Classical Chi Development Exercises
Chi Kung (Qigong)
Chi Kung (Qigong) exercises are simple repetitive movements intended to achieve many things:
- improve health
- increase energy
- revitalize the body and mind
- prevent or control disease
- tone the internal organs
- improve balance and posture
- reduce stress
- boost the immune system
- remove toxins
- tone the muscles and tendons
- uplift mood
- contribute to longevity
- provide an integrated mind-body practice leading towards enlightenment and harmony with the Tao.
A short session of Chi Kung takes place as a warm-up exercise at the start of all lessons in Tai Chi.
Visit egreenway.com/qigong/index.htm for more information.
The Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)
The Five Animal Frolics is a set of deep stretching and deep breathing exercises that imitate the actions of animals based on the habits of the tiger, deer, bear, monkey and crane. They were developed as a method of rehabilitation, recovery, and most importantly for prevention of illness.
1. The Tiger consists of two routines: Raising the Tiger’s Claws & Seizing the Prey.
2. The Deer consists of two routines: Colliding the Antlers & Running like a Deer.
3. The Bear consists of two routines: Rotate Waist Like a Bear & Swaying Like a Bear.
4. The Monkey consists of two routines: Raising Monkey Paws & Picking Fruit.
5. The Crane consists of two routines: Crane Stretching Upwards & Flying Like a Crane.
| Wu Qin Xi: Five-Animal Qigong Exercises * | 1848190077 | Chinese Health Qigong Association | Amazon |
Push Hands (Tui Shou)
Push Hands is a relaxed, two-person sparring exercise that one may begin upon completion the Tai Chi Short Form. It may be considered as the bridge between the Form and fighting practice. Three specific techniques are emphasized:
- sticking - maintaining light contact with an opponent;
- listening - sensing the magnitude and direction of an opponent's force;
- yielding - responding to an opponent's force partially by giving way and partially by controlling or guiding its direction.
The ultimate goal of the training is to reduce the amount of force needed to neutralize attacks, so that one may defeat speed and strength with skill.
A short session of Push Hands may take place during advanced lessons in Tai Chi.
Visit egreenway.com/taichichuan/pushand.htm for more information.
The Great Repulse (Da Lu or Da Wu)
Da Lu is a relaxed, two-person sparring exercise that can be performed either as a gentle dance routine or with great power and speed utilizing many attacking and defensive methods.
It is a kind of push hands method - one of the best at teaching the specific techniques as for push hands but with added footwork and the use of the four corner directions. This exercise gives you a chance to make use of some of the exact same moves learnt during the Tai Chi Short Form and understand their martial application in response to the 'opposite' actions performed by a partner.
A short session of Da Lu may take place during advanced lessons in Tai Chi.
Visit taijiworld.com/Da-Lu.html for more information.
| Da Wu: Health Qigong Da Wu Exercises | 1848191928 | Chinese Health Qigong Association | Amazon |
"The waist is like the axle and the chi [vital life energy] is like the wheel." (Tai Chi Classics)