Monday, March 14, 2011

Chi Gong From China Breathing Exercises







Yin and Yang are Both Elements of Chi Gong and Chi Gong Exercises.


One of the foundations of chi gong exercises and practices is breathing. Breathing on its own is a good way to achieve a balanced chi and proper breath technique. Proper breath technique can help to balance and enliven the chi for more effective chi gong workouts and better health and well being.








Abdominal Breathing


Chi gong breathing techniques begin with a sound foundation in abdominal breathing. When doing chi gong breathing exercises, the abdomen should be the focal point for breathing. Expand the abdomen to breathe in. Contract the abdomen to breathe out. This triggers full breaths that begin with the diaphragm and fill the lungs fully. It also has positive effects on the chi and its circulation in the body. The abdomen should expand and contract during breathing, both in meditation and during chi gong training and exercises.


Concentration


Breathing exercises are often associated with physical chi gong training and exercises. However, breathing is also a major component of meditation. Through meditation, the focus on proper breathing helps to train breathing patterns to be more natural during physical chi gong exercises. While meditating, focus on breath and breathing technique until it becomes natural. Concentrate on visualizing the chi as a warm, bright substance moving through the breath and body. After a time of focused meditation and concentration, proper breath technique will become second nature.


Patterns


There are four basic chi gong breathing exercises. The four exercises focus on different aspects of yin and yang. The yin breath exercise pattern is to inhale, hold briefly and then exhale. Yang is inhale, exhale and then hold. A reinforcing yin exercise is to inhale, hold, inhale more and then exhale. A reinforcing yang exercise is to inhale, exhale, hold and then exhale more. By performing these exercises, the chi is strengthened in a particular area of weakness. During these exercises, the chi passes between the top of the head and a point just below the navel.

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