aussieCHI: Instructional Videos
Qigong and Healthy Ageing
Often people equate exercise with fitness and see fitness as the goal. Although people who are fit are generally healthy, you can practice exercise that keeps you healthy without a lot of hard work...
+ Learn more/Video: Qigong and Healthy Ageing
For example you can access these benefits without a lot of effort through qigong exercise, enhanced:
- Flexibility and balance
- Posture and movement
- Function of your internal organs
- Core muscle strength, (pelvic floor and abdominal structures)
- Spinal strength and suppleness
- Breathing and lung power
- Release of muscle tension and greater relaxation of your body and mind
- Longevity through healthy ageing at a cellular level
'Getting started', and 'knowing what exercises to do' are the keys to doing regular exercise. From my observation not many people could walk away from the computer right now and do an effective 25 min warm up that:
- Limbers most of the joints in the body
- Gently stretches and relaxes the majority of muscles in the body
- Exercises, stretches and relaxes the core muscles of the body
- Exercises the breathing and stimulates the qi / chi (bio-electromagnetic) energy in the body
- Focuses the mind to direct the energy to assist with self healing
- Uses massage techniques to nurture your internal organs
- Relaxes the body and mind
If you just want to be healthier without a lot of hard work all you need is a well thought out, simple and effective ‘health’ exercise routine.
Ideal Qigong Warm Up for Healthy Ageing - DVD
Develop techniques, skills and knowledge to enhance your well being into older age with regular qigong warm up exercise. In depth instruction focuses on breathing development and power; spinal strength, suppleness and lower back care; and muscle release and relaxation; using limbering exercises, stretching, breathing, internal organ and core structure exercises and self- massage.
Follow along practice (30 min)
Supplementary instruction (1hr 15min)
1.Limbering
What is the difference between limbering and stretching?
Limbering involves gentle movement of the joints and ligaments rather then stretching muscles. When you focus on moving your joints, your ligaments and tendons are warmed.
Ligament and tendon tissue does not receive as much blood flow as muscles. By warming ligaments and tendons you increase blood flow to these tissues, which assists in the preservation of the tissue’s elasticity and supports repair.
Knowing and practicing a set of limbering exercises is comparable to the practice of brushing your teeth for the joints. The practice keeps the joints healthier over the long term.
The simple and effective 5-minute limbering set is a systematic approach to limbering that shows you how to effortlessly stimulate and relax your joints.
2.Stretching
How does stretching in qigong differ from other stretching?
There are hundreds of ways to stretch. As qigong exercise practice takes a range of approaches and integrates them into one exercise, the qigong stretching system has a range of different aspects.
At the basic level qigong stretching focuses on the spine, shoulders, hips, hands and feet and should be integrated with breathing techniques and techniques to release muscle tension through focused relaxation techniques.
By focusing on spine, shoulders, hips, hands and feet you stretch:
- The torso and back
- The muscles and tendons that cross from the torso and neck to the upper arms
- The muscles and tendons that cross from the lower torso and back to the upper legs
- The hands to the forearms
- The feet to the calves
The simple and effective 5-minute stretching set is a systematic approach to basic qigong stretching and explains how to improve your flexibility with the least amount of effort.
3.Breathing
Do you want to improve your breathing?
Unlike other exercises, qigong exercise specialises in breathing techniques. It is this emphasis on breathing that sets qigong apart from other exercise systems. There is a tremendous amount of sense in this, as most of us would only last a few minutes without breathing. Therefore it is reasonable to expect that breathing exercises would yield considerable benefit.
Our qigong system, for example, has about 18 breathing approaches with numerous techniques for each approach. However before discussing these approaches, at the most basic level, qigong breathing focuses on the pelvic bowl (including the pelvic floor, abdomen and lower back), correct diaphragmatic breathing and correct movement of the chest while breathing. In this way breathing practices are directly linked to the toning of the body’s core musculature, including the muscles that connect to the spine.
The most basic approaches to breathing include Yang breathing, Yin breathing and Natural or Yin-Yang breathing. Yang breathing is used to stimulate the body, the mind and the qi / chi (bio-electromagnetic) energy. Yin breathing is used to relax the body and the mind and calm the qi / chi. Natural breathing is used to balance the mind and the qi / chi.
The easy to follow 5-miute breathing set provides a systematic approach to basic qigong breathing applied through simple exercise, to improve your breathing, improve blood flow to the internal organs and improve the function of the core musculature.
4. The Classic Lohan Walking Sets
You may have noticed that a lot of qigong exercise is practiced while standing in one spot, although this is part of qigong, you can take this further and incorporate walking movement into your training. The three basic lohan qigong walking exercises will help you put the basic training concepts into very simple movement steps.
