latest way to de-stress, boost fitness and improve longevity — yet it’s 5,000 years old. Qigong is a Chinese holistic practice of slow, low-impact movements that incorporate posture, breathing and focus to cultivate a smooth energy flow through the body. It calms the mind, improves wellbeing and fitness, and its fans include the actresses Julia Roberts, Kate Beckinsale and Gwyneth Paltrow, the golfer Tiger Woods, and the musicians Iggy Pop and Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol.
    Only posting the lead paragraph because I'd have to register to get the rest.

    Voices
    Qigong is the latest health and fitness craze I won’t be trying

    Personally, I'd rather bring back the Women’s League of Health and Beauty, which was founded in 1930 and spread like impetigo
    Jenny Eclair
    @jennyeclair
    3 days ago


    Apparently the art of qigong should be practised at dawn or dusk, wearing thin-soled shoes to maintain contact with the earth ( Teri Pengilley )

    Hooray, there is a new fitness craze in town. Its name is as hard to spell as quinoa and sounds like it might be yet another Korean side dish involving fermented pickles, yum.

    The word is “qigong” (pronounced cheegong) and rather than being anything edible, it’s the 5,000-year-old Chinese practice of keeping mind and body sane and well.

    Listen, if it’s good enough for Iggy Pop, it’s good enough for me.

    From what I can gather, qigong is a little bit like tai chi, infused with yoga, mixed with some moves called “walking on clouds” and “pushing mountains”. This kind of stuff is right up my ally, because it doesn’t involve moving very fast or very far, plus I did a bit of mime at drama school.

    I’m 58 – two years younger than Madonna – but I like wine and cheese, and at the moment I am very sedentary because I’m trying to write another novel and as a result my buttocks are beginning to spill over the chair.

    At the moment my exercise routine involves a bit of yoga, a weekly pilates/stretch class plus the occasional swim. I tried that zumba craze a couple of years ago but I was banned from my class after causing a pileup of multiple middle-aged women during which a pair of varifocals got broken.

    What else? Oh, I hate running because I can’t – my knees feel like they’re going to break and for some reason my feet are as flexible as bricks. As for the gym, well – you know how some people really hate sprouts and no amount of telling them how great sprouts are will change their mind? Gyms are my sprouts. I will cry and be sick if you make me go.

    Apparently the art of qigong should be practised outside, at dawn or dusk, wearing thin-soled shoes to maintain contact with the earth.

    Hmm. That’s not going to work for me: at dawn I like to be fast asleep in my bed and at dusk I like to be sitting in front of the telly.

    Also, the outdoors thing is fine if your background ambiance involves birds, trees and rivers, but I live in southeast London so it’s all sirens and swearing and anyway it looks like rain and my thin-soled shoes will go all soggy, so if you don’t mind we’ll bring it indoors and practise in the sitting room with a nice cup of coffee and maybe a little bit of cheese on a cracker.

    What confuses me about exercise is that we always look to the ancient practices of other cultures for our fitness inspiration when we could just as easily revisit some of our own.

    Personally, I fancy bringing back the Women’s League of Health and Beauty (men now welcome), which was founded by Mary Bagot Stack in 1930 and spread like impetigo.

    The Women’s League movement was huge: rallies were held all over the country and in 1939, 5,000 female members of the League marched into Wembley Stadium in their knickers for a three-hour synchronised display of keep fit. Part Busby Berkeley routine, part school PT class, news footage of this event is worth checking out on YouTube.

    Apart from the slight tinge of Nazism, there is a great deal about the league’s pursuit of supple muscle and the perfect figure that appeals to me. For starters there’s no running, just a great deal of reaching down to touch your toes, side bends, lying on the floor kicking your legs about and that exercise we all used to do to increase our busts when we were 14.

    But as well as the PT stuff, the league also promoted prancing in circles holding hands with other members or waving silk handkerchiefs. Prancing is something I would be happy to sign up for: my favourite thing at school was “skipping through a woodland glade pretending to be a magic fairy” in musical movement classes.

    What we also need to bring back to our fitness studios is the piano: nothing beats a fat man belting out marching music on an out of tune upright.

    So while there’s nothing wrong with the yoga and the pilates and the qigong, let’s mix it up now and again with some good old-fashioned movement to music. Let’s get our doughball bods moving! Then comes the best part. We can curl up like kittens in a basket and fall right asleep.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  2. #2
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    If more people meditated from any tradition, practiced breath work from any tradition and became aware of their whole body and mind working together through any tradition of exercise, the world would probably be a far better place.
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  3. #3
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    More grist for the mill...

