Wow! Over 5,000 views! Thank you all so much! I'm very pleased to see that so many people are enjoying this video. :) I hope you all are blessed and your lives are improved in some way with the info shared in this video.
Finding good and reliable info isn't easy always. And free good info is much harder to find. I just want to thank you for uploading all this knowledge to youtube to being at the reach of everybody.
Just found your wonderful Zhan Zhuang routine. Thanks for teaching it in 2014 and keeping it available on TH-cam! I highly respect Master Lam's TH-cam videos and books, but right now I'm doing my learning mainly from Mark Cohen's videos (on TH-cam, and then his DVD). I'm getting started with Zhan Zhuang late (65 yrs old), but already feeling benefits and will be keeping it up from now on. By the way, I love your body's standing alignment with the Taiji Circle!
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed this video so much and are experiencing so many benefits from your practice. I wish you all the best in your training!
I did not expected that I will find this “style” Qi gong on youtube. I have been taught this style in china as well. Posture, moves and sequence are identical. Thank you for your great videos.
+Andrew Plitt Here www.chineseshaolins.com/ Video helped to understand everything. Becouse translators know only basic English and often was a problem with communication and shifu was too busy to correct students. That's why I didn't do correctly some parts of meditation. Once more thank you.
+Marcin J ha ha That's where I learned it too! From Guo Shifu. When I was there the class sizes weren't super huge except during the summer months, so it was pretty easy to get more personal instruction and most of the translators did a good job. When you were there were the translators fairly new?
+Andrew Plitt I've started practice Qigong in the summer :) Translators changed quite often. Even native English speakers sometimes had problems to get correct answer for more complicated questions.
This is awesome! I almost never comment on videos but I signed in specifically to thank you. As for the discussion above. I have also read 'The Way Of Energy' and have used that to aid my (admittedly sporadic :) ) practice and I can heartily recommend it. Many thanks!
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this video so much and I appreciate you letting me know. Thank you for your recommendation of "The Way of Energy." I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it is on my list of books to read as soon as possible. :) Best of luck with your Qigong training! :)
I have been practicing San Ti Shi for some months now, and up until the last month or so, the fatigue from the duration used to give me a very rapid heart rate, almost like anxiety. But that has now subsided, and I am now much calmer!
Greetings Andrew, Thank you so much for offering us these wonderful classes in Z.Z. ! You did a great job explaining it all. I look forward to getting healthier with your videos and more healthy lifestyle changes. Thank you, Emily
del8budd Monkeyland03 musclesmalone - I just wanted to let you guys know that I finally got my hands on a copy of the "Way of Energy" and, while I haven't had a chance to read through it in depth, I have skimmed through it and really enjoyed what I saw. Even though there are obvious variations from the way I learned, the principles are the same and it has excellent information. I would definitely recommend it to anyone practicing Zhan Zhuang. I'm looking forward to the summer break when I'll have a chance to spend a little more time reading it. Thanks for letting me know about it. :)
Andrew Plitt What do you think of the full body circle of doing 5 minutes in each of the five positions in 'The Way Of Energy'? It said it should ideally be done by advice of an instructor'. Is it because it is dangerous in your opinion?
Monkeyland03 It looked like a very good practice. Some of the postures are similar to postures that I use in another Qigong set. To be honest, I feel that any skill can be better learned under the supervision of an instructor and it is possible that Master Lam simply sees the other postures as more difficult than the basic posture to do correctly without supervision. I don’t know what his personal reasons were for making that statement and I don’t recall any clarification in the book either, but there are a few reasons he may have said that, other than the improved practice gained by working with an instructor. There are extremely varied opinions on the safety of Qigong practices and what can be the consequences of incorrect practice. If we start by looking at the physical dangers of incorrect practice we are looking at, predominately, straining of the joints caused by incorrect structure (including, of course, the joints between the vertebrae). Proper alignment is absolutely necessary for safe practice, however, the pain caused by improper alignment will usually cause a person to self-adjust their alignment or discontinue practice before any real damage can be done. Usually more basic standing postures are ones in which it is easier to find good alignment, like the wuji posture with which most qigong sets and internal martial art sets begin. When you are standing with your arms hanging at your side or hands crossed on the lower belly it is far easier to find good alignment that allows you to relax into a well supported posture than when your arms are engaged in a more complex position. That is because you only have to focus on your lower body and spine in a wuji stance, but as soon as you lift your arms you have to pay attention to maintaining a good structure with your arms and spine and lower body, while your arms are in a position that can easily pull you out of alignment or cause you to build excess tension in your structure (which usually comes about when one tries to force alignment rather than relax into the correct alignment). For instance the “standard” Zhan Zhuang stance (which I think Master Lam referred to as “holding the ball”) is a very basic position, but as soon as the arms are raised out of the wuji posture, most new students have the tendency to rock the upper body backwards to counter balance the arms. That counter balancing will train them in bad structure, which will become a problem in martial techniques, because proper structure leads to more efficient techniques. It also puts a lot of extra strain on the lower back, which is an area where people generally don’t need any extra strain. When a student progresses to a more advanced posture, such as the “Fifth Posture” in Master Lam’s full circle, rather than align the body to offer support from the root up to the arms, it is very common for them to bring the shoulders up much higher than they need to be, to lean back (again causing strain on the lower back), or to push the whole body forward to where the knees are significantly out past the toes (which can cause a great deal of strain on the knees and lead to knee problems if not corrected). The difficult part in training without an instructor’s supervision is that it is very easy to slip into any of those, or other, errors without knowing it, because new students are generally not sensitive enough to tell when they are out of alignment. Usually, by the time a student reaches more advanced postures, though, they have been training long enough to be able to recognize the misalignments. Misalignments in the spine can put pressure on nerves that are traveling into or out of the spinal column and, depending on the extent of the misalignment, can potentially interfere with brain/body communication, leading to reduced sensitivity and control of the body….which is the opposite of what one desires from Qigong practice. Although, I’m sure the misalignment would have to be very severe to lead to such a consequence and most people would probably catch it themselves before it got that far. There is also the possibility of developing energetic/mental imbalances through incorrect practice, the safety net of having an instructor is that she or he will be able help you avoid those imbalances, and help you correct them if they do come up. If you are adhering to the basic principles taught in Master Lam’s book, I would be surprised if this were to become an issue. The most important thing with any Qigong practice is to develop a very aware “internal-ear” that is constantly listening to the messages your body is sending. If one stays humble and never assume that she or he is 100% correct in his or her practice, and is always willing to listen for corrections while practicing, she or he will usually be able to avoid most potential problems. But if one gets stuck in dogmatism and insists that his or her way is the only correct way, it sets one up to ignore clear messages from the body in favor of a preconceived idea. My advice is, always be willing to learn new ideas and always collect your information for a wide range of sources. I hope that answers your question. I wish you all the best in your training!
Andrew Plitt Thank you so much for all of this! Also I am sure that everyone else will benefit from it also! I am so glad that I came to your TH-cam channel!
hi Andrew thanks for your wonderful tutorials. if you have a video on the microcosmic orbit or the macrosmic orbit and how can you combine it with the zhan zhuang standing meditation. thanks for your help 😊
Thanks Andrew for some stupid reason after a year and a half I took a break coming up to Christmas 2016. Have found it hard to restart I was practicing an hour a day and doing some other Qigong exercises for my back using a 3kg medicine ball based on some basic Tia chi ball. work a treat then stop. found the reason I was having trouble restarting was I was trying to hard. I had read this advice and also been told that if you stop for a while you drop your time and build up again. If you stop for months as I did start again at the beginning.
I'm glad to hear you like it. I post things when I can and reply to comments when I can, but I haven't been able to do so very consistently lately. I'm hoping to have another video or 2 up within the next 2-3 months, though. So stay tuned for that. I wish you all the best in your training.
I forgot great video Andrew PS i ask master Lam, yes the Master Lam about the right and left hand thing.( I attend some beginner classes in zhan zhuang in london at his school a few years back and train in Chi Chung under one of his students for six months. Me and my sister watch a Chi Chung display his school put on. i watch in amazement when he got a 22 stone student to charge him. With a slight flick of his hip launch him of the stage ) getting back to left hand right hand when i ask, he stared intently at me and said he might let me now after ten years training! Then he smiled and said it tradition. I will repeat that, yes it tradition(bit of a let down really).
Dave Lynne Thanks! :) It sounds like Master Lam has a good sense of humor. ha ha Yes, my master also teaches that it is a Qigong tradition based on Yin/Yang theory. Since the male body and the right side are considered Yang, male practitioners place the right hand over the left to match their Yang hand with their Yang body type. The female body is considered yin and the left side is also considered Yin, which is why female practitioners place their left hand on top of their right, as their dominant (covering) hand. I have heard other masters say that, because everyone's body is unique and one rule doesn't work for everyone, the truly important thing is to listen to your body's energy flow and place the hand on top that feels most natural and allows your body's energy to flow smoothly. But I feel like the tradition is, if nothing else, a good starting point for people who are new to Qigong and are not yet accustomed to listening to their energy flow. Thank you very much for sharing. :) It's always a pleasure to hear of the skill, personality, and wisdom skilled masters.
great job but you should smile to draw in positive calming energy it works a treat!! smile at difficult events or people or organs in your body or painful or tense arrears
Great question! The simple answer is no. This sequence is from the Jin Gang Li Gong Zhan Zhuang practice. Guo Shifu (the master from whom I learned this version of Zhan Zhuang) has established Guo style Wing Chun which incorporates more internal aspects into its training repertoire and he is a 24th generation descendent of the Jin Gang Li Gong system. However, our Jin Gang Li Gong training was distinct from our Wing Chun training, although they did support one another. The Emei 12 Zhuang was not a part of our training. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Have you trained the Emei 12 posts before?
