What are the types of traditional Chinese medicine health exercises?

At present, the core of TCM health-preserving exercises with the highest public recognition and the widest spread are Baduanjin, Wuqinxi, Liuzijue, and Yijinjing. Others, such as Mawangdui Daoyin Shu, Wudang Songxi Neijue, and the Daoyin movements of various local schools, have a relatively small audience. Many people still classify Tai Chi into the category of health-preserving exercises. It itself is also in line with the logic of TCM Daoyin, but it is more often classified as a traditional martial arts category.

If your shoulders and neck are stiff when you usually sit in the office, and you want to take ten minutes to relax, the first thing you will most likely come into contact with is Baduanjin. There are no venue requirements for this exercise. You can do it while standing in the corridor of your work station or on the balcony of your home. The eight movements look simple, and each posture corresponds to the internal organs of traditional Chinese medicine. The logic of regulating the internal organs. After I had an acute episode of lumbar disc herniation last year, the first thing the rehabilitation doctor asked me to practice was the "hands on the feet to strengthen the kidneys and waist" posture. At first, I couldn't lower my waist, so I half-bent and rubbed it. After practicing for about half a month, most of the stiffness in my waist when I got up in the morning was gone. However, there are different opinions. Some older Chinese medicine practitioners have mentioned that most of the ones uploaded on the Internet are standing Baduanjin. Frail elderly people and people recovering from surgery do not need to stand hard. The conditioning effect of the sitting Baduanjin is not bad, so there is no need to pursue "standard movements" to burden yourself.

If you feel that Baduanjin is too regular and boring, you can also try Wuqinxi. According to legend, this set was created by Hua Tuo. It imitates the postures of five animals: tiger, deer, bear, ape, and bird. However, there is also controversy about Wuqinxi. Some critics say that the versions currently circulating are adapted by later generations. They are no longer Hua Tuo’s original version, and the health-preserving effect must be discounted. I have asked a friend who does guidance research at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital before, and he said that as long as the movements conform to the logic of lifting, opening and closing, and dredging the meridians, no matter which version it is, as long as you feel comfortable after practicing, it will be useful. There is no need to go to the trouble of tracing the origin.

If you don’t even have the strength to raise your hands, such as you have just had a serious illness, have weak lung function, or are too lazy to move, the Six-Character Jue may be more suitable. This set basically does not require any major movements, but relies on the six different pronunciations of "Shh, Ha, Hu, Hua, Chui, Xi" Exhaling is responsible for regulating the liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and triple burner. I coughed for almost a month after the COVID-19 turned negative last year, and my chest was always tight. I followed the official account of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital to practice the "呬" formula for a week. After each practice, I felt that my chest was much brighter and my cough became lighter. Of course, there are different opinions. Many Western medicine practitioners believe that this is the function of regulating deep breathing, and there is no need to apply the term corresponding to the internal organs. Anyway, this set of exercises has no threshold and has no side effects. You can just find it useful.

Perhaps the most familiar one to everyone is the Yi Jin Jing. Many people think it is a martial arts secret book in martial arts novels. In fact, it is also a serious traditional Chinese medicine health exercise, but the movements are more difficult than the previous ones. It requires stretching the muscles and pulling out the bones, and it requires strength and flexibility. Friends who practice traditional martial arts around me usually practice several postures of the Yi Jin Jing during their warm-up. If ordinary people do not have the basics, do not practice blindly by following the video. It is easy to stretch the ligaments. It is best to find a knowledgeable teacher to introduce it.

By the way, there are many Internet celebrity exercises on the Internet under the banner of "TCM health exercises". They claim to lose ten pounds in one week and cure cervical spondylosis in seven days. Most of them are gimmicks based on traditional Chinese medicine. These sets passed down by ancestors are all slow kung fu. It takes ten days and a half to practice to slowly feel the body's qi and blood become smoother. There is no immediate magical effect. If you encounter someone who claims to be too mysterious, just row away.