Chi Kung
Chi-Kung, known as Qigong is the ancient Chinese art of combining gentle exercises with simple breathing techniques to enhance fitness, health and well-being. It involves the coordination of different breathing patterns with various physical postures and motions of the body.
The written records referring to qi and its effects are 3,300 years old. Medical qigong treatment has been officially recognized as a standard medical technique in Chinese hospitals since 1989.
Chi-Kung is not a martial art and does not demonstrate the attack and defence movements of Tai Chi. The focus is on generating (cultivating) and harmonising energy around the body to create balance within the body and without in the environment. It is a harmonious interaction of the mind, body and spirit, enabling the practitioner to focus on energy distribution around the body, promoting feelings of calmness, relaxation and improved concentration. Chi Kung is a combination of movement and meditative techniques.
Chi-Kung relies on the traditional Chinese belief that the body has an energy field generated and maintained by the natural respiration of the body, known as Qi (Chi). Qi means breath or to breathe in Mandarin Chinese, and by extension, the energy produced by breathing that keeps us alive; gong means work or technique. Qigong is then “breath work” or the art of managing the breath to achieve and maintain good health.
Chi-Kung can improve and sustain health by encouraging movement, increasing range of motion, and relaxation, and improving joint flexibility and resilience.
Each exercise has its own individual function for health benefits which include:
- Relief of stress
- Improved blood circulation
- Improved leg strength and balance
- Improved function of the internal organs such as the kidneys, spleen, liver, heart and lungs.
The integration of gentle movements stimulates the natural breathing process by exercising the lungs and maximising their efficiency in oxygenating the blood, which in turn feeds the body’s organs and increases their ability to function; while calming visualisation helps relieve stress, relaxes the mind and improves mood.
Chi-Kung is suitable for those with limited mobility and movements may be performed from a seated position.
| Course Details | |
| Code | 080 |
| Time | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
| Day | Friday |
| Number of Weeks | 10 |
| Cost | £50 |
Venue
Marton Methodist Church
The Grove
Marton
Middlesbrough
TS7 8AB
