Qigong Practice

I've practiced Qigong exercises for a year, and it's helped me tremendously. When I first learned about the practice, I was looking for alternative methods to promote health and well-being. Now, I practice yoga and Qigong, and I've recently learned to combine Tai Chi and Qigong with the help of classes and instructional videos.

What is Qigong?

As a traditional Chinese form of medicine, the practice dates back to about 5,000 years ago. Qigong has recently become more popular around the world, as more people are beginning to recognize its profound benefits to not only improve their physical health, but also their mental well-being. The Qi is pronounced Chi, and it means vital energy, and gong means mastery of energy. The practice is known to help you manage your Chi. While there are many forms of Qigong, I'm going to focus on the practice that includes physical movement and concentration.

Qigong incorporates a series of movements, postures, and breathing to stimulate balance and energy flow throughout the body. The movements are performed at a slow to moderate pace, and they're synchronized with breathing to give you a calm, relaxed feeling. Similar to yoga, Qigong helps you become more aware of your breathing throughout each practice session.

How can Qigong Help You?

Qigong is considered a natural way to promote circulation, revitalize your body, and improve your overall health. The practice has been the focus of many studies conducted to determine the full scope of its health benefits. Some studies have concluded that Qigong has positive effects on improving the symptoms of certain medical conditions. It's widely known to balance the immune system and help alleviate pain, like headaches.

What Similarities Do Yoga and Qigong Have?

While the movements and postures between Qigong and yoga differ, both styles of exercises helps you become more conscious of your breathing as you transition from one movement to the next. You can start yoga and Qigong by understanding the basic movements and learning to perfect them. Both styles are known to help you clear your mind and bring your awareness to the present moment. Both are also helpful in improving your energy levels and your overall health. If practiced regularly, you can learn to develop a mastery in each art form.

How is Qigong Similar to Tai Chi?

Both practices concentrate on transitioning between the flow of movements. Many practitioners often combine both types of exercises into one session. Qigong exercises can be adapted to focus on specific areas of the body, whereas Tai Chi movements focus on the whole body. Tai Chi is also practiced as a form of martial arts training.

When and How Often Should You Practice Qigong?

You can practice Qigong at any point of the day. Some people may start their day in the morning doing various forms of yoga, Qigong, or Tai Chi. It depends on when you can allocate time to focus on breathing and exercise. Qigong can be performed on a daily basis, if you believe that the practice provides great benefits for you. Due to it's mild pace, there's no need to worry about whether daily practice will cause severe strain to your muscles.

How do You Get Started?

If you're considering learning more about the practice of Qigong, you can find classes at some of the fitness studios or search for instructional videos online and DVDs. The fundamentals of Qigong movements are easy to follow. There is no need for you to have any prior experience in any similar form of exercise. The practice is appropriate for people of all ages, regardless of their fitness levels. You do not need any special type of equipment to get started.