Solid Experiences with Qigong?

[Alexander]

Hey guys,
got a quick poll for you. Alright so I was one of those weakling born kids (Still I weakling to some degree or another ), with asthma, short, underweight, and so on. After I got through college, things changed when I began lifting, changing my diet, grew taller than everyone else and so on.

Anyway, I still have asthma. Despite a religious diet and plenty of exercise.

But that's not where this post is going. In history, martial artists were often famous for their fighting skills AND Healing abilities. A hard practice may mean you wake up feeling achey and pained, or worse - injured. Obviously, strong methods to heal injuries (mostly short term injuries) were necessary.

I was simply wondering if any of you have anecdotes of healing injuries with Qigong? I'm currently practicing Zhan Zhuang (at 30 mins, shootin for an hour), and I'm trying some Spring Forest Qigong (about 45 minutes) daily. I figured at worst, the increased lung capacity associated with circulation (which has improved) should ameliorate my asthma symptoms.

So, have you had success?

Cheers -- take it easy.

[Ralteria]

In 1999 I shattered my heel and had to have reconstructive surgery on my foot. I was not able to walk for 9 months. After walking I went back to college where I was pretty much walking everywhere, so it was not like I wasn't using my foot that much. However, I had a lot of pain and not alot of strength. That was after a large amount of physical therapy. In 2003 I started ZZ and in about 6 months I started noticing considerable difference in my foot. After several years I've pretty much regained full capacity.

Whatever problems are still in my foot, concious muscle control and internal sensitivity continue push me closer back to 100% range of movement.

In 2002 I was at about 65% range of movement. Close to 2004 I was at around 90%. Right now I'm at about 98% and I continue to improve.

And my foot still aches when the weather changes. I have better prediction skills the weather channel, lol.
My .02

[Jonny]

A quick google of "qigong and asthma" revealed this study:
http://alternativehealing.org/asthma_qigong_therapy.htm

Twenty-one patients, who had been suffering from asthma for at least five years, participated in this study. They were interviewed in detail about their eating habits, living and working environments, family backgrounds, emotional issues, and physical complaints. They were then advised to avoid factors that trigger asthma.

After three weeks of qigong training and wai qi therapy, all of them experienced a significant decrease in symptoms of asthma.

As far as personal stories I have none to add, but I hope my post was helpful.

[Chowfarn]

I have a similar experience
I damaged my left ankle a few years back during Kendo practice (a common injury in that art).
Yet mine was more that the average injury.

I had trouble walking without a slight limp for a couple of years.
The muscle had a large knot/bump on it - I was going for various treatments to get it better but no real success.
And like the other post - the cold weather gave it hell.

I started Dayan Qigong & Zhan Zuang, then very very slowly over a couple of years the bump has gone & I have gained 95% of the ankle action. Its just lacking some strength - I can't fully raise my body very far off the ground by just using my left ankle, but its getting better.
Zhan Zuang gave the injured area a total work out - it made it a little sore each time, but not in a painful way.

Of late I've been introduced to some Korean Qigong through the sword style I study 'Haidong Gumdo' ( http://www.gicheon.org/training/naega.htm & http://www.gicheon.org/media/ki.htm )
This Qigong is more physically demanding than Dayan Qigong & Chinese Zhan Zuang.
The Korean version of Zhan Zuang is a lower stance, the legs point inwards so it does not effect my knees.
The stress on the back of the ankle has been making it very strong again.

[Waterway]

Did Ba Duan Jin while recovering from PCS (Post Concussion Syndrome). That, the little Taiji I knew and yoga all helped A LOT. I didn't take pain killers once, and I had PCS for around 6 weeks.

My teacher and his wife were qualified nurses. They went to China to study Qi Gong. Both were telling me Qi Gong is a part of the national Chinese Health Service. So there are people with medical know how in China who seem to think that Qi Gong can improve health.

[bruce]

as a boy i also had asthma ... a doctor i had told me that proper breathing practice all of the time would help me. he said to always focus on my breathing. inhale and exhale deep each time from the belly keep it in a natural rhythm. this was in 1980 i have not had a asthma attack since maybe 1983.

many years later i learned the same ideas from my martial arts teacher.

[kreese]

Does anyone have any experience where certain movements purported to tonify certain organ systems actually strengthen said organ systems? I say organ system because I know the TCM concept of organs differs from the usual understanding, but still if something is supposed to strengthen the lungs, for example, there should be some noticeable difference over time.

[shawnsegler]

Why yes!

[Waterway]

After doing Ba Duan Jin for a few months, I noticed my inhalation/exhalation were much greater in length. That is the only lung difference I noticed.

[Peacedog]

xxxxxxxxxxx

[Alexander]

Kreese,
I'm also interested in that too. I'm going to pick up BaDuan Jin (But I may be overloading my schedule with Qigong...) before my Zhan Zhuang to see if it helps at all.

Truth be told -- I haven't used my inhaler once since I've been home (about three weeks) which is very unusual; usually the second or third day home I've got pretty solid sporadic asthma until I leave. Living in a moldy house with four pets and a busy family tends to do that I suppose.

[Haoran]

My experience here is do not overload yourself with 20 different qigong exercises... I've learned many types of Qigong in the past.. Standing, sitting, natural, forced, moving, stationary. Each has it's own theory and more importantly, each one was developed to be practice by one who was ready for that level. In all the qigong exerciese I've learned, only two emerged on top of the list. 1. Swimming dragon qigong, and 2. Wuji qigong (hands at the sides, feet shoulder width) listed with equal importance. My qigong experience and knowledge far exceeds my Martial arts background and I can say this is by far the best combination I have found. Natural and safe.

Results. Using this combination I have been able to reverse digestive and duodenal inflamation and chronic fatigue. This, within the time period of 2 weeks of solid practice... My digestion is better, sleep is better, mental alertness better, and overall energy level is much better. I've had these exercises in my back pocket for many, many years but was always trying something else here, and something else there. Finally, I put everthing else aside and just practiced these two.

Theory. Swiming Dragon is more than it appears. It produces changes on many levels. Same with Wuji. Very simple yet very effective qigong exercises.

[Franklin]

Haoran

currious to hear about your swimming dragon qi gong

is it one movement or a set consisting of several movements?
(the swimming dragon i learned was a single exercise- similar to one described in a book about hua shan qi gong- but i have read on the net that other people have a swimming dragon set of more than one exercise)

how do you combine it with your wuji standing?
or do you do them at separate times?

i agree that both those practices are very good.

franklin

[Haoran]

Hey Franklin,

Yes, the swimming dragon I do is the same movement over and over for about 20 minutes.

I have a friend who knows a "dragon set" but not sure if he'd teach it to me... I'd like to learn.

I do about 20 minutes of Swiming dragon then about 45 min to an hour of Wuji. Then relax. Once or twice a day during the week and more on weekend if time allows.

[Chowfarn]

My experience here is do not overload yourself with 20 different qigong exercises... I've learned many types of Qigong in the past.. Standing, sitting, natural, forced, moving, stationary. Each has it's own theory and more importantly, each one was developed to be practice by one who was ready for that level.

My Sifu told me never to mix.
I once did some basic YIquan ZZ for about 20 minutes & then various Dayan gong forms.
When I went to bed I was so wired - it was like a drank the worlds strongest cup of coffee - twice.

Dayan Qigong is a good system that it is complete with various sitting & moving gong.
Even within the system - some gong is never to be done in the same session.

Has anyone else experience something like that ?