Hi your video have been very helpful for me I am ckd patient and I am sure this will help my kidneys as I also teach yoga and meditation..I am glad I came across your video.my question to you is whether slight bending on knee is required for this?
It's highly recommended since it's not a good idea to stand for a long period of time with your knees locked. It puts more stress on the knees and some people can faint from standing for long periods with their knees locked. If having your knees slightly bent is problematic for you, you could try modifying the instructions to something more like, "stand so that your knees are not locked." It doesn't have to be a big bend, just enough to keep your knees happy and your circulation running smoothly. It can be a very slight bend, but some bend is ideal. I hope that answer was helpful and I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying the videos. I wish you all the best in your training!
AWESOME!!! This is the best explanation of "Standing Like a Post". Thank you Andrew. I have been practicing (5 min. Daily) for a week now and already notice significant improvements and changes. I perform this before my daily cardio and yoga. I was wondering if I diminish any of the benefits of the standing as the first routine in my AM workout? I also recently started the Eight Brocades practice and want to know where that should be sequenced?
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed this video. Practicing Zhan Zhuang before your other training is fine. It's how we started every training day while I was training in China and it's an excellent way to prepare yourself for the day's training. The 8 Brocade set can really be fit where ever it feels best in your workout. From the little I know about your routine I might try fitting it between your cardio and yoga as a bit of a cool-down from the cardio and prep for the yoga, but your body will know where it belongs in your routine. Try practicing the 8 Brocade at different places in your workout and see what flows best with your routine and what feels right to your body and you'll do fine.
Thanks, that is working. Great idea as a cool down/transition. BTW, Is there a limit to how much or how many times a day one can perform "Standing Meditation"? I was thinking of a before sleep addition.
The limit really is what your body/mind can handle comfortably. Standing Qigong is great and people tend to get really excited about it and do more than they can sustain at the beginning, then end up quitting later. I would say focus on long term sustainability (in other words make sure that whatever training expectations you're setting for yourself are realistic with your other daily responsibilities and can be continued for the foreseeable future) and listen to your body as far as how much is too much for you. Some people find that standing Qigong increases their mental alertness and makes it difficult for them to fall asleep, others find that it calms their mind and allows them to fall asleep more easily. I'd say you're just going to have to try it to see which of those two categories you fall into.
so i added it to b4 bed and it seems to help. one difference is that night practice my hands/wrists feel a lot heavier than morning practice. i'm up to 13 mins per session - not wanting to do too much too soon. i can feel the chi build in my hands and wrists. i imagine it flowing in the lao gung point and attempt to channel the chi through the pericardium meridian and it only collects in the hands & at the wrists w/o going further. how does one move it to the lower dantien? (i tried different arms positions e.g. low middle high to no avail) thanks.
After further reading in "The Search of Wu", I found the following: "10. Concerning people suffering from insomnia and more generally practitioner planning their post standing exercise before sleeping, there are two categories of possible scenarios: a. Just after ending the post standing session, If one will rapidly fall asleep: one belongs to the “apathetic” type. In this case one can practice post standing just before going to bed. b. After post standing one will be rather excited: one belongs to the “nervous” type. In this case the best option is to practice 2-3 hours before sleeping, so that one will have around 1-2 hours to rest, slow down one’s excitement and prepare to a normal sleeping process." which is completely in line what you wrote Andrew.
Andrew Plitt WOW! Your 27 years old! I thought you were way younger! In your experience is the third position holding the balloon in front of the belly a more powerful version then second position holding the balloon in front of chest? I don't have a Zhan Zhang teacher around so I count on the book and your videos. : )
Monkeyland03 Well I'm glad to hear that my videos have helped. :) In my experience the third posture of holding the balloon in front of the belly is often considered a "more advanced" posture, but I wouldn't necessarily call it more powerful. Both the second and third postures serve different functions and their degree of “powerfulness” depends on what you are hoping to accomplish. Usually a person will start in a wuji (empty) stance focusing on alignment with their hands crossed on their lower belly. This gives them a feel for the proper alignment without the distraction of hand positions or energy flow. They will usually progress from this point to holding the ball in front of the chest, where they must learn to maintain good structure by using their intent to lead their energy to support their structure. Eventually you will feel like your structure is being supported by your internal energy, the way a fire hose is supported by the water moving through it. This is an aspect of the internal firmness that supports the external softness that is talked about in Tai Chi and it is one of the reasons that variations of this posture are used as a key training component in internal martial arts. It not only allows you to gather energy into your lower Dantain, but it also, somewhat automatically, teaches you to connect your lower Dantian's energy with the rest of your body in a useful way. In that respect, holding the balloon in front of your chest is a very powerful posture. Holding the balloon in front of the lower belly is usually taught later, after maintaining structure in the second posture can be performed with ease, because it is far easier to hold the third posture with bad structure and not realize due to the fact that the arms are in a lower, easier-to-support position. However, if your structure is bad in the "second" posture, your shoulders, back, neck, knees, etc. will let you know fairly quickly. The reason some people refer to the third posture as being more powerful is that it is used for directing energy into the lower Dantian and is very useful for building your internal energy. In respect to gathering internal energy into the lower belly, the third posture is, in my experience, more powerful. But that energy will not be as useful to you if you haven't first established yourself in the second posture before proceeding to the third posture. I hope that answers your question and I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. The past few weeks have been very, very busy for me. I wish you the best in your training.
Thank you for the video! Is this a good starting positions if you are a first time learner of this great ancient wisdom (question). I felt a great heat being generated. I'm unfit now, no muscles, no balance, 55 years on the way. My goal is to find strength in mind and body a a way of connecting to the "source" for guidance, since I'm cannot hold too much information at once.
You're more than welcome! I'm glad to hear that you liked this video. This is an excellent starting position, however, if you find that it is a little too much, you can always stand with your hands crossed over your lower belly until you feel very comfortable with that, then incorporate this posture (with the arms in front of you like you're hugging a big ball) in short increments, then slowly increase those increments until you can hold this posture for longer periods of time. Most Qi Gong practitioners consider Standing Post (Zhan Zhuang) Qi Gong to be the most important Qi Gong to practice on a regular basis for health, enlightenment, and marital arts internal power development. I wish you all the best in your training!
Can i do this before practicing microcosmic Orbit? Currently I am doing microcosmic Orbit should these help me to open my microcosmic Orbit? If you when should I do this before or after microcosmic Orbit? Please answer this it will be a great help 🙏
surely with the toes pointed in it puts massive pressure on you knees and damage them, I was always taught to always have the feet parallel with the knees no further than your toes.
+David Fountain There are different was of doing the Zhan Zhuang and it's always important to listen to your body when you are doing any type of Qigong practice to see if the methods you are using are right for you. The trick to keeping this stance safe for your knees is to keep your toes and knees lined up (which requires you to turn the legs inward from the hip. Not by just turning the feet in or pressing the knees inward, which would cause a lot of torque through the legs and knees.) and making sure that you do not push the knees past the toes. Also, it is not necessary to turn your feet really far inward. Just a slight inward turn will do. When it is done correctly it is not painful or damaging. The master from which I learned this practice has been doing it since he was very young and his knees and legs are incredibly strong and powerful, even though he uses a deeper stance than the one I demonstrate in this video. However, as I said before, the most important thing is to listen to one's body. If one feels uncomfortable while practicing this with his/her toes turned in, then she/he would probably be better off to practice with the toes pointing forward. The toes pointing in is not mandatory for this practice, it is simply an energy conserving stance (that is recommended in this particular version of Zhan Zhuang), compared to an energy neutral stance (toes forward), or an energy releasing stance (toes outward). Thanks for the comment! :)
Sorry for reviving a year old comment... but I'm glad you said to rotate the legs inward from the hip and not from the knee. Another side effect is that it opens the 'gate of life' (i forget chinese term) that is on your backside in between the kidneys. When I do the toes inward (and its just slightly inward...only a toe-print difference) and a slight lean forward from the hip (only used in certain Zhan Zhuang) there is a lot of heat in that lower back and its awesome. Nice video series, btw, Andrew.
From a few minutes per session, I quickly worked up to 60 minutes per session. I did that for 3 months straight. It was relatively easy, but there were testy moments. However, I experienced insomnia and other symptoms of overtraining (general weakness and soreness). Any idea what went wrong? Too much, too fast? What exactly was being overtrained? My ligaments and tendons?
+James Taylor Jr Usually too much of anything too quickly is not a good training plan. It's sometimes difficult to limit your training when it comes to Qigong because it can be so refreshing, calming, and exhilarating all at once, but it is always best to pace yourself. Any new physical or mental activity requires changes in your body that will take time. If you don't give your body time to adjust, you will be imbalanced. If I were you, I would back off on the training time a little and make sure I gave myself plenty of time to cool down after each session. When you do Qigong, your body and mind are both working in ways to which they are not accustomed. You're changing your posture, you're changing your breathing, you're changing the energy flow in your whole system, you're changing how you use your brain and maintaining focus for a long period of time, not to mention exerting a great deal of will power to maintain the posture, focus, etc. over an extended training session. These things all become easier with time and your body will adjust, but it's best to give your body time to make those adjustments. I hope that helps and I wish you all the best with your training! :)
similar thing happen to me as I started attending an advance class and was shown positions like holding the tiger. I had built up to an hour practice in the basic five positions so was eager to move on. the advance positions add more stress and move the chi to different areas. go deeper stay longer and start to emphasis more body weight to either side eventually being able to balance on one leg. this is a progressive system and three months is a bit quick for your body to adjust to an hour.as in my case instead of doing a few minute at the end of my practice in the more stressful positions i started straight away on an hour in advance positions and started to feel like I had run a marathon, was getting ratty and over tied. It does vary from person to person, how fit you are and your age. Just cut back and gradually build your time.
