On May 8, Stephan Blaschke wrote:
> Hello Judith,
>
> at 06 May 95 you wrote the following in the newsgroup
> /Archiv/Parkinson about _Tai Chi Exercise Reduces Falling in the Elderly_:
>
> >There is another, less-famous, Chinese discipline called Qi Gong
> >(chee gong). It was designed for older people, and people who have
> >heart or motion difficulties.
>
> Could you please post some more information about Qi Gong. I always
> thought it was that kind of exercise, you do with two iron balls rotating
> in your hand - or is this just one part of it?
Neither. Tai Chi is a martial art made up of slow movement forms. There
are actually several different schools of Tai Chi, with the forms
consisting of 33 to 108 predetermined movements. These movements emphasize
the development of balance and sensitivity to the motion and flow of both
your and your opponent's bodies.
In the West, usually only the first form is taught, often as an exercise
system, with little mention of its martial roots. No matter how you
approach it, the practice of Tai Chi is a very effective way to build
strength, balance and agility, while reducing stress. For these reasons
older Chinese will practice these forms nearly every morning of their
lives.
Qi Gong is a different animal. It was not designed for the elderly and
infirm, it just gets used that way in modern times. Qi Gong also has
martial roots, but concerns itself more with developing and building
'Qi' (often translated as energy, but can also be thought of as the
functional potential of your body). Originally, these exercises were
designed to develop inner martial skills and strength, and also used
in various spiritual and religious disciplines. The use of Qi Gong in
medicine has a long history, but exploded into the mainstream with
the advent of the Maoist period in China.
Qi Gong excercises are meditative, rhythmic, involve little or no
movement, and center around patterns and awareness of the breath.
An example of the two might be the following:
Tai Chi: A slow series of 33 movements, done with attention to balance,
grace and the movement of Qi. (You can rent or buy a number
of video tapes to help familiarize you with the form, though
a live teacher is needed to really learn the practice.)
Qi Gong: Stand in a horse-riding stance and place your hands in front
of you at about groin level. The hands should be open, with
the tips of the fingers together, as if you are holding a ball.
Now, in concert with a slow, deep abdominal in-breath, raise
your hands slowly until they reach your upper chest. Flip
your hands over, as if you are now pushing that ball back
down. With a slow out-breath through the mouth, slowly move
your hands down to where they started from. Repeat this
exercise 3 times. (This is a basic exercise often taught to
those in Chinese hospitals. There's a bit more to it than
meets the eye, but this description should make a good start.)
It is often said that Qi Gong builds Qi, Tai Chi moves it. A person
dealing with a chronic condition such as Parkinsons needs both.
For the treatment of medical conditions and for aging, it is Qi Gong
which has received all the attention in China. In Chinese hospitals,
it is commonplace for patients to be sent to Qi Gong classes. There
has been a great deal of study into medical Qi Gong over the last
twenty years or so in China, but thus far very little in the U.S.
In general, my experience has been that people who practice disciplines
such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong move better, breath better, have less
stress and are healthier overall. Of course almost any gentle exercise,
coupled with meditation will do this for you (Yoga, for example).
What is important is that you find a practice that works for you, and
stick with it through good times and bad.
Norm.
NOTE: If you are interested in Chinese medicine and disciplines such
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