Chi/Qi: means 'energy' and Kung means 'moving', 'working' or 'manipulating'; so chi-kung (also spelt qigong) means 'energy work'.

Chi-kung/qigong is the name given to exercises and meditations, which use and direct the flow of chi in the body, promoting health and well-being in people who practice chi-kung. It originates from China and is an ancient form of exercise for health and vitality, having attributes of both tai chi and yoga. It as been passed down through the generations and is closely linked to traditional Chinese medicine. Although still not well known in the west it is practised by millions of people all over the world.

All Bao's Lung Fei Tai Chi classes have chi-kung practice as part of their sessions. Chi-kung is a discipline that exercises the mind, and combines breathing, posture, movement, stretching and meditation to promote mental and physical health, vitality, flexibility and stamina. It helps fight stress, increase blood circulation in the body, improve flexibility of the muscles, ligaments and tendons, boost the immune system and energy levels, developing a sense of calm and equilibrium. If practised regularly, it is effective in preventing illness.

Chi-kung is fairly easy to learn, but mastering it needs commitment from the practitioner, so persevere in your training. Chi-kung is used as a healing therapy and regulates the body's energies in order to prevent, postpone, reduce or even sometimes eliminate suffering caused by disease.

Scientists are now studying chi-kung and they have noticed that regular practise helps reduce stress and promotes a sense of calm and improves health, vitality in body, mind and spirit. It also helps practitioners with health conditions such as hypertension, arthritis, rheumatism, headaches, migraines, insomnia, asthma, diabetes and ME.

The 18 movements of Yang style Tai Chi chi-kung are based on the slow graceful flowing movements of Tai Chi and were created in 1981 by Sifu Lin Hou Sheng.

1- Starting position

2- Opening the chest

3- Rainbow dance

4- Separating clouds by wheeling arms

5- Rolling arms

6- Rowing the boat in the centre of the lake

7- Lifting the ball in front of the shoulder

8- Turning the body to look at the moon

9- Pushing palms whilst turning the waist

10- Cloud hands

11- Scooping the sea while looking at the sky

12- Pushing wave

13- Flying pigeon

14- Punching

15- Flying wild goose

16- Rotating wheel in a circle

17- Marching bouncing ball

18- Shau Gong (balancing Chi)

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The 18 movements of Chen style Tai Chi Chi-Kung

1-Preparation

2- Circling the chi

3- Wind rocks the willows

4- Needle at sea bottom

5- Fisherman casts his net

6- Fairy shows the way

7- Young boy stretches his legs

8- Fairy crane salutes

9- Yellow dragon explores palm

10- Draw the bow to shoot the bird

11- Two dragons sail to sea

12- Pushing the waves

13- Lion plays ball

14- Embrace the moon in a cup

15- Phoenix unfurls its wings

16- Twin peaks pierce ears

17- Run the chi to the Dantien

18- Press palms to balance the chi

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WINTER BROCADE

I - PALMS UP FORWARDS

E - FISTS CLOSE TO FACE/LOOK OVER

I - ELBOWS UP/ROTATE WRISTS

E - TEARING COTTON

I - STRETCHING IN THE MORNING

E- DOWN

I - UP TO CHEST/FINGERS INTERLOCKED

E - ROTATE HANDS/DOWN

I - UP/HANDS IN FISTS

E - FISTS AT WAIST

I - SUPPORT THE SKY

E - HANDS DOWN

I - HANDS UP ON SIDE/CONNECT MIDDLE FINGERS

E - HANDS DOWN TO DANTIEN

I - ROTATE & INTERLINK & UP TO CHEST

E - ROTATE/STRETCH DIAGONALLY FORWARDS

I - STRAIGHTEN

E - FISTS AT WAIST

I / E - SHOWING PALM

(REPEAT OTHER SIDE)

I- FISTS AT WAIST

E - HANDS DOWN

I - HANDS UP ON SIDE

E - HANDS IN PRAYER/HANDS DOWN/STEP OUT TO LEFT

I - STRETCH DIAGONALLY FORWARDS

I- FISTS AT WAIST

E - PUNCH

I - DOWN TO RIGHT KNEE

E - ACROSS TO LEFT KNEE

I - FIST UP

E - PULL DOWN

I- FISTS AT WAIST

(REPEAT OTHER SIDE)