Jim Taylor there are five basic stances . the way of energy and youtube stand still be fit show the five positions. the way of energy show how to warm up and goes from wu chi on to the five positions and some mind exercise and chapters on things from secondary involuntary muscle . master lams book walking chi king has quite a bit of theory and as some has already mentioned an older book way of power explains the martial arts and theory. but please build gradually as you need your body and mind to adjust you can get over yang or to much ying an hour is mac then start including advanced exercises and some power testing it a good idea to test your rooting with some one else . at the core of the martial application is push hands to build sensitivity . but you can do tai chi ball on your own which is the recommend exercise to do in between sessions to build strength and stamina I use 3kg medicine ball as good for my back. I have osteoarthritis and I can attest to the effectiveness of qi gong energy work hope that helpfull
Gratidão..poderia me responder.. !) Pode fazer a postura ouvindo alguma musica de relaxamento. 2) AS vezes tenho a sensação de estar caindo, desligo totalmente... namastê
Olá, fico feliz em responder a perguntas. Eu não entendo sua segunda pergunta. Vou apenas responder à primeira pergunta aqui. Você pode ouvir música enquanto pratica, se isso o ajudar a se concentrar. No entanto, você quer trabalhar no sentido de não usar música. É melhor limitar a quantidade de distrações externas durante a prática. Limitar as distrações externas ajudará você a se concentrar no que está acontecendo internamente. Espero que ajude. Fique seguro e saudável. (Hello, I am happy to answer questions. I don't understand your second question. I will just answer the first question here. You can listen to music while you practice if it helps you focus. However, you want to work towards not using music. It is best to limit the amount of external distractions when you are practicing. Limiting distractions outside will help you focus on what is happening inside. I hope that helps. Stay safe and heathy. )
@@nelson.sonhador9075 Entendo. Em primeiro lugar, gostaria de dizer que não sou médico de um profissional médico e é melhor falar com um médico se você estiver preocupado com alguma coisa que esteja passando. Qualquer sensação de queda, tontura ou perda de equilíbrio deve definitivamente ser avaliada por um médico. É melhor consultar um profissional de saúde para certificar-se de que não há nada com que se preocupar. Se o médico não encontrar nada de preocupante, conversar com um médico de medicina chinesa, acupunturista ou instrutor de Qigong com quem você possa trabalhar pessoalmente é o próximo melhor passo. Eles podem ajudá-lo a descobrir se há algo específico em sua prática de Qigong que precisa ser ajustado. Além disso, você quer ter certeza de não travar os joelhos, prender a respiração, manter a tensão no peito (ou em qualquer outro lugar do corpo, incluindo pernas, abdômen, plexo solar etc.) ou manter a postura correta de exaustão enquanto taining. Você também não quer respirar muito rápido ou muito devagar. Existem muitas coisas diferentes que podem causar uma sensação de tontura ou perda de equilíbrio. Por isso, é melhor trabalhar com um médico e com alguém que possa observar, pessoalmente, como você está treinando e dar sugestões com base no que observar. Espero que ajude. Fique seguro e saudável! (I see. First of all I want to say that I am not a docotor of medical professional and it is best to talk to a doctor if you are concerned about anything you are experiencing. Any sensations of falling, dizziness, or loss of balance should definitely be evaluated by a doctor. It is best to have a health care professional make sure there is nothing to be concerned about. If the doctor does not find anything concerning, talking to a Chinese medicine doctor, acupuncturist, or a Qigong instructor that you can work with in-person is the next best step. They can help you figure out if there is something specific to your Qigong practice that needs to be adjusted. Additionally, you want to make sure you do not lock your knees, hold your breath, hold tension in your chest (or anywhere else in your body including your legs, abdomen, solar plexus, etc.), or hold the posture to the point of exhaustion while taining. You also do not want to breathe too rapidly or too slowly. There are many different things that can lead to a sensation of lightheadedness or loss of balance. That is why it is best to work with a doctor and with someone that can observe, in-person, how you are training and offer suggestions based on what they observe. I hope that helps. Stay safe and healthy!)
@@AndrewPlitt que disse é qundo estou na posição d arvore é normal esta situação, não tenho problemas..é que desligo totalment enesta posição e como tambem em meditação..desligo totalmenete é mais forte do que eu
Hi Michael, if that is what your teacher recommends, it is probably best to follow their instruction. I never recommend that people go against their teacher's instruction to follow my instruction. That said, the question brings up a much larger discussion about a person's anatomical sex versus their gender and whether their qi flow more closely matches their anatomy or their identity. I think establishing hard and fast rules about such things ignores the incredible variability among humans. In all honesty, the only person who can really decide which hand belongs on top is the person practicing. Traditionally, according to my training, the hands are placed as instructed in this video, but that ignores more complex issues of how a person's identity is influenced by their energy flow (if you believe in energy like qi) or how much their energy flow influences their identity. It additionally ignores the degree to which that interplay effects, or is effected by, physical anatomy/physiology. That said, if someone really does not know which hand to place on top to ideally match their unique make-up, I would recommend trying it both ways to see which way better represents their internal terrain. I wish you all the best in your training.
The best thing to do is to find an instructor that can work with you in-person. That way they can observe your practice and help you adjust what needs to be adjusted. Generally when the quads are tense it has to do with shifting the weight too far forward onto the ball of the foot or tucking the sacrum too far under the body when trying to remove excess curvature from the low back (which also tends to push the weight forward onto the toes). Another common cause of excess quad activation is pushing forward at the inguinal crease, rather than folding the inguinal crease inward. This is often caused because too much outward (away from center) rotational force is being sent through the legs unintentionally. If only one side is feeling this, it can be due to imbalance in your structure that is causing you to compensate with the right quads, or it could be that both quads are equally over-activated, but your awareness is more drawn to your right side for any number of reasons. Those are all places to look when you are analyzing your structure as you practice, but without working with you in-person, there is no way for me to know which one of these issues are coming into play. I would recommend watching my "Qigong Basics" playlist. I am still posting videos to it because it is not yet complete, but the videos that discuss the correct weight distribution on the feet and the correct structure and intention in the lower body are all available. It might help you sort out what is going on with your right quad muscles if you do not have a skilled instructor to train with in-person. Here is the link to the Qigong Basics playlist : th-cam.com/play/PLAzIKxB72CMCOedDLawWEphjNqWWbMEbL.html. Stay safe and healthy!
Anything that is comfortable and interferes minimally with your feet and body structure. Barefoot is ideal, but I often wear Feiyue wushu trainers when I practice this outside.
HI, thanks so much for posting this. I've tried this for years, but I can NEVER sleep after doing it, even if I do it in the early morning. WHY is this? "Everyone" says Standing is great (& it's easy), but not being able to sleep afterwards (or knowing why this is or what to do about it otr than taking melatonin to sleep) makes me crazy. Can you help? Many thanks for ANY suggestions! /Glenn
+Glenn Allen The best advice I can give you is to find a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor or Acupuncturist to have them balance/clear you meridians. Then if you can find a Qigong instructor to talk to in person, so they observe your practice, they may uncover some errors in your training of which you are not aware. Often, a practice like Zhan Zhuang can stimulate your brain and body in ways they are not used to and it can be very invigorating. Sometimes mental disturbances, sleep disruption, and excessive energy are experienced while your mind and body are adjusting to your new Qigong training, but it is not common and usually indicates some other problem that could be best addressed by one of the above mentioned professionals. However, there are some things you can try. The first is learning to let go. After you practice you often will feel like you are bursting with energy...it's almost an energy high....don't dwell on this feeling. Acknowledge it, then let it go and go about your day. Don't let it be the only motivation for your practice and don't focus on it after practice. If you take time after your practice to release this feeling from your focus, it may keep your mind from inadvertently causing energy imbalances within your body. Also, be careful about obsessing. Qigong is cool and exciting and it can be tempting to obsess a bit about your practice and energy and what your daily activities are doing to your energy flow. These are things that are good to be aware of, but not to obsess over. Obsessive thoughts lead to imbalance. If, when you are trying to sleep you feel that your mind is what is keeping you awake (excess thoughts that won't stop), then try a little exercise to see how your practice is effecting your thought processes. Get a journal, then practice Zhan Zhuang, make notes of your thoughts (How you were think about things as well as what you were thinking about) and sensations before practice. After practice note thoughts and sensations that you experienced during practice, then every few hours up until bed time make similar notes. When you can't sleep, again, note your thoughts and sensations. The next day don't practice Zhan Zhuang, but do keep track of your thoughts and sensations every day until you return to feeling and sleeping normal. After you are back to normal, compare your normal thoughts with your post-Qigong thoughts. How are they similar? How are they different? What mental exercises can you do after Qigong to help your thought patterns return to a normal state before attempting to sleep? If, when you are trying to sleep you feel like you are just too full of energy to sleep, but an over-active mind is not the problem, then you can try ignoring the sensation of energy while you are practicing and focus more on your structure and relaxation. Continue to do so until your body adjusts and is better able to manage the amount of energy with which it is dealing, then slowly allow yourself to be more aware of the energy, but don't focus on it and certainly don't try to direct it. Often disturbances arise because students try to focus on moving energy on purpose before they are ready and before they have developed the proper awareness of their body's energy to do so without negatively effecting things. If when you practice you are trying to move energy in your body or focus it in a specific area, perhaps stop for a while and go back to a more basic mental state of awareness, relaxation, and structural awareness. Your body knows what to do to fix imbalances, often, the only thing it needs is for us to stop getting in the way. Anytime a person is experiencing adverse effects of any training practice, it is a clear sign that they need to stop trying to make things happen, quiet their preconceived ideas of how a thing should be done, and listen to what there body is telling them is the proper way to do a thing. If one doesn't know how to do that, it is a clear sign that they are not ready to do anything other than learn how to do listen. Take it back to this basic always, and you can self correct many errors. However, finding a qualified teacher that can work with you one on one will simplify and speed up this process. I don't know your history, training experience, specific practices, lifestyle, etc., so I am generalizing a lot here, but I hope at least some of those possible approaches will help steer you in the right direction.