During my years of teaching qigong and tai chi many of my older students found tai chi forms difficult to remember. However, these simple walking patterns are easy to remember and fun to practice. Students have found these walking exercises highly beneficial for balance and movement.
Our walking exercises will help you begin to integrate the following concepts into the easiest forward walking steps in our system:
- Limbering the joints with particular emphasis on the ankles, hips and spine
- Lengthening (gently stretching) and relaxing the spine to increase suppleness of the back
- Different breathing approaches to your exercise
- Effective pelvic bowl stretching and relaxation
- Internal movement patterns to promote the release of tense muscles and tendons throughout the body, building towards greater body relaxation while moving in your day to day life
- Stimulation of the qi / chi in the lower and middle dan tien areas
The 5-minute set of basic qigong walking exercise assists you in learning how to integrate the most basic gigong concepts into a four step movement sequence that is easy to learn and remember.
5.Self Massage
Why is massage an important part of regular qigong exercise practice?
Since antiquity people have used massage and touch to stimulate and heal the body. Intuitive actions were studied to form systems of massage including different levels of pressure and different types of rubbing, point pressing, squeezing etc. These massage systems were integrated into qigong practice as systems of self-massage to support the exercise practice and help care for the body.
There are many known benefits of massage such as release of muscle or tendon tension, stimulation of the nervous system, relaxation of the body, increased digestive activity and stimulation of the lymphatic system and immune system, to name a few.
Massage sets in qigong are used as parts of warm up and warm down and for the release of tension. The use of massage at the end of a qigong training session is considered highly beneficial as you have already stimulated or ‘charged’ the qi / chi in the body. Massage with this ‘charged’ qi / chi, is considered particularly beneficial for the internal organs and other internal structures, like the brain and the endocrine glands.
Regular massage with this charged qi / chi will help your mind develop greater sensitivity to the feeling of qi / chi energy. Over time you will feel the energy ‘charge’ from your hands, within your organs and eventually the energy ‘charge’ in the organs themselves, giving you personal clarity about your health status and how to improve it.
Our basic massage set is a 5-minute systematic approach to basic self-massage following qigong, to assist with general health and wellbeing.
Classic Shaolin 18 Lohan Qigong Forms (level 1)
aussieCHI uses the 18 lohan qigong form as the platform for teaching techniques for breath development and power; spinal strengthening, suppleness and lower back care; and muscle release and relaxation...
+ Learn more/Video: Classic Shaolin 18 Lohan Qigong Forms (level 1)
The 18 lohan form is relatively unknown outside of China but has been used for centuries to maintain the strength, flexibility, endurance and balance of martial artists into older age. This makes it an ideal choice for active people wanting to supplement their training or people just wanting to find an exercise system that gives them a good solid qigong workout.
As the 18 lohan system preceded the development of tai chi. People who practice tai chi often thoroughly enjoy this form as they can experience the clear links between 18 lohan and tai chi. I have personally found that the 18 lohan qigong system has given me considerable insight into tai chi and qigong.
Classic Shaolin 18 Lohan Qigong Forms (level 1)
More advanced patterns of qigong with detailed instruction on breathing development and power; spinal strength, suppleness and lower back care; and muscle release and relaxation; with specific information on techniques to achieve enhanced benefits from Qigong or Tai Chi practice. Includes core 18 Lohan Qigong exercises.
Follow along pattern (9 min)
Instruction and follow along training (1hr 15min)
The Classic Sun Moon Palm Exercise
Of all the exercises I have seen on the internet, this exercise is the most prominent. The exercise features on qigong, tai chi and meditation sites. You probably know the one – someone standing or sitting with one palm facing up along the centreline of the body and the other palm facing down along centreline of the body, with both palms facing each other (sometimes referred to as holding the ball). You may not be aware that this exercise is part of a broader sequence of related movements. Practice of the complete Sun-Moon palms set considerably broadens the physical benefits and energetic stimulation of the technique.
Our Sun-Moon Palm exercise set:
- Limbers the joints, particularly of the spine (and neck), shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and fingers
- Lengthens (gently stretches) and relaxes the spine, the entire abdomen and chest to increase suppleness of the torso and neck
- Stretches the shoulders, arms and hands
- Allows you to apply natural breathing and three part breathing to a range of exercises, including more strenuous ones which will start to build your ability to do more strenuous things in a more relaxed manner
- Assists in the release of tense muscles and tendons throughout the body
- Stimulates the qi / chi flow through the central channels and balances the energetic centres (tan tiens)
Tai chi extensions
When I first came across the lohan qigong system I was teaching tai chi four times a week and had an average of 36 remedial massage clients a week. I had read a lot about tai chi and had studied the tai chi treaties (the theories hidden in poetic prose).
