Qi Gong exercises

explained

Activate the gate of life

With this Water elements exercise you strengthen the organs Kidneys and Bladderwhich form a pair of organs in TCM.

A conscious bending forward results in relaxation of the kidney region and the lower back. Lightly tapping the lower back with the fists releases congestion in this area and activates the Kidney Qi.

Exercise description

Starting position is the shoulder to hip width qigong stance. Inhale and bring your hands to the lower back in a scooping motion.

As you exhale, let your torso slide downward, simultaneously sliding your hands over the back of your legs (Bladder meridian) downward. Once at the bottom, relax for a moment and then roll upwards, vertebra by vertebra, inhaling. The hands slide over the inside of the legs (Kidney meridian) upwards.

Still inhaling raise your arms up in front of your body to above your head. Now slowly begin to exhale and lower the hands down to the sides. You bring the hands behind the body, make fists and at the end of the exhalation you tap lightly with both fists on the kidney area. With the next inhale straighten up internally.

As you exhale, roll your upper body back down and begin a second pass of this exercise.

Frequently asked questions

I can't bend down that far?

As mentioned in the pro tip, do the exercise as best you can and only go down as far as you can easily. In your mind, however, you should do the exercise as if you were getting to your feet.

Can I do the exercise even with disc problems?

Please do not do this exercise if you have problems with your intervertebral discs. Such problems always belong in the hands of an experienced doctor or therapist. He can then decide together with the patient whether an exercise like this is appropriate at the moment.

What you can do is to do the exercise in an upright position. Only the downward roll is not done. You just imagine again how you do the roll down. The upward movement of the hands can then be done again without any problems.

Portrait of Wolfgang Stemer for my TCM Qi Gong Academy, Simply Live Better

Pro tip from Wolfgang

You don't necessarily have to roll all the way down to your feet if it's uncomfortable or impossible for your back. Then go down only as far as you can. But finish the movement in your imagination, that is, imagine how you can effortlessly reach down to your feet with your hands.

Qi Gong exercise activate the gate of life - element water

Most common errors

Breathing is not synchronized with the movement, because the movement is relatively long and you need a good breath.

The spine is not rolled up vertebra by vertebra starting from the bottom and ending with the head.

Training tips

If possible, train again and again in front of a mirror or record yourself with your smartphone and then study this video for mistakes.

Practice Qi Gong as regularly as possible.

Cultivate the inner attitude that Qi Gong with joy to be exercised, entirely without performance thoughts.

Assistance

What can you do if the exercise is too difficult?

If this exercise causes difficulty, either do another water exercise, such as "Push shaft", or you do only the part that goes easily at the moment and the rest you do in imagination.