+Glenn Allen Another way to improve your quality of sleep/ability to fall asleep is to practice laying down meditation and sitting meditation throughout the day as well. Laying down meditation can be something as simple as a body scan.
I don't know, I think you're getting away from the genius of it, the absolute simplicity of the stand... because it's the stand that'll work you, not the "rub here, exhale here, inhale as the arms come down or maybe come up" or whatever. Don't overthink it. And when you're done, you're done. I start with 5 minutes of undifferentiated unity (wuji), then Embrace The Tree and maybe 4 or 5 others over a period of half an hour or so and I JUST SPEND THAT TIME RELAXING DEEPER AND DEEPER, RELAXING EVERY MUSCLE NOT INVOLVED IN ACTUALLY STANDING... AND THEN RELAXING THEM; SINKING (SONG)... which may sound simple but isn't... and yet is: just one thing: opening, releasing tension, sinking. The chi will teach your body how to relax itself. Don't force it, don't complicate it. Anyway, that's my take.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I am glad to hear that you are enjoying your training so much and I wish you all the best in your training. Stay safe and healthy!
Andrew Plitt The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise [Kam Chuen Lam] It is one of the best books on Zhan Zhuang written. Are you considered a master of Zhan Zhuang?
Monkeyland03 Hmm, that’s quite the review. Ha ha I’ll have to check it out. I’m not much of one for titles, but I do practice regularly and my master in China felt I had reached a level at which I could instruct others. But I suppose it’s hard to ever feel like a true “master” when you have trained with someone who is so skilled.
Good Morning, Andrew! I have the feet of the arch a little sunk inwards (pronation?) Should I use a tennis shoe, or is it ok to be barefoot (doing the extra-work of pulling the arch upwards?
Well, I'm not a doctor yet and a doctor would be better suited to answer that question. I can say that if it were me, I would start practicing barefoot for short intervals, then put on shoes when it became uncomfortable to hold my arches up. I would try to slowly increase the amount of time that I could practice barefoot until my feet and ankles were strong enough to do so without having to consciously think about it. However, the most important thing is to always listen to your body. The goal is always improvement and never injury. I wish you all the best! :)
To cope with that in Zhan Zhuang, just simply remember to scan your awareness through your feet as well as the rest of your body. If you hold 4 balance points in the foot...inside and outside of heel, and inside and outside of ball of foot...that has helped me. My experience...5 years of Zhan Zhuang standing and a lifetime of pronation of the foot. (aka metatarsal pronation).
Hi Molly, That's a great question. The reason is because in traditional Qigong theory the male body and the right hand are both considered more "yang", while the female body and the left hand are both considered more "yin". Therefore, the males place their more "yang" right hand on top as the dominant hand to reflect the "yang" dominance in their body. Conversely, females place their more "yin" left hand on top as the dominant hand to reflect the "yin" dominance in their body. Perspectives have shifted since those traditional Qigong theories were formed, however, and many Qigong practitioners do not hold to those traditional practices as strongly anymore. Typically, the best thing to do is start with the traditional hand placement and practice for a while until you can feel a difference when you switch the hands. Then you can decide which way works better for you. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for the question. I wish you all the best in your training.
@@ntasou9ek211 That is a great question! Thank you for taking the time to ask it. The original thought process was to hold the hands in a way that compliments the dominant energy of the body, based on the body type (female-bodied vs. male-bodied). In the beginning of training it is not usually possible for people to tell a difference of having one hand in front versus the other and it is more important to focus on more foundational things like developing awareness of the lower dan tian, etc. After that has been cultivated and a practitioner begins to become more aware of the more subtle aspects of their practice, things like hand placement make a more noticeable difference. Typically, it is best to wait until that stage to try any variations on the traditional way of practicing because you will be able to tell if it is counter productive in your own body or not. I encourage students to start with the hand position that matches their body (unless that does not match their gender and it causes discomfort to do so) and not to worry too much about it until they have gained enough sensitivity to tell a difference. Each body is different and traditions offer us a good, safe starting place where we can develop our abilities until we can begin to safely personalize our practice. All of that to say, there is no way of knowing if that will be counterproductive for you until you have spent the time developing the basics to reach a point where you can tell for yourself. I know that is not a super useful answer, but I hope it helps. Stay safe and healthy!
This is a really good intro to Zhan Zhuang (a.k.a. pole standing) as it gives clear instructions and a "pattern" to adhere to daily. For the uninitiated, the area below the belly that Andrew is referring to is what the Chinese call the "Dantian" or "Dantien" where you gather qi energy. It's kinda metaphysical, but just go with it. Also, from Chen Xiawang's tutorial video on silk reeling, there's some guidance on how many times you should massage the Dantian-24 times clockwise then 24 times counter-clockwise. Last thing is, if you want to increase the difficulty of this exercise a little to help strengthen your leg muscles, you may try sitting down a bit more instead of just plain standing while doing the 90 breaths. Imagine a "balloon chair" like what Master Lam mentions.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing the info! Yes, massaging both clockwise and counterclockwise is a good way to practice. As for the number of times, I've heard varying numbers depending on the source. Anything from 8 circles in each direction, to 36 circles in each direction. That's why I didn't specify in this video. I think the body intuitively knows the number of circles that are best for you and it's better to listen to your body than to blindly adhere to one specific magic number. However, when you're beginning your training, it can be very helpful to have a specific number to adhere to until you have learned how to listen to your body. I think that both Master Chen Xiaowang's and Master Lam's information on Zhan Zhuang is incredibly useful and I appreciate you mentioning them here to help direct people toward some very solid resources.! :)
Sifu Andrew, another question about zhan zhuang, if you don't mind: may I stand with my back against a wall to correct my posture and keep my back straight? Although this takes the stress off somewhat because I'm already leaning on the wall, is this something I can do temporarily until I get the feel for a straight body? Or would you advise otherwise? Thanks!
Yes, various sensations like warmth, cold, tingling, and fullness (among other things) are common occurrences in qigong practice. They tend to come and go. Don't get too focused on them, just focus on maintaining good training habits. They usually signal an opening of a blockage in a meridian, or an imbalance that is being corrected through training. The first time I was in China, one of the students I trained with would have the index finger of his left hand turn icy cold during qigong training. It was the weirdest thing to me because it wasn't just cool to the touch, it felt like he had been holding it in a freezer. The masters just told him to continue his training because the training would fix the problem and after a few months it went away and he never had a problem with it again. If the warmth at K1 is causing discomfort, though, it might be worth checking your alignment, training habits, and maybe considering reducing the amount of training you do for a while. It's always best to listen to your body. Thanks for the comment! I wish you all the best in your training!
Dear Mrs. Andrew Plitt, A comprehensive presentation giving too much details to focus on., a beginner can NEVER achieve. Beginners are anot to beee required so many external and internal points to focus. One outside-posture, another one for breathing. Perfection comes only with practice. YOur beginner students need to know only the main aspects- usually stance and breathing. Best regards. Paul, age 64, retired istructor of goju -ryu Karate, still making use of Tai-chi for relaxation .
Wow! Over 5,000 views! Thank you all so much! I'm very pleased to see that so many people are enjoying this video. :) I hope you all are blessed and your lives are improved in some way with the info shared in this video.
Finding good and reliable info isn't easy always. And free good info is much harder to find. I just want to thank you for uploading all this knowledge to youtube to being at the reach of everybody.
It's my pleasure. Knowledge doesn't help anybody if it's not shared. ;) I wish you the best in your training.
Andrew Plitt may all beings benefit
Your videos are still bringing beautiful value, thank you so much 😊.
@@aimane3375 glad to hear they are making a difference for people. :)
Just found your wonderful Zhan Zhuang routine. Thanks for teaching it in 2014 and keeping it available on TH-cam! I highly respect Master Lam's TH-cam videos and books, but right now I'm doing my learning mainly from Mark Cohen's videos (on TH-cam, and then his DVD). I'm getting started with Zhan Zhuang late (65 yrs old), but already feeling benefits and will be keeping it up from now on. By the way, I love your body's standing alignment with the Taiji Circle!
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed this video so much and are experiencing so many benefits from your practice. I wish you all the best in your training!
GOOD
A very well structured introduction to this life changing discipline
Thank you Andrew. Thats wonderful. Please keep posting good stuff.
I did not expected that I will find this “style” Qi gong on youtube. I have been taught this style in china as well. Posture, moves and sequence are identical. Thank you for your great videos.
+Marcin J That's too cool! Where in China did you learn it? Glad to hear you liked the video. :)
+Andrew Plitt Here www.chineseshaolins.com/ Video helped to understand everything. Becouse translators know only basic English and often was a problem with communication and shifu was too busy to correct students. That's why I didn't do correctly some parts of meditation. Once more thank you.
+Marcin J ha ha That's where I learned it too! From Guo Shifu. When I was there the class sizes weren't super huge except during the summer months, so it was pretty easy to get more personal instruction and most of the translators did a good job. When you were there were the translators fairly new?
+Andrew Plitt I've started practice Qigong in the summer :) Translators changed quite often. Even native English speakers sometimes had problems to get correct answer for more complicated questions.
I feel amazing. Thank you very much 💖
I am so glad to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know. :)
Just stumbled on this. Thnx fella ...appreciated.
I hav never felt like this before...doing these moves first time n it really feels amazing.....thnx for the video
You are very welcome. I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it so much.
