Operating
with good use could be described as doing everything with the minimum
possible muscular effort. We want just enough tension in the muscles for
them to do what is required at any given moment, no more and no less.
'Maximum output from minimum muscular effort' would be one definition of the
most efficient use of the body.
(Glen Park)
Standing qigong
3 circle qigong and full circle
qigong will strengthen your
back, legs and torso.
Although the exercise is relatively passive in nature, it requires tremendous
strength to hold the arms in place for 15-40 minutes without fatigue.
Breathing naturally and easily oxygenates the blood and this will reduce fatigue
in the muscles.
The various postures of full circle qigong challenge your body to maintain the
position without tensing-up.
As you become stronger, your body relies more upon the elastic tissues to assist
the muscles: tendons, ligaments and fascia.
By cycling through 8 postures, different muscle groups are challenged to release
their tension and relax whilst working.
Posture 4 is especially good for strengthening the arms and is recommended for
people with weak wrists or hands.
Moving qigong
Ba
duan jin is tremendous for building-up
strength.
By imaging an obstacle to lift or move and getting your body beneath or behind
it, you increase muscle workload without lifting weights.
Slow motion movement is necessary for this.
The 15 moving qigong exercises are good for developing the legs and back;
rippling the spine requires a very good connection throughout the entire body.
Healthy muscles are not simply larger in size, they need to be mobile, flexible,
supportive
and supple.
Form
The
Yang Cheng Fu form provides a demanding workout for your body without any of the
strain associated with gym work or athletic activities.
Slow, controlled movement is physically quite difficult.
It requires your body to
engage the appropriate support
structure in order to remain
balanced
and mobile at all times.
The various
form
postures offer a varied range of scenarios to explore your
body's
capacity to unify and move as one physical unit.
Being balanced is not easy; you must be aware of poor alignment, and feel
where the optimal position of stability can be found.
Neigong
Neigong is about increasing the
amount of
internal work performed by your body.
It also encourages deep muscular support.
Rather than depend upon the joints, you rely upon the larger muscles of the
torso and legs.
Subtle considerations and changes within the body create more
energy-efficient movement.
Large, external actions are replaced by smaller, subtler ones.
'Doing' is replaced by 'allowing'
and your body works more creatively with gravity.
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Page created 25 October 2003