Qi Gong exercises
explained
Exercise description
Starting position is the basic position. This means that the feet are open hip to shoulder width and the inner edges of the feet are parallel. The knees are slightly bent and you sink down slightly with the exhale.
Inhale and raise your arms up in front of your body to shoulder height. Once there, exhale and lower your arms back down to the starting position.
As the arms rise up, simultaneously extend your knees through. When the arms come down again with the exhalation, bend your legs slightly. Now repeat this movement as many times as indicated.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to focus only on the movement first and only then on the breathing?
Yes, this is possible in principle and also useful. Qi Gong is meant to relax and if the simultaneous concentration on breathing and the new movement creates a feeling of being overwhelmed, it is better to practice these two things separately.
Can I do the exercise faster because I can't breathe so slowly?
Yes, of course, this is possible and also important. Even though I always point out a conscious and slow execution of the movements, it should never degenerate into "stress". You should never feel like you have too much or too little air. If you feel that you can't breathe as slowly as I show in the video, then feel free to use the Adapt movements to your personal breathing rhythm.
Pro tip from Wolfgang
This is perhaps the most basic qigong exercise there is. There is a statement that in the past in China, every student was given nothing else to practice in the first year of his qigong practice but this single exercise. Only when he had mastered this exercise, he was allowed to learn other movements.
Basic Qi Gong Exercise Awaken Qi
Most common errors
The arms are lifted too far up.
The starting position of the feet is often too wide.
The legs remain extended throughout the movement and do not bend with the exhalation.
The back always remains straight up.
Training tips
If possible, exercise again and again in front of a mirror or with the Record smartphone and then study this video for errors.
This exercise lives from the intense sensing of the body during execution.
During the exercise, imagine that with the inhale you let the energy flow upwards from your feet to your hands. With the exhale, all the old and used energy flows downward.
Also, keep closing your eyes while you do the movement. This will help you to inner processes even more intensively.
Assistance
What can you do if the exercise is too difficult?
This does not happen in practice. As I said, you should adjust the speed of the movement to your own breathing rhythm anyway to achieve the best effect. In general, however, the slower the movement is performed, the better.
If you have problems standing, you can also do this exercise while sitting on a chair. To do this, however, you should sit all the way forward on the edge of the chair.
