According to "Qi: The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness," wujishi breathing constitutes part of Qigong energy practice. In this tradition, breathing exercises regulate the breath, which practitioners claim strengthen immunity and help discipline a person's body, mind and vital force, known as "qi." Wujishi exercises are suitable for all types of people, including seniors and people recovering from injuries.
Tummy Breathing
Also known as Complementary Breathing, this wujishi breathing exercise focuses on relaxation. Lay down on a comfortable surface with your palms facing upward. Inhale and expand your abdomen, using your diaphragm to push your belly outward. Exhale and contract these muscles.
Deepen the breath and try to expand the abdomen as far down in your body as possible close to the pelvic area. Your goal is to fill your body with breath from the bottom up. Take care not to tense your other muscles, particularly those in your neck and face.
Awareness of Breathing
The Way of Wellness and Being Qigong center employs wujishi breathing to promote an increased awareness of breathing and improve flow of energy. The first exercise, Following the Breath, makes you concentrate on the muscles you use to breathe, particularly in the abdominal area, until you reach a meditative state where your body and mind unite. In Counting the Breath, you control your breathing. Inhale and exhale 10 times, then 100 times, with the aim of clearing away any other sensory stimulation or random thoughts.
Reverse Breathing
The USA Dojo site recommends Reverse Breathing as part of martial arts practice. This wujishi breathing exercise is the opposite of abdominal breathing and proves more challenging because it reverses your natural patterns of breathing. Begin in a comfortable posture. Inhale through your nose, gently and smoothly contracting the area around your perineum, pulling your abdominal muscles inward and upward and expanding your chest. Exhale, release the muscles and push your abdomen downward. Do this cycle 10 times, filling your lungs to capacity and then emptying them.
