Health Qigong? The overall style of Baduanjin
(1) Movement aspect
Healthy Qigong? Baduanjin is a guide with body movements as its main feature It uses limb movements to strengthen muscles and bones, regulate organs, dredge meridians, and reconcile qi and blood, thereby achieving the purpose of physical fitness. The main characteristic of its technique is that it moves in a positive and circular manner. The whole set of movements seems horizontal and vertical, soft and slow, but the squares and circles are corresponding and the elasticity and tightness are combined. This style is reflected in every posture of Health Qigong Baduanjin. For example, in the posture of "opening the bow left and right like shooting a vulture", the two hands open the bow from the chest to both sides, and then fall in an arc from both sides. The movement starts from the horizontal plane and takes the semicircle as the path. The force of stretching when opening the bow is reflected in the square. The beauty of pine and softness when recycled. The characteristics of the above-mentioned Baduanjin exercises are that after the movements enter the proficient stage, they naturally enter a state of seeking relaxation and tranquility, distinguishing between virtual and real, emphasizing hardness and softness, and knowing the inner strength. In the beginner stage, you must master the essentials of each movement (will be described in detail below). First, seek for square movements, then for flexible movements. First, experience softness and slowness, and then experience the balance of movement and stillness.
(2) Breathing
Health Qigong? Baduanjin uses reverse abdominal breathing during practice, and cooperates with levator ani breathing. The specific method is to lift the anus, contract the abdomen, and raise the diaphragm muscles when inhaling. During exhalation, the septal muscles descend, the abdomen and anus relax. When combined with movements, follow the breathing principles of inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling, and inhaling and exhaling. Use breath-holding at the alternating changes in tightness and movement in each section of the main body movement. For example, in the posture of "holding the three energizers of Heavenly Law with both hands", inhale when holding the hands on the hands; hold the breath while maintaining the stretch; exhale when the hands are lowered. In the initial stage of learning movements, you should focus on natural breathing. Do not deliberately pursue thin, even, deep, and long breathing. Do not deliberately pursue the coordination of breathing and movements. Do not let breathing become a psychological burden to avoid dizziness, nausea, palpitation, Shortness of breath, etc. It should vary from person to person, act according to one's ability, let the coordination of movements and breathing take its course, and enter a state of non-regulation but self-regulation in a step-by-step manner.
(3) Mind aspect
Practice Health Qigong? The mind activity during Baduanjin is not about keeping one, but the process of mind movement. The mind activities are also different at different stages of practice. . In the early stage of practice, mental activities mainly focus on the key points and specifications of movements. At this stage, the movements must be correct and the routes must be accurate; in the improvement stage of Qigong, mental activities mainly focus on the style characteristics of movements and the coordination of breathing, and continuous improvement and Improve the quality of movements, and the muscles will feel from tight to loose; in the stage of proficiency in the exercises, mental activities will become more and more natural with the coordination of breathing and movements, so that the form and spirit can be harmonious, and the mind and energy can be harmonious. Under the psychological conditions of relaxation, tranquility and pleasure, all kinds of tension can be relieved in the mental activities that seem to be guarded but not guarded, so that the exercises can be naturally smooth and calm.
Various action essentials, common mistakes and corrective methods
Preparatory posture
Action essentials: When raising the arms sideways, the palms are backward, at the side of the body At 45°, turn the palms forward; when hugging in front of the abdomen, raise the neck and spine, relax the chest and strengthen the abdomen, loosen the waist and tighten the hips, relax the vital gate, and be centered and comfortable, like sitting on a high stool.
Easy to make mistakes: shrug when raising arms sideways; lift elbows when holding the ball, thumbs up, other four fingers tilted to the ground, slumped waist, kneeling legs, splayed feet.
Correction method: When raising the arms sideways, the shoulders and elbows drop. When holding the ball, relax the wrists and stretch the fingers. The fingertips face each other and the thumbs are flat. Preparatory postures appear repeatedly in the entire set of exercises and movements, playing an important linking role. The preparatory posture can be practiced as the basic pile exercise. Practicing this posture well can directly improve the performance level and training effect of Health Qigong Baduanjin.
