Free Qigong Exercises

No equipment is needed for Qigong exercises, which build qi or chi in the body and direct the qi to the extremities. Qi is the energetic life force and moves with the blood. Qi is sometimes spelled chi or ch'i. Qigong exercises are common in Tai Chi and other internal kung fu systems. Qigong is important to balance external martial art exercises that use up qi, though other physical activities drain qi, too.

Awakening the Qi

Awakening the Qi is a basic Qigong exercise used to stimulate qi flow and get you in the right mind-set for practice. This exercise provides a bridge between normal activities and Qigong practice. Performing Awakening the Qi soothes the mind. During this exercise, focus on feeling the qi rising in your body with your hands and then down into your dan t'ien, which is the body's energy center located below belly button. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Bring your hands in front of your dan t'ien with your palms facing up and your fingers pointing toward each other. The elbows are bent. Breathe in through your nose and raise your hands to chest height. Then, flip your palms over to face down and exhale as you press your hands back to the dan t'ien. When you have finished the exercise, drop your hands to your sides again.

Raising the Arms

Raising the Arms is another basic Qigong exercise to raise qi and promote better blood circulation. This exercise should feel very relaxing, so don't tense your arms. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arm loose at your sides. Rotate your palms to face behind you. Then inhale as you lift your arms until they're parallel to the floor. Bend your wrists back slightly. Lower your arms back to your sides as you exhale. Keep a slight bend in the elbows throughout.

Basic Circulation

The basic circulation exercise is a Gigong exercise from the Pa Kau Chang system of kung fu. As with all qigong or ch'i kung exercises, the basic circulation should be done slowly and with the body relaxed. Throughout this exercise, try to feel the qi in your palms. To perform the basic circulation exercise, stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your arms relaxed at your sides, palms in. Then, turn your palms to face forward and raise your arms to shoulder height. Turn the palms to face each other and open your arms to your sides, keeping the arms parallel to the floor. Bring your arms together again, stopping when they're shoulder-width apart. Turn the palms to face down and then flex your wrists back so your arms face forward. Bend your elbows to bring your palms toward your shoulders, keeping the elbows close to your body. Press your arms straight again. Turn the palms to face-down and then slowly lower the arms to your sides. Flex the wrists as you lower your arms so your hands stay parallel to the floor until the arms are at your sides. Then straighten the wrists, rotate them inward and touch your palms to your sides.
Breathe naturally through your nose when doing this exercise. Advanced practitioners can focus on specific breathing patterns, but you can circulate qi with natural breathing.