This is a replay of a live session showing you some Qigong exercises for stability, mobility and balance, taught by myself, Dr. Janice Tucker. I have been teaching Qigong for two decades and am the founder of the Space To Relax Programme of Qigong video lessons and a practitioner of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
You can join my live classes on Zoom every Thursday at 4 pm Irish time. Click here to join us (lesson replays sent out by email in case you can’t make it).
These classes are free and everyone is welcome. However, if you’d like to contribute as a thank you for the class click here. 50% of donations will go to the ICU staff in my local hospital in Co. Kerry. The other 50% goes towards the upkeep of this website.
Qigong Exercises for Stability, Mobility and Balance – Introduction
The theme of the exercises in this video is “stabilise to mobilise“. When our joints are stable we can then move from a position of strength with confidence that we are not going to cause ourselves injury. When our balance is stablised we feel much more secure in our Qigong movements and can gain maximum benefit from them. Improved balance is also important for seniors as this will reduce the likelihood of falling in day to day life which can have serious consequences, especially for people with osteoporosis.
In this video you will learn how to use purposeful movement combined with breath awareness and mind focus (the three elements of Qigong) in order to:
Promote free flow of Qi and blood through the joints and muscles;
Prevent injury from overstraining the body;
Improve balance for fall prevention.
Qigong Exercises for Stability, Mobility and Balance – Method
Adopt the Qigong stance and begin with a few abdominal breaths.
Loosen the shoulder joints with shoulder circles, forwards and backwards, using the breath and thinking deep inside the shoulder joint as you do this.
Bring hands into a prayer position then lift them to the level of the forehead. Bring the elbows together to meet as you exhale, stretching the trapezius muscles (the ones on the tops of the shoulders which often become very tight through poor posture and when we are under pressure). Inhale, relax and move the elbows apart. Repeat a few times.
Lift the arms to shoulder level, reach forward to move the shoulder blades apart from each other, pull the arms back into the sockets, drawing the shoulder blades towards each other, creating a “valley” between them in the upper back.
From your Qigong stance, rock forwards and backwards, bringing your awareness into the soles of your feet, in particular the ball of your foot behind the big toe and the centre of the heel.
Bend your knees, lift alternating heels a few times, then both heels off the ground together in order to practice your balance.
Finish your practice with a few abdominal breaths, taking time to observe the state of your body and mind.
Many other live lesson replays can be found on my blog page. Take a look at some of them to find methods which you can easily combine with this one.
What Can I Do Next?
To sign up and attend the live online sessions please click here. Classes are free of charge and suitable if you’re a beginner or have more Qigong experience. Once you sign up I’ll send details to your email with links to the Zoom classes. Check your junk/spam folders for notifications. Please share this information with your family and friends as everyone is more than welcome.
If you’d like to take your practice to the next level with my structured, step-by-step Space To Relax Qigong programme of 50 video lessons accompanied by audio and PDF files with support from me every step of the way then click here.
To get my free part video series of 3 Qigong lessons which will be delivered to you by email over the course of one week please click here. In these lessons you’ll learn more about abdominal breathing, Qi movement and how to rid waste Qi. This will help you to feel more relaxed and energised.
You can also click the red “subscribe” button to join my YouTube channel. That way, you won’t miss any future Qigong lessons from me.
This is a replay of a live session showing you a Qigong routine for Spring, taught by myself, Dr. Janice Tucker. I have been teaching Qigong for two decades and am the founder of the Space To Relax Programme of Qigong video lessons. I’m also a practitioner of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. You can join my live classes on Zoom every Thursday at 4 pm Irish time. Click here to join us (lesson replays sent out by email in case you can’t make it).
These classes are free and everyone is welcome. However, if you’d like to contribute as a thank you for the class click here. 50% of donations will go to the ICU staff in my local hospital in Co. Kerry. The other 50% goes towards the upkeep of this website.
Qigong Recharge Exercises – Introduction
This video shows you a quick way in which to replenish your energy levels in situations where you have no opportunity to rest or perform a full Qigong routine. This method is called “Embracing The Tree” or “Standing Like A Tree” and can actually be performed sitting or standing.