This is awesome! I almost never comment on videos but I signed in specifically to thank you. As for the discussion above. I have also read 'The Way Of Energy' and have used that to aid my (admittedly sporadic :) ) practice and I can heartily recommend it. Many thanks!
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this video so much and I appreciate you letting me know. Thank you for your recommendation of "The Way of Energy." I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it is on my list of books to read as soon as possible. :) Best of luck with your Qigong training! :)
Just starting to get into Qi Gong and Tai Chi. Thanks for all the great videos! Very easy to follow, very informative...
I am glad to hear that they are helpful for you. What got you interested in Tai Chi and Qi Gong?
@@AndrewPlitt I've been a student of the dao for a long time, and it finally seems like an appropriate step.
I wish you all the best in your training during this stage of your journey.
Звучи страхотно!Ще опитам
I have been practicing San Ti Shi for some months now, and up until the last month or so, the fatigue from the duration used to give me a very rapid heart rate, almost like anxiety. But that has now subsided, and I am now much calmer!
I'm glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing. :)
I'm very grateful for your instructions. Excellent work you've done. Thank you ever so much from Judith in Copenhagen, Denmark.
You're more than welcome. I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying the videos so much.
Thank you so much for this
Greetings Andrew,
Thank you so much for offering us these wonderful classes in Z.Z. !
You did a great job explaining it all. I look forward to getting healthier with your
videos and more healthy lifestyle changes.
Thank you,
Emily
+Jessica Marx you're more than welcome! :) I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying them so much!
del8budd Monkeyland03 musclesmalone - I just wanted to let you guys know that I finally got my hands on a copy of the "Way of Energy" and, while I haven't had a chance to read through it in depth, I have skimmed through it and really enjoyed what I saw. Even though there are obvious variations from the way I learned, the principles are the same and it has excellent information. I would definitely recommend it to anyone practicing Zhan Zhuang. I'm looking forward to the summer break when I'll have a chance to spend a little more time reading it. Thanks for letting me know about it. :)
Andrew Plitt What do you think of the full body circle of doing 5 minutes in each of the five positions in 'The Way Of Energy'? It said it should ideally be done by advice of an instructor'. Is it because it is dangerous in your opinion?
Monkeyland03 It looked like a very good practice. Some of the postures are similar to postures that I use in another Qigong set. To be honest, I feel that any skill can be better learned under the supervision of an instructor and it is possible that Master Lam simply sees the other postures as more difficult than the basic posture to do correctly without supervision. I don’t know what his personal reasons were for making that statement and I don’t recall any clarification in the book either, but there are a few reasons he may have said that, other than the improved practice gained by working with an instructor.
There are extremely varied opinions on the safety of Qigong practices and what can be the consequences of incorrect practice. If we start by looking at the physical dangers of incorrect practice we are looking at, predominately, straining of the joints caused by incorrect structure (including, of course, the joints between the vertebrae). Proper alignment is absolutely necessary for safe practice, however, the pain caused by improper alignment will usually cause a person to self-adjust their alignment or discontinue practice before any real damage can be done. Usually more basic standing postures are ones in which it is easier to find good alignment, like the wuji posture with which most qigong sets and internal martial art sets begin. When you are standing with your arms hanging at your side or hands crossed on the lower belly it is far easier to find good alignment that allows you to relax into a well supported posture than when your arms are engaged in a more complex position. That is because you only have to focus on your lower body and spine in a wuji stance, but as soon as you lift your arms you have to pay attention to maintaining a good structure with your arms and spine and lower body, while your arms are in a position that can easily pull you out of alignment or cause you to build excess tension in your structure (which usually comes about when one tries to force alignment rather than relax into the correct alignment). For instance the “standard” Zhan Zhuang stance (which I think Master Lam referred to as “holding the ball”) is a very basic position, but as soon as the arms are raised out of the wuji posture, most new students have the tendency to rock the upper body backwards to counter balance the arms. That counter balancing will train them in bad structure, which will become a problem in martial techniques, because proper structure leads to more efficient techniques. It also puts a lot of extra strain on the lower back, which is an area where people generally don’t need any extra strain. When a student progresses to a more advanced posture, such as the “Fifth Posture” in Master Lam’s full circle, rather than align the body to offer support from the root up to the arms, it is very common for them to bring the shoulders up much higher than they need to be, to lean back (again causing strain on the lower back), or to push the whole body forward to where the knees are significantly out past the toes (which can cause a great deal of strain on the knees and lead to knee problems if not corrected). The difficult part in training without an instructor’s supervision is that it is very easy to slip into any of those, or other, errors without knowing it, because new students are generally not sensitive enough to tell when they are out of alignment. Usually, by the time a student reaches more advanced postures, though, they have been training long enough to be able to recognize the misalignments. Misalignments in the spine can put pressure on nerves that are traveling into or out of the spinal column and, depending on the extent of the misalignment, can potentially interfere with brain/body communication, leading to reduced sensitivity and control of the body….which is the opposite of what one desires from Qigong practice. Although, I’m sure the misalignment would have to be very severe to lead to such a consequence and most people would probably catch it themselves before it got that far.
There is also the possibility of developing energetic/mental imbalances through incorrect practice, the safety net of having an instructor is that she or he will be able help you avoid those imbalances, and help you correct them if they do come up. If you are adhering to the basic principles taught in Master Lam’s book, I would be surprised if this were to become an issue.
The most important thing with any Qigong practice is to develop a very aware “internal-ear” that is constantly listening to the messages your body is sending. If one stays humble and never assume that she or he is 100% correct in his or her practice, and is always willing to listen for corrections while practicing, she or he will usually be able to avoid most potential problems. But if one gets stuck in dogmatism and insists that his or her way is the only correct way, it sets one up to ignore clear messages from the body in favor of a preconceived idea. My advice is, always be willing to learn new ideas and always collect your information for a wide range of sources. I hope that answers your question. I wish you all the best in your training!
Andrew Plitt Thank you so much for all of this! Also I am sure that everyone else will benefit from it also! I am so glad that I came to your TH-cam channel!
You're more than welcome. I'm glad you stopped by too and I hope the videos here continue to be helpful for you. :)
GOOD
Excellent video, I`m so pleased I came across it. Thanks
I'm glad to hear it. :)
Standing meditation kicks my brain tumors ass. Gad Levy got me hooked.
Great explanation!
Glad to hear you liked it!
hi Andrew thanks for your wonderful tutorials. if you have a video on the microcosmic orbit or the macrosmic orbit and how can you combine it with the zhan zhuang standing meditation. thanks for your help 😊
Thanks Andrew
for some stupid reason after a year and a half I took a break coming up to Christmas 2016. Have found it hard to restart I was practicing an hour a day and doing some other Qigong exercises for my back using a 3kg medicine ball based on some basic Tia chi ball.
work a treat then stop.
found the reason I was having trouble restarting was I was trying to hard. I had read this advice and also been told that if you stop for a while you drop your time and build up again. If you stop for months as I did start again at the beginning.
Everyone hits training gaps from time to time. The important thing is that your getting back into it. Keep going! :)
you're*
Dziękujemy.
Cieszę się, że ci się podobało. Dziękuję za wsparcie!
Sounds authentic to me. Thanks
This looks great! I hope you are maintaining the channel.
I'm glad to hear you like it. I post things when I can and reply to comments when I can, but I haven't been able to do so very consistently lately. I'm hoping to have another video or 2 up within the next 2-3 months, though. So stay tuned for that. I wish you all the best in your training.
I subscribed and look forward to your new videos
Thanks for that, very helpful
🙂🙏🏼
You are very welcome. :) I am glad to hear that it was helpful for you.
I forgot great video Andrew PS i ask master Lam, yes the Master Lam about the right and left hand thing.( I attend some beginner classes in zhan zhuang in london at his school a few years back and train in Chi Chung under one of his students for six months. Me and my sister watch a Chi Chung display his school put on. i watch in amazement when he got a 22 stone student to charge him. With a slight flick of his hip launch him of the stage ) getting back to left hand right hand when i ask, he stared intently at me and said he might let me now after ten years training! Then he smiled and said it tradition. I will repeat that, yes it tradition(bit of a let down really).
Dave Lynne Thanks! :) It sounds like Master Lam has a good sense of humor. ha ha Yes, my master also teaches that it is a Qigong tradition based on Yin/Yang theory. Since the male body and the right side are considered Yang, male practitioners place the right hand over the left to match their Yang hand with their Yang body type. The female body is considered yin and the left side is also considered Yin, which is why female practitioners place their left hand on top of their right, as their dominant (covering) hand. I have heard other masters say that, because everyone's body is unique and one rule doesn't work for everyone, the truly important thing is to listen to your body's energy flow and place the hand on top that feels most natural and allows your body's energy to flow smoothly. But I feel like the tradition is, if nothing else, a good starting point for people who are new to Qigong and are not yet accustomed to listening to their energy flow. Thank you very much for sharing. :) It's always a pleasure to hear of the skill, personality, and wisdom skilled masters.
awesome video
Kok Seng Wong Thank you! I'm glad to hear you liked it. :)
great job but you should smile to draw in positive calming energy it works a treat!! smile at difficult events or people or organs in your body or painful or tense arrears
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for the tip. :)
Is this the Emei Zhan Zhuang 12 posts related to Wing Chun Siu Nim Tao?