    I really hope qigong does trend. We could use the bump.

    Qigong; the Next Big Thing
    By Renée Gray Beaumont - 8th August 201801784



    Abilify (aripiprazole) is a drug that is subscribed to patients who suffer from suicidal thoughts; here’s the company’s warning list at the end of its American TV commercial: “Abilify is not for everyone, call your doctor if your depression worsens or if you have unusual changes in behaviour or thoughts of suicide, anti-depressants can increase these in children, teens and young adults and elderly dementia patients taking Abilify have an increased risk of death or stroke. Call your doctor if you have high fevers, stiff muscles and confusion to address a possible life threatening condition, or if you have uncontrollable muscle movements as these could become permanent. High blood sugar has been reported with Abilify and medicines like it, and in some cases extreme high cases can lead to coma or death. Other risks include decreases in white blood cells, which can be serious, dizziness upon standing, seizures, trouble swallowing and impaired judgement or motor skills. End Ad after, “be sure to ask your doctor about the free trial offer”.

    Over medicated and with little to no purpose; with violence looming and the omnipresent threat of terrorism, World War III or death, it is no wonder a “well-being” movement is sweeping the Western world. Anyone born from the 1980s onwards has grown up in a world of fear, processed foods, dangerous medications, violence and a never ending detachment from what it means to be human and live in a community.

    While the ancient Ayurvedic Indian practice of Yoga made a come back during the counter culture revolution of the 1960s, other age-old traditions such as “wellness”, “mindfulness” and “mind, body and soul” are slowly following suit.

    Millennial and post millennial youths are searching for something more. Many have ditched alcohol and drugs and traded them in for smashed avocado on toast and a kale smoothie. Bush rave parties are being replaced with silent wellness retreats and long-stay ashram visits. While some may, validly so, argue that such hype for clean living and soul searching is merely a result of Instagram one-up-menship, the fact remains that today’s more youthful generations seem at a genuine disease with the way society sits at the present moment and are focused on not only changing themselves but their “tribe” too.

    Clean eating, permaculture, travel, yoga and up-cycling seem to be on everyone’s to-do list these days. One such to-do that is yet to burst onto the scene, but is poised to do so, is China’s ancient healing practice of Qigong.

    Most universities and text books refuse to translate the word “Qi” as they feel it encompasses so much more than what the English equivalents can offer.

    Qi = life force energy or bioelectricity

    Qigong = energy work

    Qi is the energy that circulates around the universe, the globe, our outer selves and our inner selves. Qi can be considered an electrical current, which when passed through the body has the ability to wash away stagnant cells, just as an irrigation system does. Harnessing your life force energy can nourish all of your organs, helping replace old cells with fresh new life energy.

    Qi is said to be the centre of everything to do with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). From the foods we eat, the thoughts we think and the massage and acupuncture we receive, to the way we warm our bodies in winter tando the medicines we take, everything is all about balancing the bodies’ Ying and Yang through the use of Qi.

    The five stages of Chinese medicinal theory are:

    1. A practice of Qigong exercise everyday

    2. Tuina or Anmo (Chinese deep tissue massage) Guasha (scrapping)

    3. Moxibustion (Burning of dried nourishing
    Mugwort plant)

    4. Acupuncture

    5. Chinese herbal medicines

    Qigong should be the foundation of one’s daily routine. To master Qigong is to allow practitioners the ability to focus on a particular problem in their body, healing it through the use of Qi.

    To help me better understand Qi, I sought out Master Huang Renhao, (Huang Laoshi), a master of Qigong practicing in Nanjing’s downtown district of Gulou. With 20 years of self taught Qigong experience behind him, Huang now teaches a number of students on a daily basis.

    “I spent 10 years in the Liaoning PLA Naval Academy. It was during this time I met someone who introduced me to Qigong. Now I enjoy spending my time helping the Chinese people to rediscover the benefits of Qigong”.

    Since the 1980s, there has been somewhat of a revival of Qigong in China, after the practice was outlawed, along with many other ancient traditions, during the Cultural Revolution. People are “remembering” that to adjust the flow of Qi and to understand its roots in Chinese medical science is of the utmost importance when it comes to a holistic approach to self care.

