What is Qigong and whether it really improves health

What is Qigong?

Qigong - is an integrated system designed to achieve and maintain health. It includes exercises, breathing exercises and meditation practices.

The word 'Qigong' is made up of two components:

1. "Qi" - the flow of energy, the life force, the basic concept of Chinese philosophy.
2. "Gong" - a work achievement.

So, Qigong can be translated as "work with the qi".

Qigong system has grown from a traditional Chinese medicine and was formed under the influence of various religious denominations, including Taoism and Confucianism. Over time, the emphasis in practice has shifted from the traditional philosophy and culture on health benefits used in medicine and martial arts.

Internal and external Qigong

Qigong can be divided into internal and external. Internal Qigong - a practice in which the artist manages its chi energy, helps the patient to remove the Qi lock and regulate the flow of energy. However, we do not consider this kind of qigong - leave it to the Chinese traditional healers.

External practice includes smooth, controlled movement, breath control, and thoughts.

Training Qigong - is a kind of meditation that allows thoughts to soothe, relax the muscles and get rid of stress, which in turn has a positive effect on mood and health person.

External Qigong can be divided into two classes:

1. Static Qigong - is the preservation of fixed positions, in which a person relaxes, concentrates on his condition, performs breathing exercises.
2. Dynamic Qigong - is the exercise and the elements self-massage.

Qigong adepts argue that the practice can treat a wide range of diseases, but the official medicine does not recognize the effectiveness of this system.

What science says

In 2011, Korean scientists have analyzedQigong for healthcare: an overview of systematic reviews reviews of research devoted to the benefits of qigong for health. Five surveys have confirmed the effectiveness of the practice, while the other five had no particular opinion. In addition, researchers have noted that most of the reviews lack credibility due to the low quality of research.

The weakness of state research and in other reviews:

1. Qigong efficiency for the psychological well-being and treatment of anxiety and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysisThe Effects of Qigong on Anxiety, Depression, and Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
2. Qigong to treat hypertensionQigong for Hypertension.
3. Managing stress and anxiety using qigong exercises for healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsManaging stress and anxiety through qigong exercise in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

All reviews score seven pointsThe Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials Cochrane showed that the risk of errors and bias in sufficiently large studies.

The last systematic reviewA Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Baduanjin Qigong for Health Benefits: Randomized Controlled TrialsConducted by Chinese scientists in March 2017, showed that an exercise "Ba Duan Jin" ( "8 pieces of brocade") improves sleep quality, A sense of balance and flexibility of the body, normalizes blood pressure and heart rate at rest.

The review analyzed 19 randomized controlled trials, 13 of which received the highest evaluation grade scale PEDroPEDro scaleAnd six - medium and low.

Thus, the iron evidence of benefit of qigong for health does not exist yet, but many studies confirm the positive impact of this practice.

Interested in qigong

Tsigun includes simple posture and movement, which, unlike yoga asanasDo not require a good stretching and joint mobility. On the contrary, they can perform even a person with disabilities.

The dynamic part includes a turn of the body, bending, squatting, hand movements. Due to the ups of hands takes place stretching and spine alignment. Turns from side to side and tilts develop flexibility back.

In general, qigong gently warms the body without burdening especially the muscles and different pat help better disperse the blood.

Since the movements are smooth and deliberate, Qigong is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. Gymnastics has practically no contraindications and is suitable for:

1. Removal of psychological stress. During qigong lessons much attention is paid to thoughts. You need to fully concentrate on the practice, but from the beginning to calm them down and then continue with the other thoughts arise. It helps to relieve psychological stress and overcome stress.
2. improve concentration. Constant concentration on the movements reflected in the brain, accustoming him to the attention and awareness.
3. Recovery from injury. Qigong movements smooth and light, so that the risk of re-injure is very small.

How to start

You can practice qigong instructor or start their own, drawing on information from videos and books. We will look both ways.

How to find a good teacher

Selecting the wrong instructor, you are risking your health even with such a gentle load system as qigong. So, the instructor must:

1. Look good. Qigong - a self-healing system, and practitioners, and especially teachers should take care of their health. If the instructor is overweight or unhealthy appearance, it is worth considering whether you really have a lot to learn.
2. Answer your questions. A good teacher will be able to answer all your questions. If instead the answer you get condescending "Later you will understand," or "You do not need to know", go.
3. Attentive to your concerns. If you're in the classroom or other pupils experiencing pain and discomfort and report it to a teacher, it must not ignore the complaints. Especially if the episodes are repeated.
4. Have extensive experience. Ask how long does your teacher and where he was educated. If his experience is not much more than you, is it worth to pay for the training?

Please rate the instructor, ask students if they help a class, and only then make a decision: to engage in it or find another.

How to make the most

If you choose your own classes, you can help YouTube-videos and books dedicated to qigong.

On YouTube you can find quite a lot of movies to see the instructor and popularizer of qigong in western Lee Holden (Lee Holden). It shows a simple set of exercises, explains what helps make certain movements that you need to feel doing them.

Here's the 15-minute set of exercises from Lee Holden:

In the video below you will see the famous complex exercise "Ba Duan Jin" performs master Wang Ling - Tai Chi and Qigong teacher and founder of the school.

All the nuances of this complex Wang Lin describes in his book "Eight Qigong exercises».

If you want to dive deeper into Qigong, to study Chinese philosophy, especially of qi energy and other esoteric aspects of the practice, read special literature.

Basic concepts and rules of the exercises can be learned from the book "Qigong - Chinese exercises for health"Authors Yun Lung and Yufeng Cen.

In the book "Qigong. History, Theory, Practice "written by Qigong master Ma Jiren and orientalist Mai Bogachihinym, reveals the features of philosophy, gymnastics and breathing exercises Qigong. The book will be useful for both beginners and experienced practitioners.

---

So, some believe Qigong esotericism and sectarianism, others for many years engaged in gymnastics and feel the health benefits. Science confirms the effectiveness of the practice, but in each systematic review, the authors point to the need for additional research and testing.

How to take this part of the ancient Chinese medicine, you decide. Try video tutorial or visit one thing in their town. You may like the meditative movement, similar to a smooth, deliberate dance, and a sense of calm and ease after class.

If you've tried qigong, write about their experiences in the comments to this article.