Great question! The simple answer is no. This sequence is from the Jin Gang Li Gong Zhan Zhuang practice. Guo Shifu (the master from whom I learned this version of Zhan Zhuang) has established Guo style Wing Chun which incorporates more internal aspects into its training repertoire and he is a 24th generation descendent of the Jin Gang Li Gong system. However, our Jin Gang Li Gong training was distinct from our Wing Chun training, although they did support one another. The Emei 12 Zhuang was not a part of our training. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Have you trained the Emei 12 posts before?
great bro 😊
Andrew, you may find the 'Way of Energy' is out of print but but the lessons from from the author Kam Lam Chuen are on You Tube
Awesome! Thank you for the heads up. I'll definitely look into it. :)
fantastic
Glad to hear that you liked it. :)
Hi your video have been very helpful for me I am ckd patient and I am sure this will help my kidneys as I also teach yoga and meditation..I am glad I came across your video.my question to you is whether slight bending on knee is required for this?
It's highly recommended since it's not a good idea to stand for a long period of time with your knees locked. It puts more stress on the knees and some people can faint from standing for long periods with their knees locked. If having your knees slightly bent is problematic for you, you could try modifying the instructions to something more like, "stand so that your knees are not locked." It doesn't have to be a big bend, just enough to keep your knees happy and your circulation running smoothly. It can be a very slight bend, but some bend is ideal. I hope that answer was helpful and I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying the videos. I wish you all the best in your training!
@@AndrewPlitt thanks for the explanation about bending knees, this is what I am looking for.
🙏
AWESOME!!! This is the best explanation of "Standing Like a Post". Thank you Andrew. I have been practicing (5 min. Daily) for a week now and already notice significant improvements and changes.
I perform this before my daily cardio and yoga. I was wondering if I diminish any of the benefits of the standing as the first routine in my AM workout? I also recently started the Eight Brocades practice and want to know where that should be sequenced?
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed this video. Practicing Zhan Zhuang before your other training is fine. It's how we started every training day while I was training in China and it's an excellent way to prepare yourself for the day's training. The 8 Brocade set can really be fit where ever it feels best in your workout. From the little I know about your routine I might try fitting it between your cardio and yoga as a bit of a cool-down from the cardio and prep for the yoga, but your body will know where it belongs in your routine. Try practicing the 8 Brocade at different places in your workout and see what flows best with your routine and what feels right to your body and you'll do fine.
Thanks, that is working. Great idea as a cool down/transition. BTW, Is there a limit to how much or how many times a day one can perform "Standing Meditation"? I was thinking of a before sleep addition.
The limit really is what your body/mind can handle comfortably. Standing Qigong is great and people tend to get really excited about it and do more than they can sustain at the beginning, then end up quitting later. I would say focus on long term sustainability (in other words make sure that whatever training expectations you're setting for yourself are realistic with your other daily responsibilities and can be continued for the foreseeable future) and listen to your body as far as how much is too much for you. Some people find that standing Qigong increases their mental alertness and makes it difficult for them to fall asleep, others find that it calms their mind and allows them to fall asleep more easily. I'd say you're just going to have to try it to see which of those two categories you fall into.
so i added it to b4 bed and it seems to help. one difference is that night practice my hands/wrists feel a lot heavier than morning practice. i'm up to 13 mins per session - not wanting to do too much too soon. i can feel the chi build in my hands and wrists. i imagine it flowing in the lao gung point and attempt to channel the chi through the pericardium meridian and it only collects in the hands & at the wrists w/o going further. how does one move it to the lower dantien? (i tried different arms positions e.g. low middle high to no avail) thanks.
After further reading in "The Search of Wu", I found the following:
"10. Concerning people suffering from insomnia and more generally
practitioner planning their post standing exercise before sleeping, there are two categories of possible scenarios:
a. Just after ending the post standing session, If one will rapidly fall
asleep: one belongs to the “apathetic” type. In this case one can
practice post standing just before going to bed.
b. After post standing one will be rather excited: one belongs to the
“nervous” type. In this case the best option is to practice 2-3 hours
before sleeping, so that one will have around 1-2 hours to rest, slow
down one’s excitement and prepare to a normal sleeping process."
which is completely in line what you wrote Andrew.
I don't know how old you are but Zhan Zhuang must be doing miracles for you because you look 18 or in early 20's.
Monkeyland03 haha well, thank you. I'm actually 28 years old....but I carry myself like I'm 27 and a half. ;)
Andrew Plitt WOW! Your 27 years old! I thought you were way younger! In your experience is the third position holding the balloon in front of the belly a more powerful version then second position holding the balloon in front of chest? I don't have a Zhan Zhang teacher around so I count on the book and your videos. : )
Monkeyland03 Well I'm glad to hear that my videos have helped. :) In my experience the third posture of holding the balloon in front of the belly is often considered a "more advanced" posture, but I wouldn't necessarily call it more powerful. Both the second and third postures serve different functions and their degree of “powerfulness” depends on what you are hoping to accomplish. Usually a person will start in a wuji (empty) stance focusing on alignment with their hands crossed on their lower belly. This gives them a feel for the proper alignment without the distraction of hand positions or energy flow. They will usually progress from this point to holding the ball in front of the chest, where they must learn to maintain good structure by using their intent to lead their energy to support their structure. Eventually you will feel like your structure is being supported by your internal energy, the way a fire hose is supported by the water moving through it. This is an aspect of the internal firmness that supports the external softness that is talked about in Tai Chi and it is one of the reasons that variations of this posture are used as a key training component in internal martial arts. It not only allows you to gather energy into your lower Dantain, but it also, somewhat automatically, teaches you to connect your lower Dantian's energy with the rest of your body in a useful way. In that respect, holding the balloon in front of your chest is a very powerful posture. Holding the balloon in front of the lower belly is usually taught later, after maintaining structure in the second posture can be performed with ease, because it is far easier to hold the third posture with bad structure and not realize due to the fact that the arms are in a lower, easier-to-support position. However, if your structure is bad in the "second" posture, your shoulders, back, neck, knees, etc. will let you know fairly quickly. The reason some people refer to the third posture as being more powerful is that it is used for directing energy into the lower Dantian and is very useful for building your internal energy. In respect to gathering internal energy into the lower belly, the third posture is, in my experience, more powerful. But that energy will not be as useful to you if you haven't first established yourself in the second posture before proceeding to the third posture. I hope that answers your question and I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. The past few weeks have been very, very busy for me. I wish you the best in your training.
Thank you for the video! Is this a good starting positions if you are a first time learner of this great ancient wisdom (question). I felt a great heat being generated. I'm unfit now, no muscles, no balance, 55 years on the way. My goal is to find strength in mind and body a a way of connecting to the "source" for guidance, since I'm cannot hold too much information at once.
You're more than welcome! I'm glad to hear that you liked this video. This is an excellent starting position, however, if you find that it is a little too much, you can always stand with your hands crossed over your lower belly until you feel very comfortable with that, then incorporate this posture (with the arms in front of you like you're hugging a big ball) in short increments, then slowly increase those increments until you can hold this posture for longer periods of time. Most Qi Gong practitioners consider Standing Post (Zhan Zhuang) Qi Gong to be the most important Qi Gong to practice on a regular basis for health, enlightenment, and marital arts internal power development. I wish you all the best in your training!
Thank you!!!!!
My pleasure. :)
Can i do this before practicing microcosmic Orbit? Currently I am doing microcosmic Orbit should these help me to open my microcosmic Orbit? If you when should I do this before or after microcosmic Orbit? Please answer this it will be a great help 🙏
surely with the toes pointed in it puts massive pressure on you knees and damage them, I was always taught to always have the feet parallel with the knees no further than your toes.
+David Fountain There are different was of doing the Zhan Zhuang and it's always important to listen to your body when you are doing any type of Qigong practice to see if the methods you are using are right for you. The trick to keeping this stance safe for your knees is to keep your toes and knees lined up (which requires you to turn the legs inward from the hip. Not by just turning the feet in or pressing the knees inward, which would cause a lot of torque through the legs and knees.) and making sure that you do not push the knees past the toes. Also, it is not necessary to turn your feet really far inward. Just a slight inward turn will do. When it is done correctly it is not painful or damaging. The master from which I learned this practice has been doing it since he was very young and his knees and legs are incredibly strong and powerful, even though he uses a deeper stance than the one I demonstrate in this video.
However, as I said before, the most important thing is to listen to one's body. If one feels uncomfortable while practicing this with his/her toes turned in, then she/he would probably be better off to practice with the toes pointing forward. The toes pointing in is not mandatory for this practice, it is simply an energy conserving stance (that is recommended in this particular version of Zhan Zhuang), compared to an energy neutral stance (toes forward), or an energy releasing stance (toes outward). Thanks for the comment! :)
Sorry for reviving a year old comment... but I'm glad you said to rotate the legs inward from the hip and not from the knee. Another side effect is that it opens the 'gate of life' (i forget chinese term) that is on your backside in between the kidneys. When I do the toes inward (and its just slightly inward...only a toe-print difference) and a slight lean forward from the hip (only used in certain Zhan Zhuang) there is a lot of heat in that lower back and its awesome. Nice video series, btw, Andrew.
this is one way to releax your toes
It feels weird doing this in a good way ima do this on the regular. Bcs I think this will help my wing chun
I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it enough to add it to your regular routine. :)
Thanks!
You're more than welcome. :)
From a few minutes per session, I quickly worked up to 60 minutes per session. I did that for 3 months straight. It was relatively easy, but there were testy moments. However, I experienced insomnia and other symptoms of overtraining (general weakness and soreness). Any idea what went wrong? Too much, too fast? What exactly was being overtrained? My ligaments and tendons?