    “Starting from the Han dynasty onwards, Qigong was used in ancient China for all sorts of things to do with reaching enlightenment, harnessing energy for healing practices or martial arts. These days, it’s used as a preventative for keeping people healthy”, Huang told me.

    Qi practitioners believe that if one goes against natural energy cycles, then this is when we become sick. Qi was born from Daoism; Dao = The Natural Way. Qi can be thought of as a natural battery charging its human electromagnetic field. When Qi flows, it irrigates the body, keeping it healthy and strong. If this is not flowing naturally, it affects the way we think feel and love and vice versa.

    Huang Laoshi invited me to discuss Qigong with one of his foreign students, Frenchman, Marc Freard. Living in both Nanjing and Zhenjang, Freard is completing his masters of TCM at Nanjing Zhongyao University, and has been studying Qigong with Huang Laoshi for 3 months.

    He told The Nanjinger, “What I know from Qigong, it is a way to regulate Qi inside and outside of the body. When you’re practicing, you feel it. Qigong is one of the most important parts of preventative Chinese medicine. We are practicing for ourselves and our patients, whoever wants to be healthy.

    “One must focus on the meridian points, this is where the Qi is flowing, one needs to practice on flowing Qi through the specific meridian point that is connected to the organ you wish to heal. What you think impacts a direct influence on the inner organs. This is instrumental in TCM and Qigong. One must be aware of the emotion that is connected to the organ”.

    In TCM, it is believed that certain organs have a direct connection with the emotions we feel. For example, the liver is connected to anger; someone who indulges too much in anger could suffer from liver malfunction. The kidneys are connected to fear; and those who fear excessively are likely to suffer from kidney problems.

    Freard went on to say, “The effect on the mind could be compared to that of meditation, however, Qigong works closer with breathing and regulating the body through movement, laying or sitting. Qigong needs to be a regular practice, harnessing the mind, breath and body together”.

    “There’s a big movement happening all around the world now with regards to a rising interest in Qigong. Westerners should learn Qigong as a health practice, I think a lot of people start to practice too late. What is interesting is that the earlier one can begin practicing the better. It doesn’t mean that you will never fall seriously ill, but it gives one a stronger chance”.

    In the world of Daoist Qigong, the body is home to the upper, middle and lower dantians (energy centres). Through Qigong, one utilises their mind and movement to direct the flow of Qi in the correct way. When the body moves in a slow and controlled manner, one can begin to use one’s mind to direct Qi into deeper parts of the body, such as organs; all is done by activating the Dantians, the focal points for the flow of Qi.

    Freard finally added, “Since I’ve started practicing everyday, I’m now able to focus on certain parts of my body that need healing. I would say as an Oncology specialist, a mixture of Western and Chinese medicine is the best approach for patients. And I know people who are already practicing Qigong in French hospitals with patients”.

    To indulge in a rather overused saying one more time, Qigong has remained a sleeping dragon that is now beginning to open its eyes after a long slumber, stretch its wings and prepare to sweep over the entire world. For to call yourself a holistic healer and not practice Qigong will soon be detriment to both you and all of your Instagram followers.


    Renée Gray Beaumont
    As an Australian journalist living in Nanjing for many years, Renée Gray Beaumont has a background in research, print and online publishing, taking great pleasure in discovering more about Nanjing with every article. 作为在南京居住多年的澳大利亚新闻工作者,Renee Gray Beaumont 有着调研以及印刷品和线上出版物的工作背景。她总是乐于在每篇文章里发现关于南京的内容。
    Quote Originally Posted by David Jamieson View Post
    If more people meditated from any tradition, practiced breath work from any tradition and became aware of their whole body and mind working together through any tradition of exercise, the world would probably be a far better place.
    True, but we'll take what we can get.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  4. #4
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    CNN picked up on it

    This is a nice overview article and while it doesn't address a trend specifically, it's interesting that CNN would run this now.

    Slow down and live long with the ancient practice of qigong

    By Leonie Erasmus, CNN 16 hrs ago


    © CNN
    Among the skyscrapers of Hong Kong, eight senior citizens gather at the Happy Valley Recreation grounds in the Wan Chai district. It's time for their weekly class in qigong, an ancient Chinese mind-body practice similar to tai chi.


    © CNN

    It's summer on the island, and at 8:30 in the morning, the temperature is already 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with an unforgiving level of humidity.

