QIGONG & NEIGONG
If you're interested in the health arts, then these old sytems of training your body and mind in gentle ways may be for you. These were originally designed for rehabilitation from illness, fast recovery from injury and to maintain and improve existing health.
DRAGON & TIGER MEDICAL QIGONG
Relaxed Being
A set of seven movements, used by people in China on a daily basis to maintain existing good health, or recover from illness.
Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong specialises in the gentle stretching and release of tension from the body. Everyday modern day living builds tension over time, causing strain within the body and mind, which may lead physical discomfort, pain and also mental stress and anxieties. Dragon and Tiger gently softens and releases these pressures, allowing you to relax more comfortably into yourself.
Once fully learnt, the entire set will take approximately fifteen minutes to complete, which means it fits well into the schedule of the time poor modern day person. Even if only one or two movements have been learnt, they can be performed daily to help form habitual health movements, which encourage good circulation, gentle mindedness, relaxed health and a calm presence.
HUA TUO
Continued Health
A long sequence of movements (called a ‘form’), Hua Tuo (named after a famed Chinese Physician, 華佗, 華陀, 华陀, Huá Tuó Circa, 140- 208) is beneficial whether practised as a whole, or in smaller segmented parts.
The entire form when practised as a whole can be very good for circulation of fluids in the body, softly exercising joints, strengthening muscles and calming the mind. When taken apart and practised in smaller pieces, the benefits remain, meaning that the health benefits can still be enjoyed through more manageable, time efficient sections.
As with most Qigong forms, Hua Tuo is performed slowly, which helps to stabilise the joints, muscles and tendons of the body, which is perfect if recovering from illness and injury, or if you are wanting a method of exercise which is low impact, slow and safe.
WUJIQUAN
Gentle Strength
Wujiquan is an old style of Chinese martial art, which has its origins in the south of the country.
Its journey to the West started when it was taught by a partially sighted monk (who lived in a cave part way up a mountain in Nan Putou, Fujian province) to a young strong fighter called Chee Kim Thong (Shizu Xu Xin Dong). Young Chee Kim Thong (who would later become a world famous master of martial arts and medicine) would run up the mountain after a full day of work as the martial arts teacher in the local army and begin his daily training with the monk. He did this everyday for three years until he had learnt what he could from the monk in the cave.
Young Master Chee moved to Malaysia later in life and started a martial arts class and traditional medicine clinic. Amongst his earliest disciple students, was a man who had grown up in Singapore, Kim Han (Han Kim Sen). Kim Han would become Master Chee’s first student to teach overseas, teaching Shaolin Five Ancestors in the 1970's in London, coaching the British Wushu team in the 1980’s and became integral in the set up of the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts.
Wujiquan is a ‘soft’ art, usually performed slowly, which means that it is gentle on the joints and muscles of the body and suitable for all ages. As with most of the old Chinese arts, it contains different layers of complexity, each of which benefit an area of either health, meditation, or martial arts. Its slow flowing movements mean that it is suitable for all abilities and those suffering from injuries, or wanting to recover from illness.
Wujiquan can be practised for:
Health promotion: slow and gentle movements which strengthen joints, gently stretch the body, help with balance
Martial arts: learn how softness can be very powerful, the importance of alignments
Moving meditation: soft focused training promotes a slowing down of thoughts
The initial training in Wujiquan requires the learning of forms (sequences of movements), which can easily be practised at home and once proficient, students will be introduced to partner exercises, Straight Sword (Jian) and Broadsword (Da Dao) forms.