+James Taylor Jr Usually too much of anything too quickly is not a good training plan. It's sometimes difficult to limit your training when it comes to Qigong because it can be so refreshing, calming, and exhilarating all at once, but it is always best to pace yourself. Any new physical or mental activity requires changes in your body that will take time. If you don't give your body time to adjust, you will be imbalanced. If I were you, I would back off on the training time a little and make sure I gave myself plenty of time to cool down after each session. When you do Qigong, your body and mind are both working in ways to which they are not accustomed. You're changing your posture, you're changing your breathing, you're changing the energy flow in your whole system, you're changing how you use your brain and maintaining focus for a long period of time, not to mention exerting a great deal of will power to maintain the posture, focus, etc. over an extended training session. These things all become easier with time and your body will adjust, but it's best to give your body time to make those adjustments. I hope that helps and I wish you all the best with your training! :)
similar thing happen to me as I started attending an advance class and was shown positions like holding the tiger. I had built up to an hour practice in the basic five positions so was eager to move on. the advance positions add more stress and move the chi to different areas. go deeper stay longer and start to emphasis more body weight to either side eventually being able to balance on one leg.
this is a progressive system and three months is a bit quick for your body to adjust to an hour.as in my case instead of doing a few minute at the end of my practice in the more stressful positions i started straight away on an hour in advance positions and started to feel like I had run a marathon, was getting ratty and over tied.
It does vary from person to person, how fit you are and your age.
Just cut back and gradually build your time.
Thanks, what videos do you recommend? I want to ensure I'm practicing correctly (or am I overthinking?) No teachers nearby.
Jim Taylor there are five basic stances . the way of energy and youtube stand still be fit show the five positions. the way of energy show how to warm up and goes from wu chi on to the five positions and some mind exercise and chapters on things from secondary involuntary muscle .
master lams book walking chi king has quite a bit of theory and as some has already mentioned an older book way of power explains the martial arts and theory. but please build gradually as you need your body and mind to adjust you can get over yang or to much ying an hour is mac then start including advanced exercises and some power testing it a good idea to test your rooting with some one else .
at the core of the martial application is push hands
to build sensitivity .
but you can do tai chi ball on your own which is the recommend exercise to do in between sessions to build strength and stamina I use 3kg medicine ball as good for my back. I have osteoarthritis and I can attest to the effectiveness of qi gong energy work
hope that helpfull
Gratidão..poderia me responder..
!) Pode fazer a postura ouvindo alguma musica de relaxamento.
2) AS vezes tenho a sensação de estar caindo, desligo totalmente... namastê
Olá, fico feliz em responder a perguntas. Eu não entendo sua segunda pergunta. Vou apenas responder à primeira pergunta aqui. Você pode ouvir música enquanto pratica, se isso o ajudar a se concentrar. No entanto, você quer trabalhar no sentido de não usar música. É melhor limitar a quantidade de distrações externas durante a prática. Limitar as distrações externas ajudará você a se concentrar no que está acontecendo internamente. Espero que ajude. Fique seguro e saudável.
(Hello, I am happy to answer questions. I don't understand your second question. I will just answer the first question here. You can listen to music while you practice if it helps you focus. However, you want to work towards not using music. It is best to limit the amount of external distractions when you are practicing. Limiting distractions outside will help you focus on what is happening inside. I hope that helps. Stay safe and heathy. )
Bom dia, quando esotu na postura da arvore, as vezes sinto a sensação de estar caindo, como estivesse perdendo equilibrio..gratidão
@@nelson.sonhador9075 Entendo. Em primeiro lugar, gostaria de dizer que não sou médico de um profissional médico e é melhor falar com um médico se você estiver preocupado com alguma coisa que esteja passando. Qualquer sensação de queda, tontura ou perda de equilíbrio deve definitivamente ser avaliada por um médico. É melhor consultar um profissional de saúde para certificar-se de que não há nada com que se preocupar. Se o médico não encontrar nada de preocupante, conversar com um médico de medicina chinesa, acupunturista ou instrutor de Qigong com quem você possa trabalhar pessoalmente é o próximo melhor passo. Eles podem ajudá-lo a descobrir se há algo específico em sua prática de Qigong que precisa ser ajustado. Além disso, você quer ter certeza de não travar os joelhos, prender a respiração, manter a tensão no peito (ou em qualquer outro lugar do corpo, incluindo pernas, abdômen, plexo solar etc.) ou manter a postura correta de exaustão enquanto taining. Você também não quer respirar muito rápido ou muito devagar. Existem muitas coisas diferentes que podem causar uma sensação de tontura ou perda de equilíbrio. Por isso, é melhor trabalhar com um médico e com alguém que possa observar, pessoalmente, como você está treinando e dar sugestões com base no que observar. Espero que ajude. Fique seguro e saudável!
(I see. First of all I want to say that I am not a docotor of medical professional and it is best to talk to a doctor if you are concerned about anything you are experiencing. Any sensations of falling, dizziness, or loss of balance should definitely be evaluated by a doctor. It is best to have a health care professional make sure there is nothing to be concerned about. If the doctor does not find anything concerning, talking to a Chinese medicine doctor, acupuncturist, or a Qigong instructor that you can work with in-person is the next best step. They can help you figure out if there is something specific to your Qigong practice that needs to be adjusted. Additionally, you want to make sure you do not lock your knees, hold your breath, hold tension in your chest (or anywhere else in your body including your legs, abdomen, solar plexus, etc.), or hold the posture to the point of exhaustion while taining. You also do not want to breathe too rapidly or too slowly. There are many different things that can lead to a sensation of lightheadedness or loss of balance. That is why it is best to work with a doctor and with someone that can observe, in-person, how you are training and offer suggestions based on what they observe. I hope that helps. Stay safe and healthy!)
@@AndrewPlitt que disse é qundo estou na posição d arvore é normal esta situação, não tenho problemas..é que desligo totalment enesta posição e como tambem em meditação..desligo totalmenete é mais forte do que eu
@@nelson.sonhador9075 Me desculpe. Eu entendi errado.
I was told by a teacher that in a modern world like America, you just put whichever hand your dominant with on top.
Hi Michael, if that is what your teacher recommends, it is probably best to follow their instruction. I never recommend that people go against their teacher's instruction to follow my instruction. That said, the question brings up a much larger discussion about a person's anatomical sex versus their gender and whether their qi flow more closely matches their anatomy or their identity. I think establishing hard and fast rules about such things ignores the incredible variability among humans. In all honesty, the only person who can really decide which hand belongs on top is the person practicing. Traditionally, according to my training, the hands are placed as instructed in this video, but that ignores more complex issues of how a person's identity is influenced by their energy flow (if you believe in energy like qi) or how much their energy flow influences their identity. It additionally ignores the degree to which that interplay effects, or is effected by, physical anatomy/physiology. That said, if someone really does not know which hand to place on top to ideally match their unique make-up, I would recommend trying it both ways to see which way better represents their internal terrain. I wish you all the best in your training.
My right quad muscle feels more tense than my left during zhan zhuang, how do I fix this?
The best thing to do is to find an instructor that can work with you in-person. That way they can observe your practice and help you adjust what needs to be adjusted. Generally when the quads are tense it has to do with shifting the weight too far forward onto the ball of the foot or tucking the sacrum too far under the body when trying to remove excess curvature from the low back (which also tends to push the weight forward onto the toes). Another common cause of excess quad activation is pushing forward at the inguinal crease, rather than folding the inguinal crease inward. This is often caused because too much outward (away from center) rotational force is being sent through the legs unintentionally. If only one side is feeling this, it can be due to imbalance in your structure that is causing you to compensate with the right quads, or it could be that both quads are equally over-activated, but your awareness is more drawn to your right side for any number of reasons. Those are all places to look when you are analyzing your structure as you practice, but without working with you in-person, there is no way for me to know which one of these issues are coming into play. I would recommend watching my "Qigong Basics" playlist. I am still posting videos to it because it is not yet complete, but the videos that discuss the correct weight distribution on the feet and the correct structure and intention in the lower body are all available. It might help you sort out what is going on with your right quad muscles if you do not have a skilled instructor to train with in-person. Here is the link to the Qigong Basics playlist : th-cam.com/play/PLAzIKxB72CMCOedDLawWEphjNqWWbMEbL.html.
Stay safe and healthy!
My hands start to vibrate after an exercise how is this possible???
What shoes would u recommend to wear
Anything that is comfortable and interferes minimally with your feet and body structure. Barefoot is ideal, but I often wear Feiyue wushu trainers when I practice this outside.
You are wearing black against a black background, so it's really hard to see your posture changes
Thanks for the feedback! I responded here: th-cam.com/users/live7WxU9syq_M8?feature=share
HI, thanks so much for posting this. I've tried this for years, but I can NEVER sleep after doing it, even if I do it in the early morning. WHY is this? "Everyone" says Standing is great (& it's easy), but not being able to sleep afterwards (or knowing why this is or what to do about it otr than taking melatonin to sleep) makes me crazy. Can you help? Many thanks for ANY suggestions! /Glenn
+Glenn Allen The best advice I can give you is to find a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor or Acupuncturist to have them balance/clear you meridians. Then if you can find a Qigong instructor to talk to in person, so they observe your practice, they may uncover some errors in your training of which you are not aware. Often, a practice like Zhan Zhuang can stimulate your brain and body in ways they are not used to and it can be very invigorating. Sometimes mental disturbances, sleep disruption, and excessive energy are experienced while your mind and body are adjusting to your new Qigong training, but it is not common and usually indicates some other problem that could be best addressed by one of the above mentioned professionals.
However, there are some things you can try. The first is learning to let go. After you practice you often will feel like you are bursting with energy...it's almost an energy high....don't dwell on this feeling. Acknowledge it, then let it go and go about your day. Don't let it be the only motivation for your practice and don't focus on it after practice. If you take time after your practice to release this feeling from your focus, it may keep your mind from inadvertently causing energy imbalances within your body.
Also, be careful about obsessing. Qigong is cool and exciting and it can be tempting to obsess a bit about your practice and energy and what your daily activities are doing to your energy flow. These are things that are good to be aware of, but not to obsess over. Obsessive thoughts lead to imbalance.