    But the hot weather does not deter qigong Master Joe Lok's students; they believe wholeheartedly in the positive effects the practice has on their health.

    The word qigong is a combination of "qi," meaning energy, and "gong," which loosely translates as an accomplishment or practice, explained Lok, who has been practicing qigong for nearly 30 years.

    It is the accomplishment or practice of energy and involves becoming aware of your breathing, sensing the energy within you and then following a series of slow, coordinated movements.

    Movement, meditation and controlled breathing are the staples of every qigong session, with the ultimate focus being holistic well-being.

    Lok explains that "in order to do qigong ... we have to be pretend to be empty, so the first thing to empty is the mind, so we try not to think of anything and only listen to our breathing, relax all the strength and relax the mind, so it's some kind of meditation."

    Meditation has been shown to improve stress, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Experts believe it goes hand-in-hand with healthy habits that can improve our longevity.

    As a result, qigong itself is a health practice, Lok said.

    Feeling the energy

    For Lok, it is vital that all his students experience "qi" before they begin any movements. He practices Taoist qigong, which has a strong connection with nature, he explained. In his class, he says that you can start to experience the "qi" by simply holding a specific posture.

    Your feet should be between hip and shoulder distance apart and your toes turned out slightly. From here, Lok encourages you to breathe deeply and straighten the curve in your lower spine by moving your hips slightly forward. With your hands hanging loosely, relax your body so you don't feel any pressure or tension on your joints.

    Lok directs his students to focus and straighten their fingertips slightly with their hands in front of their stomachs and pointing at an angle down to the ground.

    He then asks his students whether they can sense "qi"-- a warm feeling or feeling of life in their fingertips, often causing a tingling sensation. Once his students all feel the it, the movement routine can begin.

    He warns that you can easily wave your hands around without really experiencing "qi," and that would completely defeat the purpose of his practice.

    The goal of the movement is to clear blockages, release pain and refresh the body and mind.

    Slow and steady

    The movements in qigong are very slow. Students raise their arms over their heads, rotate their wrists, lower their arms and then make circular motions with their hands. Lok says that "as soon as you get into it, the qi begins to flow."

    Emotions are also calmed, and people tend to live happier, Lok believes.


    © CNN Students find 'Qi' by placing their hands in front of their stomachs and pointing them at an angle down to the ground.

    In a day and age when wellness is prioritized and dozens of wellness practices sprout daily, with elements of the ancient practice of qigong forming the basis for many of them and studies highlighting the benefits.

    Removing the mystery


    © CNN
    Cecilia Chan, chair of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong, has been studying the effects of qigong for years. Her aim is simple: to demystify the seemingly inexplicable benefits.

    There are a lot of "misconceptions about qigong," said Chan, whose team studies internal qigong, or exercise qigong -- a simple set of movements in which no energy is given to participants through a qigong master; instead, the participants use their own energy to do the movements, similar to other movement practices, like yoga.

    They do not explore external qigong, in which many believe that a qigong master can give you healing energy through hand gestures.

    Chan believes that qigong can be beneficial to health, especially for those with chronic fatigue syndrome.

    Her team conducted studies on women with chronic fatigue in 2012, concluding that qigong "may improve chronic fatigue symptoms and mental functioning."

    They conducted another study in 2017 to explore whether qigong can reduce depression among women with chronic fatigue. "From our study, we found that a lot of people after practicing qigong ... become more positive," Chan said. "They become less indulged in their suffering, and they leave the victim's role more readily."

    She likens qigong to other mind-body practices like yoga and adds that it "teaches a philosophy of letting go," helping those who practice it to embrace a "philosophy of let it be ... and be happy with yourself."

    Researchers at Harvard University have also been exploring the heath aspects of qigong, with their research finding that its practice can help with motor function and depression for individuals with Parkinson's disease.

    Lok, however, needs no convincing that qigong works on many levels. He witnesses the healing benefits all around him in class. "There's evidence everywhere that it benefits life in general," he said. "If you have a little time, try qigong. Perhaps you will see the miracle in the qigong, but if you don't try it, there's no chance. ... Find a teacher near you or otherwise go online and start doing something. It's very easy, and the benefit is ever so great."
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  5. #5
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    ttt 4 2021

    How did qigong suddenly become a cool workout for young people?
    Yes, it's no longer just for seniors or confined to Chinese clans and wushu associations. The supposedly old-fashioned practice is now embraced by those in their 30s and 20s (even David Beckham gave it a go).