E - COLLECTING DOWN TOWARDS THE EARTH

I - UP TO HEART

E- FISTS AT WAIST

I - TIGER'S CLAW TO RIGHT KNEE

E - ACROSS TO LEFT KNEE

I - FIST UP

E - PULL DOWN/FISTS AT WAIST

(REPEAT OTHER SIDE)

I- FISTS AT WAIST/CROSS HANDS

E - BOW & ARROW

(REPEAT OTHER SIDE)

I - LEFT FOOT IN

E - I - E - HOLD HEELS

I - STEP OUT TO LEFT

E - SINK

I - LOOK BEHIND LEFT

E - SINK

I - LOOK BEHIND RIGHT

E - LEFT LEG IN SHOULDER-WIDTH APART

I - FIST UP FORWARDS

E - ROTATE OUT

I - STRETCH

E - ROTATE DOWN

(REPEAT)

I - PALMS RIGHT UP/ROTATE

E - BACK DOWN ON SIDES

I - PALMS ON BACK

E - TO LITTLE TOE

I - UP AGAIN/FEET IN

E - FIST AT WAIST

I - HEELS UP

E - DOWN

(REPEAT FIVE MORE TIMES)

E - HANDS DOWN

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YIN & YANG BROCADE

I / E - OPEN LEFT FOOT SHOULDER WIDTH

I - HANDS COME UP FRONT

E - DOWN

I - HANDS BACK TO BACK UP TO HEART

E - ALONG ARMS

I - UP

E - DOWN BACK

I - OVER SHOULDERS

E - DOWN FRONT

I - ROUND DANTIEN

E - DOWN YANG CHANNELS

I - GATHER FROM THE EARTH/UP YIN CHANNELS/HANDS IN PRAYER

E - HANDS DOWN AND OUT

I - UP TO TRIANGLE

E - ARCH BACK

I - UP AGAIN

E - DOWN FRONT

I - RIGHT HAND OUT

E - PUSH FORWARD

I - LEFT HAND OUT

E - PUSH FORWARD

I - HANDS BOTH FORWARDS

E - ROW THE BOAT

I - HANDS UP IN FISTS

E - FISTS OUT

I - ROTATE / OPEN INTO PALMS

E - DOWN

I - UP ON SIDES

E - CROSS HANDS / PULL BACK

I - HANDS RIGHT UP / UP ON TOES

E - HANDS DOWN

I - OPEN TO THE EARTH

E - BRING BACK TO DANTIEN

I - OPEN IN FRONT OF DANTIEN

E - CLOSE IN AGAIN

(REPEAT TWO MORE TIMES)

I - OPEN TO HEAVEN

E - DOWN AGAIN / STEP INTO HORSE STANCE

I - RIGHT HAND UP TO LEFT

E - BACK TO CENTRE

I - LEFT HAND UP TO RIGHT

E - BACK TO CENTRE

(REPEAT ON BOTH SIDES)

I - LEFT HAND CIRCLES OVER HEAD

E - BEND TO RIGHT

I - BACK TO CENTRE

E - BEND TO LEFT

I - BACK TO CENTRE / CROSS HANDS

E - BOW TO RIGHT

I - BACK TO CENTRE / CROSS HANDS

E - BOW TO LEFT

I - FISTS AT WAIST

E - PUNCH

I - CIRCLE TO LEFT

E - BACK TO RIGHT

I - FISTS AT WAIST

(REPEAT OTHER SIDE)

I - FISTS AT WAIST / FEET SHOULDER WIDTH

E - DOWN YANG CHANNELS

I - GATHER FROM THE EARTH/UP YIN CHANNELS

E - HANDS IN PRAYER

I - OPEN IN FRONT OF DANTIEN

E - CLOSE IN AGAIN

(REPEAT TWO MORE TIMES)

I - OPEN TO SIDES

E - GATHER DOWN FROM HEAVEN

I - UP TORSO / UP ON TOES

E - DOWN TORSO / DOWN AGAIN

(REPEAT TWO MORE TIMES / BRING LEFT FOOT IN AGAIN).

