More About Qigong

Qigong (pronounced chee-gung) is an ancient Chinese form of exercise for health that is becoming increasingly popular here in the United States. Although it may be as much as 3000 years old, its movements and benefits are well adapted to our busy modern lifestyles and the problems caused  by sitting all day in front of a computer. 

Like its sister art of taiji, qigong aims to build the qi, or life energy, in the body, circulate it throughout the body, and increase health and vitality. This energy moves through your body like blood flows. If you’ve ever had acupuncture, you know how this works. According to acupuncture theory there are hundreds of meridians along which the energy flows, just like blood vessels. If the energy is blocked in any way, like water through a pinched hose, trouble starts—illness, weakness, reduced range of motion, etc. Just like acupuncture frees up the blockages, the movements of qigong free up the restrictions so that the energy flows as it should. 

An impressive list of benefits comes from getting that energy moving properly: balance; flexibility; cardiopulmonary fitness; creating strong, dense bones; reducing the frequency and severity of falls in the elderly; help in recovery from strokes, heart attacks and heart failure; reducing high blood pressure; easing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and fibromyalgia; reducing LDL cholesterol; assisting in the control of diabetes; reducing the pain of osteoarthritis; building immunity; and reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

All this is accomplished with an exercise that’s easy on the joints, that anyone can do no matter what their fitness level and is virtually injury-free. You won’t breathe hard in a qigong class, though you might get heated. And you will have a lot of fun!

You may wonder how qigong differs from taiji. Taiji is like a line dance, with movements done in sequential order. Qigong is like the calisthenics of internal arts. It uses repetitions of simple exercises to gain the same benefits of balance, flexibility, lower stress and so on, without having to memorize a form. Qigong is the older art and is purely related to health. There are no self-defense applications of qigong, as there are to taiji.

Qigong exercises can target flexibility, strength, energy-building, certain specific systems in the body or all of these at once. Even today in China if you land in the hospital you’re treated with Western medicine, but you’re also prescribed a set of qigong exercises to do to help you recover properly. Why deny yourself the excellent benefits of this ancient exercise? Try qigong today!

Sensei Donna Frelick has over 25 years of study and teaching experience in martial arts. She has attained black belt rank in both Isshinryu karate and the Chinese internal arts of hsing-I, taiji, bagua, and qigong. Qigong classes at her Snowbird Taiji and Qigong studio meet Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Call 540-226-2822 for more information.