The first posture is to hold the three energizers of Heavenly Law with both hands
Instructions of action: when the two palms are raised to the chest, turn the palms to hold them, stretch the chest and body, and look up at the hands; when stretching, the chin is slightly retracted , push the head upward, pause slightly, pull the spine up and down, the force is generated from the spine and reaches the two palms; when the two palms fall, relax the waist and sink the hips, sink the shoulders and lower the elbows, relax the wrists and stretch the fingers, and keep the upper body Zhongzheng.
Easy to make mistakes: insufficient support on the two palms and insufficient lifting of the head; when the two palms are kept stretched, the strength is relaxed; when the two palms fall, the shoulders and arms are stiff.
Correction method: When holding the palms up, look up at the hands, push the chin upward first, then adduct the palms to support the palms, and keep stretching for two seconds; when the palms fall, sink first. Drop your shoulders and elbows, then let your arms fall naturally, keep your body in a neutral position, relax your wrists and stretch your fingers.
The second posture is to open the bow from left to right like shooting a vulture
Essentials of the action: When the two wrists are crossed, the shoulders are lowered and the elbows are lowered, and the palms are not over the shoulders; when the bow is opened, the force is exerted from the spine, expanding the chest. Shoulders, sit with your wrists pointed up, turn your head fully, the five fingers of the side-pulling hand should be close together and flexed tightly, the arms should be flat with the chest, and the palms of the eight-figure side support should be raised with the wrists raised, fingers pointed up, and the palms empty. Pause for two seconds, keep stretching, and have the potential to shoot a goshawk with a stiff bow.
It is easy to make mistakes: when opening the bow, the shoulders are raised, the waist is slumped, and the center of gravity is shifted; when entering the horse stance, the legs are kneeled, and when the legs are retracted, the feet scrape the ground and shake, resulting in inflexible footwork.
Correction method: When opening the bow, raise the head and sink the shoulders, keep the upper body upright, turn the head fully, and the footwork transition must be clear. When opening the bow, the knee joint of the horse stance should not exceed the toes. When the two palms are supported on the side, move to Crotch step. During the practice, adjust the height of the horse stance according to your own situation, do not force it, avoid movement deformation, and gradually develop the strength of the lower limbs.
The third posture to regulate the spleen and stomach must be raised alone
Essentials of the action: When raising and pressing down with one arm, the force should reach the base of the palm, stretch the chest and body, and lengthen the waist and spine. It has the potential to support the sky and the earth.
Easy to make mistakes: when the arms are pushing up and pressing down, the direction of the palms and fingers is incorrect; the elbow joints are stiff and have no bending; the strength of the two arms pulling against each other is not enough, and the upper body is not stretched enough.
Correction method: When lifting up and pressing down, keep your palms flat and your fingertips straight; feel that your shoulders are fully stretched with your elbow joints slightly bent.
Fourth Posture: Five Labors and Seven Injuries, Look Back
Key points of the action: Lie down with your palms, straighten your spine, fully externally rotate your arms, straighten your shoulders and raise your chest, without turning your head. body.
Easy mistakes: tilting the upper body backward when the arms are externally rotated; insufficient head rotation and arm rotation.
Correction method: When the arms are externally rotated, the chin is slightly retracted, and when the upper body is rotated backward, the upper body is centered; when turning the head, look at a 45° angle behind the back and downwards, and when rotating the arms, rotate the little finger side to the maximum extent, and keep it for two seconds. Stretch.
The fifth posture is to shake the head and tail to eliminate internal heat
Essentials of the action: When holding the horse step, you should hang your neck and erect your spine, draw your hips and buttocks, and keep your upper body in a neutral position; when leaning sideways, keep your neck The head and tail should be opposite and long; when shaking the head, the neck should be relaxed as much as possible, the movements should be gentle and slow, and the tail should be swung flexibly and coherently.
Easy to make mistakes: when turning, the head is stiff, and the tail rotation is not round; when turning, the chest is raised and the abdomen is raised, and the upper body is tilted back.
Correction method: When turning the head, the neck muscles should be relaxed as much as possible, and no force should be taken actively. The rotation speed of the head should be slower than the rotation of the tail; when turning the head backward, hold the chest, look up, and forward. When turning the tail, you should draw in your abdomen. When turning backward, you should first collapse your waist, then draw in your hips and stand up. It is difficult to turn the tail in the horse stance. You can break the movements into exercises, first experience the head shaking, then experience the tail rotation, and finally combine the head turning and the tail rotation.