    (Photo: iStock/Image Source)


    Khoo Bee Khim
    25 Oct 2021 07:07AM
    (Updated: 25 Oct 2021 07:07AM)

    Mention “qigong” and images of grey-haired seniors in loose-fitted samfu (traditional Chinese garb) come to mind for most people.

    For me, it’s a reminder of the times watching folks circling their arms in rhythm to pre-recorded instructions playing on a portable cassette player at the neighbourhood basketball court. This was in the 80s when morning qigong sessions got aunties and uncles as excited as Mark Lee in a Shopee commercial.

    Fast-forward a few decades later and suddenly, qigong is "in" again. Or at least David Beckham-approved. The football star, who is AIA’s health and wellness ambassador, recently tried taichi (which I was told, can be considered qigong in martial art form) with the guidance of the mysteriously named grand master Tsu.

    Over in Singapore, qigong and taichi classes have evolved outside of Chinese clans or wushu associations. Fitness First has a 75-minute taichi class, for instance, while there are private practitioners who offer metaphysical sessions. If it's a community you're after, there are qigong groups on Facebook to join.


    David Beckham trying out taichi with grand master Tsu. (Photo: AIA Singapore)
    We didn’t have access to grand master Tsu, who appeared with Beckham in a video call. But we got a hold of a local full-time qigong and taichi teacher, Edwin Tan, who led a session as part of AIA Live 2021’s virtual health and wellness events.

    And in case you think Tan is a silver-maned, 70-year-old retiree with bushy brows to match, he’s actually a 35-year-old father of two. You’re more likely to find him in a dry-fit T-shirt and sweatpants than a Mandarin-collared top and satin trousers. He is also a qualified personal trainer with a background in judo and Brazilian jujitsu, among other martial art forms.

    SAMFU AND AURA NOT NEEDED

    “That’s the thing about qigong masters, isn’t it?” said Tan when asked how people react to his appearance and being a qigong teacher at his age.

    “They expect the teacher to stand with a certain aura and behave in a certain way and speak fluent Mandarin. But I do whatever is suitable or necessary to help the students understand what the class or session is about.”

    Tan has been practising qigong for seven years and teaching it for five years. So is he the youngest qigong and taichi teacher in Singapore?

    “When I was practising taichi with a renowned master in his 70s in Toa Payoh, he wanted to pass his knowledge to a young person. But the majority of the people he was teaching were from his age group. The youngest was probably in his late 50s”.

    Not that Tan’s students are as old. They range from ages 30s to 50s, and from his stints at Google and LinkedIn, they include those in their 20s as well.

    It might seem ironic for this Asian practice to regain popularity here only after it’s seen as “cool” through the western lens. What does Tan think about it? “Some of my students told me that they went one big round of trying Zumba, yoga et cetera before finally getting to qigong. That’s one way to see it.”

    For others, they only start to see the value of qigong after they’ve been injured. “Most people are externally driven. As long as the body feels okay, they keep hammering it, let’s do more, let’s get more out of the body,” said Tan.

    “It’s only after getting injured or burned out that they start to seek remedy at a deeper level. For some people, they need to go through that approach before they start to see the fit or necessity to take care of the body and mind at a deeper level.”

    NO, YOU CAN’T EXPLODE WALLS BUT…

    It was time to unlock the mysticism behind those slow (oh, so slow) movements. What do qigong practitioners know that we don’t?

    The movements in qigong may appear slow but it's to train your awareness of the different parts of your body, according to Tan. “For example, the feet have to move first, followed by the legs, hips, waist, shoulders, elbows and wrists. If you don’t do it slowly, you’re not in touch with the movement and it just becomes aerobics or the Great Singapore Workout,” he laughed.

    Neither is qigong about a specific technique or movement – or acquiring some fantastical prowess. “It’s not about exerting a force and the wall behind you explodes. I always joke with my students in the first class that you don’t expect anything to explode,” he said.

    Okay, no explosions then. What about those awe-inspiring feats such as driving a car over a qigong practitioner’s body without crushing him? Or formidable Shaolin monks who can hold a handstand with just their index fingers? Surely, they’re more real than Shang-Chi in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

    They are legit all right and are, in fact, practising a form of martial art qigong known as hard qigong. Martial art qigong also encompasses taichi and Shaolin qigong, said Tan.