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ZHI NENG CHI-KUNG

1ST PART:

I - HANDS COME UP

E- HAND CLOSE

I- FIST ROUND

E- FIST INTO PALM

I- HANDS DOWN

E- HANDS UP

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS TO FRONT

E- HANDS TO BACK

I- STAY THERE

E- HANDS DOWN AND UP TO POINT

I- MASSAGE POINT

E- HANDS TO FRONT

I- HANDS FACE 3RD EYE

E- HANDS TO SIDES

I- PALMS UP

E- PALMS DOWN

I- PRAYER HANDS ABOVE HEAD

E- PRAYER HANDS TO HEART

I- PRAYER HANDS TO FRONT

E- HANDS SHOULDER WIDTH APART

I- HANDS IN

E- HANDS PUSH OUT

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS MOVE OUT

E- HANDS BACK TOWARDS FRONT

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS MOVE RIGHT OUT

E- PALMS FACE OUT

I- HANDS IN TOWARDS SIDE OF BODY

E- HANDS PUSH OUT

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS UP DIAGONALLY FORWARDS

E- HANDS DOWN

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS CIRCLE ABOVE HEAD

E & I - STAY THERE

E- HANDS DOWN FRONT

I - NAVEL

E- HANDS TO BACK

I- POINT ON BACK

E- DOWN BACK CHANNELS TO FEET

I- HANDS STAY THERE / KNEES STRAIGHT

E- DOWN

I- UP

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

E- GATHER EARTH ENERGY TO INSIDE ANKLES

I- HANDS UP YIN CHANNELS TO KNEES

E- HANDS MOVE ON UP

I - NAVEL

E- HANDS DOWN SIDE

2nd PART:

I- HANDS UP SIDES

E- PALMS FACE OUT

I- HANDS COME IN SIDE

E- HANDS PUSH OUT

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS TOWARDS FRONT

E- HANDS OUT TO SIDE

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS TOWARDS FRONT

E- STAY THERE

I- HANDS COME IN

E- HANDS PUSH OUT

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- HANDS UP IN A V

E- HANDS DOWN

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

I- ENERGY BALL ABOVE HEAD

E & I - STAY THERE

E- HANDS DOWN TO 3RD EYE

I- ON POINT

E- ROUND EYEBROWS/EAR TO POINT ON BACK OF HEAD

I- MASSAGE POINT

E- DOWN BACK / HANDS BACK TO BACK

I- ROUND SHOULDER AND UP HANDS BACK TO BACK

E- DOWN TO POINT ON BACK

I - ON POINT

E- HANDS ROUND TO FRONT

I - NAVEL

E- DOWN YIN CHANNELS TO FEET

I- HANDS STAY THERE / KNEES STRAIGHT

E- DOWN

I- UP

(REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES)

E- GATHER EARTH ENERGY TO OUTSIDE ANKLES

I- HANDS UP BACK CHANNELS TO KNEES

E- HANDS MOVE ON UP

I- POINT ON BACK

E- HANDS ROUND TO FRONT

I - NAVEL

E- HANDS TO SIDES

3rd PART:

I - HANDS UP IN A V, THEN ABOVE HEAD TO POINT

E & I - STAY THERE

E- DOWN TO ARM PITS

I- STAY THERE

E- RIGHT HAND PUSHES OUT

I- HAND TO LEFT

E- HAND BACK TO POINT

I- MASSAGE POINT

E - LEFT HAND PUSHES OUT

I- HAND TO RIGHT

E - HAND BACK TO POINT

I- MASSAGE POINT

E - PRAYER HANDS

I- PRAYER HANDS ABOVE HEAD

E - HANDS SEPARATE FACE 3RD EYE

I- STAY THERE

E - DOWN TO POINT ON SIDE

I- MASSAGE POINT

E - HANDS TO FRONT ABOVE DANTIEN

I- STAY THERE

E- HANDS DOWN ON DANTIEN

I & E - STAY THERE

I - NAVEL

E- DOWN SIDES