Liver Stretch

Starting position is the "riding position". This means that your feet are in a wide straddle. The distance between your two feet is slightly more than twice the width of your shoulders.

So the position is wider than in the wooden exercise "Boxing". The exact position of the feet results in the position when you go into the straddle. You may have to correct the foot position once here at the beginning.

With the exhale, bend your right leg, while your upper body also moves to the right. This lateral movement stretches your left leg and you come into a deep straddle.

Meanwhile, both arms remain stretched. The rotation of the upper body to the left is almost automatic. You now look back over the stretched left leg. With the inhale come back to the center. With the next exhalation, do the same movement to the right side.

I can't go that deep with my pelvis?

This is not a problem at all. Many people feel the desired stretch on the inside of the leg even in a less deep position. And that's what this exercise is all about. Over time, the mobility will increase and you can go deeper.

 Can I do the exercise even if I have an artificial hip joint?

This exercise can also be performed with an artificial hip joint, provided that this has been previously agreed with the attending physician or therapist. The prerequisite is, of course, that one pays attention to the limits of the body. But due to a hip surgery there is too often a restriction of mobility in the hip joint. This exercise brings back missing mobility here. Your hip will thank you.

• The arms are bent too much.
• The upper body is turned to the wrong side. So not over the stretched leg, but over the bent leg.
• The feet are not rotated outward in the straddle.
• The back is too rounded.

• Especially with this exercise you should not overexert yourself and proceed slowly. The mobility improves rather slowly.
• This exercise should be done again and again, even if it is not a favorite.
• Another way to improve the quality of movement is to film yourself with your smartphone and thereby identify errors in execution.

What can you do if the exercise is too difficult?

In this case, you simply make the straddle a little smaller if the problem is due to limited hip mobility.

If, on the other hand, the rotation is difficult due to a spinal problem, you can also omit it and simply move the body from side to side. Once the problem is solved, however, you should try to perform the rotation again.

• 5 Elements Qi Gong
• 5 elements sequence (short version)
• Qi Gong course for beginners and slightly advanced students
• Gong Course: The 8 Brocades
• Qi Gong Course: - The 18 Figures of Harmony