    (Photo: iStock/Image Source)
    Briefly, he explained that qigong can be categorised into the aforementioned martial art qigong as well as health qigong, medical qigong (used in traditional Chinese medicine settings) and oesoteric qigong (for spiritual practices).

    If you notice an elderly group practising their moves in the park or open space, it is most likely health qigong that they’re practising, said Tan. And like martial art qigong, health qigong can be further sub-categorised into various degrees of understanding, just like yoga, he said.

    QIGONG CAN COMPLEMENT GYM TRAINING

    The lean-bodied Tan teaches a mix of health and martial art qigong because of his interest in martial arts as well as his background as a fitness trainer. "I’m bringing qigong in a more grounded way through my background in physical anatomy,” he said.

    “Qigong is about body awareness and if you pay attention to using the correct muscles you’re supposed to be using when doing bench presses, for instance, you’ll naturally build those muscles up,” he said. “And let’s be realistic, people want to work on certain muscles because they want to look good in a certain way.”
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  6. #6
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    continued from previous post


    (Photo: iStock/FangXiaNuo)
    Practising being present is another key component in qigong and that practice, when extended to your gym workout, can also help with injury prevention. “A lot of people who do weight-lifting feel strain in the back. That means they’re not focusing on lifting through with their legs. Or you’re jogging but all you feel is the slamming of your feet and the Airpods in your ears.”

    The ability to hone mental focus aside, you’ve got to admit: Qigong doesn’t quite entice the younger crowd because it looks too easy. “Many people think that qigong is all airy fairy, and it’s just waving your arms around,” said Tan.

    Just try holding a position for three to five minutes. You might be wobbling, teetering or feeling the strain in certain muscles.


    (Photo: iStock/Wavebreakmedia)
    But for the qigong practitioner who has the right form and feels perfectly balanced, holding the position is not a problem for any extended duration, he said. “You’re stable and not constantly adjusting and asking ‘where’s my centre of gravity, where is my left or right leg?’ It just feels comfortable and you’re naturally resting your weight on the ground.”

    In fact, the older you are when you take up qigong, the fewer benefits you can enjoy because you’re limited by what you can do physically, said Tan. “When you’re much older, like in your 60s or 70s, what I offer has to be very much watered down.”

    “When someone in his 30s picks up qigong and continues practising into his 60s, his movements are going to be very different from someone who started in his 50s. The person who started early will also walk more sure-footedly and look more alert than the average 60-year-old”.

    TRY QIGONG YOUSELF

    Tan suggests these three moves that you can try without the presence of a teacher. “They can be done in 10 minutes, with each movement taking about three minutes,” he said.

    The moves aren’t meant to be a workout per se but more to refresh yourself after a stressful day, so you can spend time with your family, head for the gym or go for a run in a not-so-agitated state, he said.


    1. Pushing the sky

    This move stretches and opens up the muscles and tissues in the front of the body that get bunched up from a day of sitting.

    To perform: With your arms fairly straight, interlock your fingers below the navel and slightly bend your knees. Inhale as you straighten your knees and stand tall, lifting your arms and flipping your palms overhead. Exhale and bring your arms down in an arc from the sides as you bend your knees. Perform 10 repetitions.

    2. Squatting and rising

    This move works the legs and opens the hips, and is great for when you’ve been sitting all day. It helps to redistribute energy from the head to the legs.

    To perform: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and feet pointed to the front. Straighten and raise your arms to the sides in line with your shoulders. Exhale as you squat down and inhale as you stand up. Squat only to the depth your knees allow you and keep your arms up to the sides for the duration of this move. Perform 10 repetitions.

    3. Gathering the qi

    This is an important closing move after a qigong session. It helps to gather your energy back into your body and make it feel refreshed. This move can also be performed after sporting activities or stressful encounters.

    To perform: Stand with your knees slightly bent and arms touching the side of your thighs. Inhale and raise your arms to the sides in a big arc overhead. Exhale and lower your hands down the front of the body. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions or as long as you need to cool down.

    Alternatively, you can find Tan through SgFitFam, a fitness service provider, for one-on-one sessions (from S$100). Or you can join his weekly one-hour classes (S$25 per person) which he conducts at a sheltered HDB common space in Tampines in groups of no more than 15. You can also join him at home via his Zoom sessions.