The Sixth Posture: Climbing the Feet with Both Hands to Strengthen the Kidneys and Waist
Essentials of the action: Pass the hands behind the armpits and rotate the wrists as much as possible. When leaning over and doing the exercise, the spine will be relaxed step by step. When it reaches the instep, The shoulders should be fully lowered; when standing up, put both palms on the ground and stretch forward to lengthen the waist and spine, and actively raise the arms to drive the upper body to stand up.
Easy to make mistakes: when you rub your hands downward, lower your head and bend your knees; when you stand up, stand up in front and raise your arms behind.
Correction method: When you rub your hands downwards, raise your head slightly and straighten your knees. You can adjust the range of motion according to your physical condition; when you stand up, use your arms to carry your body with your arms close to your ears.
The Seventh Posture: Accusing Fists with Angry Eyes to Increase Strength
Action Essentials: When squatting in the horse stance, you must stand upright. The height of the horse stance can be flexibly controlled according to the strength of your legs; dash left and right When punching, stare angrily, grab the ground with your toes, twist your waist and shoulders, reach the fist surface, rotate your wrist fully, and grasp with five fingers.
Easy to make mistakes: when punching, the upper body bends forward, the waist is slumped, the shoulders are shrugged, and the elbows are raised; the wrist rotation is not enough; the grip is weak when the punch is recovered.
Correction method: When punching, the upper body is upright, the upper body is raised, the chin is slightly retracted, the shoulders are loose, the forearm is brought forward against the ribs, and the force reaches the fist surface; when the punch is withdrawn, first extend the five fingers Fully rotate your wrist, then bend your fingers to grasp firmly.
Behind the Eighth Posture, the seven bumps will eliminate all diseases
The essentials of the action: When raising the heels, the spine is lengthened, the toes grip the ground, the heels are lifted as much as possible, the legs are together, and the anus is lifted Tuck in your abdomen, push your head upward, pause slightly, and maintain balance; sink your shoulders when falling, relax your body when you bump your feet, grit your teeth, and shake the ground lightly.
Easy to make mistakes: shrugging the shoulders when raising the heels, the center of gravity of the body is unstable; falling too fast and using too much force when lowering the feet.
Correction method: when raising the heels, grasp the ground with five toes, bring the legs together, levate the anus and retract the abdomen, sink the shoulders, stand upright and raise the spine, with the top of the head up; when the feet are bent downward, slowly fall down Half, and then lightly shook the ground.
Closing posture
Key points of the action: The posture is peaceful, the whole body is relaxed, the energy sinks into the Dantian, and the mood is happy.
Easy to make mistakes: hasty performance, impetuousness, and eagerness to move.
Correction method: When completing the exercise, the movements should be slow, the whole body should be relaxed, the breathing should be smoothed, and the energy should return to the Dantian. After finishing the exercise, you can do some cleaning activities, such as rubbing your hands, bathing your face and body, massaging, slapping and other relaxing exercises.
A preliminary study on Health Qigong·Ba Duan Jin Gong Method
1. The development context of Baduan Jin
Ba Duan Jin is a colorful and colorful traditional medicine. of treasure. Generally there are eight sections. The brocade is praised for its softness and grace like brocade. It has a long history, is simple and easy to learn, has no deviations, and has remarkable effects. The character "eight" in Baduanjin does not only refer to the segments, knots and eight movements, but indicates that the exercise has multiple elements, which are mutually restrictive, interconnected and circulate in cycles. Just as Gao Lian of the Ming Dynasty said in the "Eight Sections of Brocade Guide" in his "Eight Notes of Zunsheng": "Doing it after Zi and before noon will make the universe unite. The cycle will turn sequentially, and the Eight Diagrams are good causes." "Jin" The word is composed of "gold" and "silk" to express its elegance and luxury. In addition, the word "jin" can also be understood as a collection of individual guidance techniques, which are continuous like silk brocade and are a complete set of fitness methods.
