If you've seen groups of people performing the slow exercises of qigong, which is pronounced "chee gong," strength training is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. You might be surprised to learn that, if practiced correctly and regularly, qigong can contribute substantially to physical strength, especially in the legs and spine. To understand qigong as strength training, you'll have to change your thinking about what makes you strong.
Theories
Classic western ideas about strength often focus on the image of the bodybuilder: someone with bulging biceps and abs on which you can bounce a quarter. In eastern methods of qi training, including tai chi and qigong, the strongest master is often a slightly built individual capable of tossing his students around like rag dolls. The essence of the difference between these two models is a difference of opinion about what muscles do. Western exercise forms view muscles as generators of force: the bigger the better. In qigong, muscles serves as channels of force.
Methods
If qigong isn't about building the strength of individual muscles, you might wonder how it works to make you strong. Part of the answer lies in learning to move your body all together, rather than moving muscles in isolation. Bill Douglas, author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi and Qigong," emphasizes that tai chi and qigong are not isometric in nature. They work by allowing your body's natural alignment to assert itself. Think about allowing a line of force to push up through your feet and out through the hands as you raise them above your head. If you tense anywhere, that area of tension prevents the force from passing through your body, and you end up literally fighting yourself.
Goals
Your ultimate goal in qigong is to build what experts call "internal strength," which means an increase in your body's ability to draw energy or qi from its surroundings. According to Kenneth S. Cohen, author of "The Way of Qigong," increased qi flow results in improved circulation to the muscles and internal organs. The body is better able to process nutrients, and the entire system is able to function more efficiently. Internal strength translates into external strength. After several months of qigong training, many practitioners find they're able to exceed their previous limitations in other sports or exercise forms.
Exercise
The ultimate foundation exercise for qigong strength training is horse stance. Horse stance strengthens the legs by opening the channels that originate in the feet and draw qi from the earth. For this reason, it serves as a great warm up for other qigong exercises, according to Peter Fenton, author of "Shaolin Jin Qi Gong." To perform horse stance, stand with your feet one and a half shoulder widths apart. Sit straight down between your feet by bending your knees until the thighs are parallel to the ground. Prevent the knees from going out beyond your toes. Hold for as long as you are able. If you have trouble holding horse stance, you can modify it by hanging on to the edge of your kitchen sink as you perform the sit.
Esoteric Beliefs
In his book "The Healing Promise of Qi," qigong teacher Roger Jahnke notes that qigong training can eventually lead to strengthening of all the tendons and muscles of the body. Some forms of qigong aim specifically to accomplish that end. They are often called "iron shirt" or "iron vest" qigong. If practiced vigorously and correctly, these forms turn the body's tissues into an impenetrable layer that can repel blows and illness with equal facility.
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