Benefits include:
Energising your body;
Massaging the internal organs by creating conditions for improved Qi flow;
Calming your mind;
Developing physical strength and stability in your legs;
Improving your balance;
Creating the conditions for open and free flow of Qi in order to smooth any areas of Qi stagnation which can manifest as discomfort or pain.
Method for Qigong Recharge Exercises
Begin by taking a comfortable standing (more on Qigong stance here) or sitting position (more on seated Qigong here).
Settle into your practice by relaxing your body and mind with Abdominal Breathing.
Raise your arms into the “Embracing The Tree” position.
Stand like a tree for however long is comfortable for you (3 minutes up to 45 minutes for more experienced practitioners).
As you are standing, use your mind to extend down into the earth, as though you are a tree growing roots. At the same time extend your mind up to the top of your head, opening your crown to allow Qi from above to enter your body. Feel a heavy, grounded sensation in the lower half of your body and lightness from the waist up.
Perform the “Circles” exercise three times to smooth the flow of Qi in the four directions.
Consolidate your practice with a few abdominal breaths, taking time to observe any changes in the state of your body and mind.
Integrating Qigong Recharge Exercises Into Your Day
Perform this whole routine, or only part of it, whenever you have a few minutes. This Qigong method works in situations where you may feel you don’t have time to rest and recover but your energy levels are low. Use it for only a few minutes in order to quickly give yourself a welcome boost! 🙂
Please watch the following videos I made previously which you could combine with this one:
Previous live lesson replays are listed below and can be found on my blog page.
What Can I Do Next?
To sign up and attend the live online sessions please click here. Classes are free of charge and suitable if you’re a beginner or have more Qigong experience. Once you sign up I’ll send details to your email with links to the Zoom classes (check your junk/spam folders for notifications). Please share this information with your family and friends as everyone is more than welcome.
If you’d like to take your practice to the next level with my structured, step-by-step Space To Relax Qigong programme of 50 video lessons accompanied by audio and PDF files with support from me every step of the way then click here.
To get my free part video series of 3 Qigong lessons which will be delivered to you by email over the course of one week please go to my homepage. In these lessons you’ll learn more about abdominal breathing and Qi movement along with how to rid waste Qi from your body in order to feel more relaxed and energised.
You can also click the red “subscribe” button to join my YouTube channel. That way, you won’t miss any future Qigong lessons from me.
Nearly all Qigong methods combine an element of balance, except the ones where you are lying down meditating. I mentioned this in a previous video blog about the differences between Qigong and Yoga. In this post I’ll tell you my three best tips which show you how to use Qigong for balance. This is important for the elderly in helping to prevent falls. Balance is also important for athletes where a good sense of balance can make all the difference to athletic performance.
Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong. She is also the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button if you head over to YouTube. That way you won’t my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. These videos will help you to benefit your health and prevent illness from arising in the first place. Also please give this video a “Like” if you found it informative.
3 Ways To Use Qigong For Balance
1. Relaxation
The more relaxed you are the more you can find your natural balance and centre of gravity. Holding tension in your muscles causes imbalance. Refer to the previous video on Qigong Standing Posture to learn more details about how to maintain balance and relaxation in this posture.
2. Do Exercises To Promote Leg Strength
Any standing posture will help to increase the strength of your legs if practiced regularly over time. A good example you can look at is one of the 8 Pieces of Brocade (Ba Duan Jin) exercises called “Open Eyes Wide With Clenched Fists” which is performed from a horse stance position. This stance will help to develop the strength of your thighs giving you a more solid and stable foundation leading to an improved sense of balance.
3. Learn How To Stand Properly
Learning how to stand properly by “regulating” the position of the neck and lower spine will improve your balance. From there you can then walk with more confidence and an improved sense of balance.
If you practice these three methods then your overall movement will be more solid and stable resulting in improved balance and confidence as you move around.
What Do I Do Next?
1. Head over to my Space To Relax homepage to sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons.
2. Please don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. Then you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” if you learned more about how to use Qigong for balance (and share with any friends or family, especially the more elderly people you know who may not be so steady on their feet).
3. If you are on Facebook head over to my free group, “Space To Relax Free Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
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