2. Characteristics of Health Qigong Baduanjin Exercise
The exercise intensity and sequence of movements of Baduanjin conform to the laws of kinematics and physiology. It is an aerobic exercise and is safe and reliable. The whole set of exercises adds preparatory postures and closing postures, making the routine more complete and standardized. The characteristics of the exercises are mainly reflected in the following aspects.
1. Soft and slow, flexible and coherent
Soft means that the movements during practice are not stiff or rigid, relaxed and generous. Slowness means that the center of gravity of the body is stable during practice, the actual situation is clear, and it is light and slow.
Roundness means that the movement route is arc-shaped, not sharp and straight, and conforms to the natural curvature of the joints of the human body. It uses the waist spine as the axis to drive the movement of the limbs, following each other up and down, and running through every joint. Coherence requires the virtual and actual changes in movements and the transformation and connection of postures, without any pauses or discontinuities. It is not only like the continuous flow of clouds and flowing water, but also like the continuous connection of spring silkworms spinning silk. It makes people refreshed and peaceful, thereby achieving the effect of dredging meridians, smoothing Qi and blood and strengthening the body.
2. The combination of looseness and tightness, both movement and stillness
Looseness refers to the relaxation of muscles, joints, central nervous system, and internal organs during practice. Under the active control of consciousness, gradually achieve soft breathing, calm mind and relaxed body, while being relaxed and unremitting, maintaining the correct posture, and continuously deepening this degree of relaxation. Tightness refers to using appropriate force during practice and proceeding slowly. It is mainly reflected at the end of the previous movement and before the beginning of the next movement. In the Baduanjin, the "hands hold the three burners of heaven" are lifted up, the bow is drawn from a horse stance, "the bow is bent left and right like a shooting vulture", the upward lift is "single lift is required to regulate the spleen and stomach", and the head turning is "looking back after five labors and seven injuries". This is reflected in the rotating arms, punches and grips used to "increase strength with fists and angry eyes", and the toe grips and levators used to "dispel all diseases". Tightening is only for a moment in the movement, while relaxation must be throughout the movement. Moderate tightness and tightness can help balance yin and yang, dredge meridians, decompose viscosity, smooth joints, activate blood circulation and remove blood clots, strengthen muscles and bones, and enhance physical fitness.
The movement and stillness in this exercise mainly refer to the external expression of body movements. Movement means that under the guidance of thoughts, the movements are light and lively, continuous, comfortable and natural. Quietness refers to being steady at each section of the movement, especially in the slow exertion of the eight movements mentioned above. There may be a slight pause in appearance, but the internal energy does not stop, and the muscles continue to exert force and maintain Traction and stretching. Appropriate force and extended action time can stimulate the corresponding parts to a certain intensity and help improve the exercise effect.
3. God and form are combined, and Qi resides in them.
God refers to the human body’s mental state and normal conscious activities, as well as the physical manifestations under the control of consciousness. "God is the master of form, and form is the house of God." God and form are interconnected and mutually reinforcing wholes. Each movement and movement in this technique is full of symmetry and harmony, reflecting the spirit of inner strength and ease of exterior. The virtuality and reality complement each other, and the hardness and softness complement each other, achieving both movement and form, and both spirit and form. Qi is contained in it, which refers to promoting the movement of true qi in the body through spiritual cultivation and physical exercise to achieve the effect of strengthening the body. When practicing this technique, your breathing should be smooth and you should not inhale or exhale forcefully.
Three and Eight-Duanjin Practice Essentials
1. Relaxation, tranquility and nature
Relaxation, tranquility and nature are the basic essentials of Qigong practice and the most fundamental law. Looseness refers to relaxation both mentally and physically. Mental relaxation mainly refers to the relief of psychological and physiological tension; physical relaxation refers to the relaxation of joints, muscles and organs. Relaxation is an exercise process from the inside to the outside, from shallow to deep, making the body, breathing, and thoughts relaxed, comfortable, and free of tension. Quiet means that thoughts and emotions should be stable and peaceful, and all distracting thoughts should be eliminated. Relaxation and meditation are complementary to each other. Meditation can promote relaxation, and relaxation can help to achieve tranquility. Both are indispensable. Naturalness means that the body, breathing, and thoughts should be allowed to take their own course. Specifically, the body must be natural and must be in compliance with the law, and every movement must be accurate and standardized; the breathing must be natural, and one must not forget to help, and cannot forcefully inhale or exhale; the mind must be natural, and must "seem to be guarded but not guarded, continuous as if to exist", and should not be too long. Intention will cause qi stagnation and blood stasis, leading to mental stress. It should be pointed out that the "natural" here can never be understood as "let nature take its course" or "let nature take its course", but refers to "the Tao follows nature", which requires practitioners to carefully understand and gradually master it during the practice process.