If, when you are trying to sleep you feel that your mind is what is keeping you awake (excess thoughts that won't stop), then try a little exercise to see how your practice is effecting your thought processes. Get a journal, then practice Zhan Zhuang, make notes of your thoughts (How you were think about things as well as what you were thinking about) and sensations before practice. After practice note thoughts and sensations that you experienced during practice, then every few hours up until bed time make similar notes. When you can't sleep, again, note your thoughts and sensations. The next day don't practice Zhan Zhuang, but do keep track of your thoughts and sensations every day until you return to feeling and sleeping normal. After you are back to normal, compare your normal thoughts with your post-Qigong thoughts. How are they similar? How are they different? What mental exercises can you do after Qigong to help your thought patterns return to a normal state before attempting to sleep?
If, when you are trying to sleep you feel like you are just too full of energy to sleep, but an over-active mind is not the problem, then you can try ignoring the sensation of energy while you are practicing and focus more on your structure and relaxation. Continue to do so until your body adjusts and is better able to manage the amount of energy with which it is dealing, then slowly allow yourself to be more aware of the energy, but don't focus on it and certainly don't try to direct it.
Often disturbances arise because students try to focus on moving energy on purpose before they are ready and before they have developed the proper awareness of their body's energy to do so without negatively effecting things. If when you practice you are trying to move energy in your body or focus it in a specific area, perhaps stop for a while and go back to a more basic mental state of awareness, relaxation, and structural awareness. Your body knows what to do to fix imbalances, often, the only thing it needs is for us to stop getting in the way. Anytime a person is experiencing adverse effects of any training practice, it is a clear sign that they need to stop trying to make things happen, quiet their preconceived ideas of how a thing should be done, and listen to what there body is telling them is the proper way to do a thing. If one doesn't know how to do that, it is a clear sign that they are not ready to do anything other than learn how to do listen. Take it back to this basic always, and you can self correct many errors. However, finding a qualified teacher that can work with you one on one will simplify and speed up this process.
I don't know your history, training experience, specific practices, lifestyle, etc., so I am generalizing a lot here, but I hope at least some of those possible approaches will help steer you in the right direction.
+Glenn Allen Another way to improve your quality of sleep/ability to fall asleep is to practice laying down meditation and sitting meditation throughout the day as well. Laying down meditation can be something as simple as a body scan.
I don't know, I think you're getting away from the genius of it, the absolute simplicity of the stand... because it's the stand that'll work you, not the "rub here, exhale here, inhale as the arms come down or maybe come up" or whatever. Don't overthink it. And when you're done, you're done.
I start with 5 minutes of undifferentiated unity (wuji), then Embrace The Tree and maybe 4 or 5 others over a period of half an hour or so and I JUST SPEND THAT TIME RELAXING DEEPER AND DEEPER, RELAXING EVERY MUSCLE NOT INVOLVED IN ACTUALLY STANDING... AND THEN RELAXING THEM; SINKING (SONG)... which may sound simple but isn't... and yet is: just one thing: opening, releasing tension, sinking. The chi will teach your body how to relax itself. Don't force it, don't complicate it. Anyway, that's my take.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I am glad to hear that you are enjoying your training so much and I wish you all the best in your training. Stay safe and healthy!
Have you read the book 'The Way Of Energy'?
No, I haven't. Is it a pretty good book? Who's the author?
Andrew Plitt The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise [Kam Chuen Lam] It is one of the best books on Zhan Zhuang written. Are you considered a master of Zhan Zhuang?
Monkeyland03 Hmm, that’s quite the review. Ha ha I’ll have to check it out. I’m not much of one for titles, but I do practice regularly and my master in China felt I had reached a level at which I could instruct others. But I suppose it’s hard to ever feel like a true “master” when you have trained with someone who is so skilled.
Good Morning, Andrew! I have the feet of the arch a little sunk inwards (pronation?) Should I use a tennis shoe, or is it ok to be barefoot (doing the extra-work of pulling the arch upwards?
Well, I'm not a doctor yet and a doctor would be better suited to answer that question. I can say that if it were me, I would start practicing barefoot for short intervals, then put on shoes when it became uncomfortable to hold my arches up. I would try to slowly increase the amount of time that I could practice barefoot until my feet and ankles were strong enough to do so without having to consciously think about it.
However, the most important thing is to always listen to your body. The goal is always improvement and never injury. I wish you all the best! :)
I agree with you, completely! Thanks! You are a very wise person.
To cope with that in Zhan Zhuang, just simply remember to scan your awareness through your feet as well as the rest of your body. If you hold 4 balance points in the foot...inside and outside of heel, and inside and outside of ball of foot...that has helped me. My experience...5 years of Zhan Zhuang standing and a lifetime of pronation of the foot. (aka metatarsal pronation).
thank you, so much!
How come when you place your hands by your dantien it is reversed for woman?
Hi Molly,
That's a great question. The reason is because in traditional Qigong theory the male body and the right hand are both considered more "yang", while the female body and the left hand are both considered more "yin". Therefore, the males place their more "yang" right hand on top as the dominant hand to reflect the "yang" dominance in their body. Conversely, females place their more "yin" left hand on top as the dominant hand to reflect the "yin" dominance in their body. Perspectives have shifted since those traditional Qigong theories were formed, however, and many Qigong practitioners do not hold to those traditional practices as strongly anymore.
Typically, the best thing to do is start with the traditional hand placement and practice for a while until you can feel a difference when you switch the hands. Then you can decide which way works better for you.
I hope that was helpful. Thanks for the question. I wish you all the best in your training.
@@AndrewPlitt What if I decide to work on my female (yin) side one day and male side (yang), the other? would that be counterproductive?
@@ntasou9ek211 That is a great question! Thank you for taking the time to ask it. The original thought process was to hold the hands in a way that compliments the dominant energy of the body, based on the body type (female-bodied vs. male-bodied). In the beginning of training it is not usually possible for people to tell a difference of having one hand in front versus the other and it is more important to focus on more foundational things like developing awareness of the lower dan tian, etc.
After that has been cultivated and a practitioner begins to become more aware of the more subtle aspects of their practice, things like hand placement make a more noticeable difference. Typically, it is best to wait until that stage to try any variations on the traditional way of practicing because you will be able to tell if it is counter productive in your own body or not. I encourage students to start with the hand position that matches their body (unless that does not match their gender and it causes discomfort to do so) and not to worry too much about it until they have gained enough sensitivity to tell a difference. Each body is different and traditions offer us a good, safe starting place where we can develop our abilities until we can begin to safely personalize our practice.
All of that to say, there is no way of knowing if that will be counterproductive for you until you have spent the time developing the basics to reach a point where you can tell for yourself. I know that is not a super useful answer, but I hope it helps. Stay safe and healthy!
This is a really good intro to Zhan Zhuang (a.k.a. pole standing) as it gives clear instructions and a "pattern" to adhere to daily. For the uninitiated, the area below the belly that Andrew is referring to is what the Chinese call the "Dantian" or "Dantien" where you gather qi energy. It's kinda metaphysical, but just go with it. Also, from Chen Xiawang's tutorial video on silk reeling, there's some guidance on how many times you should massage the Dantian-24 times clockwise then 24 times counter-clockwise. Last thing is, if you want to increase the difficulty of this exercise a little to help strengthen your leg muscles, you may try sitting down a bit more instead of just plain standing while doing the 90 breaths. Imagine a "balloon chair" like what Master Lam mentions.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing the info! Yes, massaging both clockwise and counterclockwise is a good way to practice. As for the number of times, I've heard varying numbers depending on the source. Anything from 8 circles in each direction, to 36 circles in each direction. That's why I didn't specify in this video. I think the body intuitively knows the number of circles that are best for you and it's better to listen to your body than to blindly adhere to one specific magic number. However, when you're beginning your training, it can be very helpful to have a specific number to adhere to until you have learned how to listen to your body. I think that both Master Chen Xiaowang's and Master Lam's information on Zhan Zhuang is incredibly useful and I appreciate you mentioning them here to help direct people toward some very solid resources.! :)
Sifu Andrew, another question about zhan zhuang, if you don't mind: may I stand with my back against a wall to correct my posture and keep my back straight? Although this takes the stress off somewhat because I'm already leaning on the wall, is this something I can do temporarily until I get the feel for a straight body? Or would you advise otherwise? Thanks!
1:57 Begin instructions
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My Kidney point 1 on the sole becomes hot when I do this exercise.
Yes, various sensations like warmth, cold, tingling, and fullness (among other things) are common occurrences in qigong practice. They tend to come and go. Don't get too focused on them, just focus on maintaining good training habits. They usually signal an opening of a blockage in a meridian, or an imbalance that is being corrected through training. The first time I was in China, one of the students I trained with would have the index finger of his left hand turn icy cold during qigong training. It was the weirdest thing to me because it wasn't just cool to the touch, it felt like he had been holding it in a freezer. The masters just told him to continue his training because the training would fix the problem and after a few months it went away and he never had a problem with it again. If the warmth at K1 is causing discomfort, though, it might be worth checking your alignment, training habits, and maybe considering reducing the amount of training you do for a while. It's always best to listen to your body. Thanks for the comment! I wish you all the best in your training!
Dear Mrs. Andrew Plitt,
A comprehensive presentation giving too much details to focus on., a beginner can NEVER achieve.
Beginners are anot to beee required so many external and internal points to focus. One outside-posture, another one for breathing.
Perfection comes only with practice. YOur beginner students need to know only the main aspects- usually stance and breathing.
Best regards. Paul, age 64, retired istructor of goju -ryu Karate, still making use of Tai-chi for relaxation .
bof
Let's just spell it "Jan Jong" shall we .. It makes more sense to do so