As I lengthened my body through the Sun-Moon Palms, the Dragons and Tigers I realised that no matter what I did in my daily tai chi practice I wasn’t going to completely release all tension in my body unless I started over. The meaning of one of the treaties became clear ‘At first seek open and expanded postures, later seek to make them close and compact so that a perfectly delicate and fine status will be attained’
T.T. Liang’s commentary was clear ‘When practicing Tai Chi, at first your postures should be open and stretched out in order to loosen the muscles and circulate the blood so that your body will become stronger and stronger. Afterwards, the postures should be made close and compact so that you can master all the techniques’.
It dawned on me that 18 lohan qigong system was a key to these ‘open and expanded postures’. By practicing these extended postures my body got stronger and stronger and looser and looser.
The Classic Four Dragon Set
When people start qigong or tai chi they often have little or no martial arts experience. I have found that people with martial arts or dance experience pick up the external posture and movement techniques easiest, and receive benefits more quickly. These people have already participated in activities where leg work, postures, form and movement are vital components of the physical art.
At one of the tai chi schools I attended dance students from Melbourne’s renowned College of the Arts used to practice the Yang Sen tai chi to help them relax and give them the edge in performance. When I started teaching I was often amazed at the results that the former dancers would get. Once it clicked, it clicked, all that dance knowledge plus the new information on external body care, internal exercise and mind development, all comes together.
One of the most difficult things to teach in tai chi are correct martial stances. A lot of teachers just give up trying to teach these or simply don’t have the martial arts background. Knowing the correct stances is vital for assisting with the strength and flexibility of the legs, and supports the release of muscle tension for better function of the lower back, hips and abdominals. Oh, and of course, improves balance.
The Four Dragon Exercise is one of the simplest patterns for teaching you how to develop and move through a range of strong, solid and relaxed martial standing postures. For those who are into tai chi this exercise helps you understand the extension of the Brush Knee posture (see information on tai chi extensions above).
This exercise set also:
- Lengthens (gently stretches) and relaxes the entire body
- Strengthens the entire body
- Assists in the release of tense muscles and tendons throughout the body
- Allows you to apply natural breathing and three part breathing to a range of exercises, including more strenuous ones which will start to build your ability to do more strenuous things in a more relaxed manner
- Assists in the release of tense muscles and tendons throughout the body
- Stimulates the qi / chi flow to the extremities and within the energetic centres (tan tiens)
The Classic Five Tiger Set
With life’s many challenges; relationships, kids, work, education, bills and leisure, we often find ourselves’ getting older all of a sudden. Then, in a moment of inspiration we go and take up a sport that we used to play in our youth. Disaster often strikes.
One of the most common injury conditions for people over 30 are injuries resulting from taking up sport at a later age. The intensity of mind is there, but the condition of the body is not. Lohan qigong is about maintaining and enhancing your body’s structure over the years so that it is ready to go when you get the inspiration.
Low intensity maintenance exercise supports athletes (and those who might one day take up sport again) following their ‘off season’. Lohan qigong was used by martial artists as a maintenance exercise for centuries to strengthen the external and internal structures of the body,
The Five Tiger exercise in combination with the Four Dragon exercise are two sets of foundational lohan qigong exercises that provide the two simplest patterns for teaching you how to develop and move slowly through a range of strong, solid and relaxed martial standing postures. Correct martial stances assist with the strength and flexibility of the legs through the muscle, tendon and ligament structures and improve the function of the lower back, hips and abdominals by assisting in the release of muscle tension in these areas.
The Tiger and Dragon exercises are in fact opposites in approach. While both strengthen and release muscle tension from the whole body, one gently stretches the other gently compresses. As a result the two exercise sets work on different structures or the same structure in a different ways. Combined they balance and complete each other.
This exercise set also:
- Compresses (gently squeezes) and relaxes the entire body (Please note, this compression concept does not have an English equivalent and it is not what you expect, clear explanation is essential)
- Strengthens the entire body
- Allows you to apply natural breathing and three part breathing to a range of exercises, including more strenuous ones which will start to build your ability to do more strenuous things in a more relaxed manner
- Assists in the release of tense muscles and tendons throughout the body
- Pushes the qi / chi flow to the extremities.
For those who are into tai chi this exercise helps you understand the extension of the Push the Mountain posture (see information on tai chi extensions above).