Qi Gong

Qi Gong (the Qi is pronounced "Chi")

The student is normally introduced to Qi Gong exercises first. These are a series of gentle exercises that loosen the joints and promote the flow of Chi through the body.

In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that there is a flow of energy, or Chi, around the body. This energy flows in a number of meridians, and only if this flow is unimpeded with the person be well. There are many ways of correcting the flow of energy, probably the best know is acupuncture, where the flow of energy or Chi is altered to correct problems. There are a number of other ways of correcting energy flow, and Qi Gong is one of them.

Qi Gong comes in many different forms, the major divisions that we use are those exercises where the body is held still, and the energy allowed to flow, commonly know as "standing post" exercises, and those where there are movements of the body used to stimulate the energy flow.

We start with the simple movement exercises, these gently warm up the muscles and "energise" the body and develop balance. We do add in some standing post exercises but to be able to hold these positions for more than a few minutes requires considerable physical and mental discipline, and it takes some months of training to reach the required levels.

The Chinese believe that regular exercise of Qi Gong will keep the body strong and resistant to diseases, and it is widely used as a complement to other Martial Arts disciplines. Tai Chi practitioners use these postures to promote Chi as a preparation for the form.