2. Accurate and flexible
Accuracy mainly means that the postures and methods during practice must be correct and in compliance with the specifications. In the initial stage of learning, the exercise of basic body shape is the most important. The basic shape of this exercise is just a matter of standing exercises through the preparatory posture of the exercise. The time and intensity of the stance can be flexibly controlled according to the different health conditions of different groups of people. When exercising, you must carefully understand the requirements and essentials of each part of the body, overcome soreness in joints and muscles and other adverse reactions, create good conditions for relaxation and tranquility, and lay a solid foundation for learning and mastering movements. When learning various movements, it is necessary to clearly distinguish the route, direction, angle, virtuality and reality, and tightness of the movements, so that the postures are neat and the methods are accurate. Flexibility means that during practice, the size of the movement range, the height of the posture, the amount of force, the number of exercises, the use of thoughts, the adjustment of breathing, etc. must be flexibly grasped according to one's own circumstances, especially for the elderly and physically challenged. The weak should pay more attention.
3. Practicing and nourishing at the same time
Practicing refers to the exercise process that organically combines physical movement, breathing adjustment and psychological adjustment. Cultivation refers to the state of relaxation and comfort in the body, soft breathing, and continuous mindfulness through the above exercises. When practicing this technique, you must not only strive for neat postures and accurate methods, but also adjust the height of the posture and the amount of force according to your own physical condition. For difficult movements that cannot be done temporarily, you can complete them step by step.
For the adjustment of breathing, you can breathe naturally during the learning of movements. After you are proficient in the movements, you can consciously exercise by combining the lifting, opening and closing of the movements with your own breathing frequency, and finally achieve the effect of "self-regulation without adjustment". As for grasping the idea, the focus should be on paying attention to the specifications and key points of the movements in the beginner stage. After the movements are proficient, they should be practiced in accordance with the principle of "seeming to guard but not guarding", and "continuous and continuous".
Practice and cultivation coexist with each other and cannot be completely separated. We should achieve cultivation within practice and practice within cultivation. In particular, it is necessary to reasonably arrange the time and quantity of practice, grasp the intensity, and properly handle the relationship between "mind", "qi" and "form". Broadly speaking, practicing Xiangjie is also closely related to daily life. Being able to "eat in moderation and live regularly" and maintain a positive and optimistic mood will help improve the effectiveness of practice and improve physical and mental health.
4. Step by step
Baduanjin has a certain learning difficulty and exercise intensity for beginners. Therefore, in the beginner stage, practitioners must first overcome the physical discomfort caused by practicing Qigong, such as sore muscles and joints, stiff movements, tension, uncoordinated coordination of hands and feet, and focusing on one thing and another. Only after a period of practice and a certain amount of practice will the postures become more and more neat, the methods gradually more accurate, the coherence and control of movements will be improved, the understanding of the essentials of movements will be deepened, and the details of movements will be paid more attention to, etc.
In the beginner stage, this exercise requires practitioners to adopt natural breathing methods. After the movements are proficient, the breathing requirements will gradually be put forward. Practitioners can use the common method during practice - abdominal breathing. After mastering the breathing method, start to pay attention to coordinating the movements. There is also a process of adaptation and exercise, so don't rush for success. Finally, the organic combination of movements, breathing, and thoughts is gradually achieved. Due to the differences in the physical condition of the practitioners and their mastery and practice of the exercises, the effects of their exercises are not the same. Good practice effects are gradually achieved with the accumulation of time and practice quantity under the guidance of scientific practice methods. Therefore, practitioners should not "fish for three days and dry the net for two days". They should persevere, proceed step by step, and arrange the amount of exercise reasonably.