    “I prefer to teach outdoors. In qigong, we’re trying to build this vital energy in the body. When training in nature, you get the support of nature’s qi, which can help one’s practice to develop faster and also enjoy more health benefits.”

    And might we add, you don't have to dress like Shang-Chi to practise qigong.

    Source: CNA/bk
    Seeing how this thread hasn't been updated for 3 years, I'm thinking qigong is not trending. But I remain hopeful.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Seeing how this thread hasn't been updated for 3 years, I'm thinking qigong is not trending. But I remain hopeful.
    More people that use Kung Fu would use Chi Kung...

  8. #8
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    8 section trend

    Traditional fitness Qigong wins hearts of young Chinese
    Xinhua
    16:23 UTC+8, 2023-03-04
    No one could have expected that slow-moving Qigong has become ultra-trendy among Chinese young people.

    In the past couple of years, video clips of young Chinese doing traditional fitness Qigong have flooded video sharing websites, among which an instructional video of Baduanjin, a form of fitness Qigong has been played for more than 10 million times and received over 6,000 comments on Bilibili, a quality-video sharing platform targeting young people.

    "I have been doing Baduanjin for about four months, which makes me sleep well and get stronger. I owe big thanks to Baduanjin since it gives me a much healthier lifestyle," a young netizen commented below the video which received some 400 likes.

    Compared with more physically demanding sports such as the ball games, swimming or gym workouts, traditional fitness Qigong like Tai Chi or Baduanjin are slow and usually accompanied by soothing music, so they used to be considered as the exclusive sports for the elders.

    During the Covid-19 pandemic, however, many young people came to realize the charm of the Chinese traditional sport, which helped relieve their neck and back pain after working long hours at home while not requiring much effort, time and space.

    "Compared to other sports, Baduanjin demands smaller space and no tools, is less energy-consuming and easy to learn. So it has become a new favorite for young people," said Gao Tao, vice professor of the School of Physical Education at Ningxia University, in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

    Sun Yuxuan, Gao's student majoring in martial arts, has also noticed the rising popularity of Baduanjin. The 21-year-old girl has been teaching other students to practice for some three years in the university's Martial Arts Association. They started with 20 members in 2019 and the group has 45 members now.

    "Every member in the group is enthusiastic. I didn't expect the 'elder's exercise' should attract so many young people. I guess that's because they receive real benefits from the sport," she said.

    After some students got infected by coronavirus, the school has made Qigong exercise optional courses since 2022 to help students recover.

    "All classes are full, and one can see the students are really serious about learning the sport," said Gao.

    According to Gao, fitness Qigong embodies the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy such as Taoism, so it can be beneficial for both physical and mental health.

    "Living in a metropolis alone makes me feel anxious. When I do Baduanjin, all my attention is focused on my body and soul, and the slow movements gradually help me relax physically and mentally. Then I get resumed from a day's hard work," said Jiang Xi, a fanshion designer working in Shanghai.

    She began to share video clips of her doing Baduanjin on social media last year and has been followed by over 10 thousand people aged between 20 and 30 within five months.

    Influenced by Jiang Xi, her elder brother Jiang Nan has also become a Baduanjin blogger. Born in the 1980s, Jiang Nan graduated from Beijing Sport University and majored in traditional national sports, but he didn't find a job related to what he had learned after graduation.

    "Teaching martial arts or fitness Qigong was not enough to support myself for a living at that time," he said. "Things are quite different now. More and more young people have turned to traditional martial arts. The young Chinese are more confident and willing to explore our traditional cultures."

    Traditional fitness Qigong has been spread worldwide by Chinese young people. Born in Liaoning Province, northeast China, 31-year-old Liu Jianan went to Wudang Mountains to learn martial arts and Qigong systematically after graduation. Then he wen Dubai to serve as an international Chinese teacher in a high school.

    During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, Liu and his Chinese colleagues opened an online Tai Chi class and taught local people for free on weekends. When the pandemic was under control, they began to teach people offline and established a Kungfu group. The number of the group members has increased from five to about 150, and learners are from different countries and regions such as Russia, Italy, Spanish and Malaysia.

    "A local person suffering from an illness has asked me to teach him Qigong, and he did recover finally. This makes me feel what I have done is meaningful," Liu said.

    Source: Xinhua Editor: Qian Tong
    Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade)
    Is-qigong-trending
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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