QIGONG FOR STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE
by SIJO GLENN LUSCHER/ FOUNDER OF QING LONG WUSHU
Qigong has been studied and developed in China for more than four thousand
years.
Without Qigong training, a martial artist will have lost the origin of martial
power. What he or she uses will only be muscular power. The martial
artist learns how to build up internal energy and how to lead this energy
throughout the physical body to boost its functioning to a higher level. This
higher level of functioning requires a good amount of knowlege and years of
training.
The first step in practice is learning how to build an abundant supply of qi in
the Lower Dan Tien. Then the martial artist must learn how to circulate
the qi to the extremities, this is called Grand Circulation. In Grand
Circulation the abdominal mucles are contracted when inhaling. At the same time
the martial artist must also learn to be relaxed, the correct breathing method,
and concentration to lead the qi throught the body with the mind.
Qigong training is divided into four catagories; moving hard, still hard,
moving soft, and still soft. This article focuses on still hard qigong
training and how it is used to build strength and endurance of muscles, tendons,
and ligaments. Note that this training does not emphesize increasing the
size of muscles, but rather, adds quality.
Since there is energy to some degree throughout the body, the energy found in
any particular part is known as local qi. Still hard qigong training
begins with the use of local qi to perform an exercise. Instead of going through
the complete movement of the exercise, the muscles are tensed with the exercise
in a "hold position". This makes the muscles, tendons, and
ligaments more dense and durable. After the martial artist learns Grand
Circulation, he or she can lead qi from the Lower Dan Tien area to the local
area with his or her mind and then holds this position. In short, the
muscles of the local area are tensed, then the martial artist leads qi from the
Lower Dan Tien area to the local area and then inhales while contracting the
abdominal muscles and holds this poition. Then, when the muscles of the local
area are relaxed, the martial artist exhales allowing the abdominal muscles to
expand. With the mind, the martial artist leads the qi back to the Lower Dan
Tien area. Typical areas for Still Hard Qigong training ar the torso,
wrists, elbows, fingers, and knees.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
SIJO GLENN LUSCHER