Qi Kong Exercises For Energy

Qi gong is a Chinese practice that dates back to the Bronze Age and it has various names, some of which include xing-qi, fu-qi and yang-shen. According to the article "Background and History of Qi-gong," published by the traditional Chinese medicine website Shen Nong, a paper called "Practice on Qigong Therapy" by Liu Gui-zheng, coined the term in 1953 to encompass this exercise and healing practice of moving life force energy, or qi, within the body. Qi gong can be used to restore and maintain health, and also to harness energy and vitality.

Conscious Breathing

A simple qi gong exercise mentioned by Kenneth Cohen in his book "The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing" that will increase your oxygen intake is conscious breathing. This exercise consists of lying, standing or sitting in a comfortable position and inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, engaging your diaphragm and abdomen to increase your oxygen intake. As you are breathing, you will visualize how the oxygen nourishes your body and how toxins are released from your system with each exhale. Visualization is a common tool used in qi gong, which is thought to enhance the efficacy of each exercise. Conscious breathing will promote a sense of well-being and help reduce stress in your entire body.

Awakening the Qi

In awakening the qi, you are standing and visualizing a string pulling the top of your head straight up, while looking forward and tucking your chin slightly throughout the exercise. This helps align your spine and correct your posture. Inhale and exhale, bringing your hands up to your chest and down to your belly correspondingly. Coordinating the breath with hand movement brings intention to your breathing cycle and increases your oxygen intake and, according to German doctor Peter Zeischegg, oxygen is the main source of energy for the brain and body. Deep breathing also brings elasticity to the lungs while clearing the mind of stress and tension.

Autumn Breeze

Autumn breeze is a qi gong exercise that improves coordination and tones the muscles of the back and neck. In slow movements, rotate your hips with your hands stretched out, first to the right as you inhale. With each exhale, rotate back to center. This exercise can benefit individuals with arthritis, according to the website Everyday Tai Chi.