“I need to start exercising in the New Year,” she said.
This comment caught me off guard. It came from a 60-something student who, in my opinion, was already in great shape for her age.
She had already healed herself from chronic pain using qigong, and now she was adding tai chi to her regimen. Despite doing zero Western exercise, she was getting stronger, increasing her flexibility and improving her mobility.
And yet, despite all of this, she didn’t feel like she was exercising.
In this video blog, I’ll talk about why I believe qigong absolutely counts as exercise.
Whether you are an athlete who wants to maximize your performance or a couch potato who wants to exercise more — this video will answer your questions about whether or not qigong, and also tai chi, count as exercise.
Some of the topics covered include:
- The science on health and exercise
- Why Westerners feel guilty about exercising
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS)
- Where qigong fits in
- The master key for healthier habits
- Mobility and qigong
I’m Anthony Korahais, and I used qigong (pronounced "chee gung") to heal from clinical depression, low back pain, anxiety, and chronic fatigue. Today, I'm the director of Flowing Zen, an international organization with students in 48 counties. I've been teaching qigong since 2005, I've served on the board for the National Qigong Association, and I’ve helped thousands of people to use qigong for their own stubborn health challenges. If you're ready to get started with qigong, there's no better way than my best selling book, which comes with free videos and meditations. The sooner you read my book, the sooner you can start healing! Click here to see my book on Amazon.
You just cannot imagine how much your videos and fantastic teaching have been helping me not only breathe better, in that the Square Breathing technique is great, but– The Fireworks helps me experience less pain in my right arthritic shoulder, too. Thank you Sifu Anthony.
I’m so glad, Helen!
Great video, thank you! I was wondering, I keep reading about the importance of different types of exercise, such as, HIIT, as you mentioned, aerobic, exercise for flexibility etc. You mentioned HIIT in the video, are there qiqong exercies that could be classed as high intensity, where you would be getting those benefits also? Or would this need to be done separately to a qiqong practice? I’ve been enjoying reading about all the different types of qiqong out there, even just within medical qiqong and it is quite overwhelming! Thank you
Yes, we can absolutely do HIIT with qigong, but the techniques are more advanced. The 18 Arhats, which is a set that I teach in my Qigong 201 program, has several exercises that we can use.
I am new to Qigong and finding your videos interesting and helpful, thank you.
Also, your enthusiasm for this work is contagious!
Thanks Nina! I aim to infect!
Thank you for your videos! They provide a lot of useful insights 🙂
When does the Qigong 101 reopen? On its page it says fall 2018. Did I already miss it or will it open this month?
Again thank you very much,
Tim
Hi Tim,
Rumor has it that 101 opens in about 9 days (so around the 11th). It’s an amazing class. I highly recommend it!
Laura
Thank you! That’s awesome news. Can’t wait to start 🙂
Does Qigong help with weight loss? Are there particular Qigong exercises that should be done to help with weight loss?
I really loved the video. I am a very fit 66 year old female that is dogged by tendonitis and arthritis although both of these are on the mend with practicing the 5-Phase routine twice a day. Free weights and walking with some modified HIIT make up my exercise program. Can qigong and taiji effectively replace what I am doing? I would love to be able to concentrate on both qigong and taiji, let the other go and still maintain my fitness…looking for the flowing zen above all.
Thank you!
Good for you, Cynthia.
Can qigong and taiji replace free weights? Maybe. Certainly, you can get to a point where you need less weight training. But if you’re already doing some weights, I would encourage you to keep going.
To replace weights, you would need some weapons training, and/or the taiji ball, which is weighted.
As for walking — no! Nothing replaces walking. Keep on walking as much as you can!
I think that the tendonitis and arthritis are going to gradually dissolve as you practice qigong. How will it feel once they do?
Clear, simple, and enthusiastic. Thank You, Sifu Anthony! You nailed it … again!
Namaste
Ray Morneau
Thank You very much, Anthony!!!
I write to You from Argentina. In the month of July I had the opportunity to travel to Aruba for two weeks and there, in the hotel, I had the possibility to practice Qi gong for the first time in my life. It really blew my mind, and when I came back home I started to practice and study about it. I´m a yoga instructor but I found something very special in Qi gong, something related to the energy management, to the flow, to the rhythm, something magical I can´t yet explain.
Your videos and posts are a Great Material for me nowadays. They are FANTASTIC!!!
Next year I´m planning to enter the Chinese Medicine School, where Qi gong is studied in the first year.
Thank You again, Master!
See You, Nan.
Can you tell us morde about this? I’d like to find out
some additional information.
Aloha! Thank you for the clarification. As someone who has spent four decades in the global fitness industry, love how you have positioned QiGong. Not only is it good business, as a former CrossFit, yoga and many other forms of exercise fanatic, I 100% know that QiGong is a wonderful form of exercise which can replace in many ways or complement other forms of exercise. Definitely a “gateway drug” which can help sedentary people begin to exercise. Now a QiGong fanatic practicing 1000+ hours per year, and loving the results! Also on track to do 18,000 burpees this year as well, which breaks down to 50 burpees in four minutes per day. Find that this gives me the strength benefit I got with CrossFit/HIIT while I continue to get an even better natural high HIIT exercise provided but through my QiGong practice (and without the injuries that happen often with HIIT). P.S. in the 201 Mastery Flowing Zen Class.
I love your videos and they are so helpful. I am redoing 101 this year and am very grateful for this section on further readings. The HIIT & LISS is interesting to remember. I like a variety of exercise and do QiGong most days and the other around it.
Thank you very much for your thoughts on this very important topic. I totally agree that Qigong benefits strength, mobility and balance. I would add coordination as another useful aspect of regular Qigong training, that is something everyone can benefit from. What I noticed is also an increase in body awareness and perception, something that is very useful for everyone interested in movement.
Good point. Thank you Frank.