Basic Chi Gong Exercises?

I am learning that CLF version of 18 lohan right now. Finally! I have wanted to learn it for years. It is very similar to the one posted that's done by Chan Family CLF, although we have a few minor variations.

I have that youtube of GM Chen Yong Fa doing it to look at as a reference when trying to remember what I learned at class.

We also recently had a seminar where there is a different version. Supposedly older than the current common CLF one. I was too injured to take the seminar though. (That was VERY disappointing!)

I hope to learn that one and compare them (and talk to Mei about them too.)

It gets confusing because the "newer" version is the "older" one as far as being the one taught at our school. And the "older" version from a recently aquired older script apparently, is the "newer" version in our school.

So, we students get all confused when talking about the two versions, the "new old" version or the "old new" version.

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I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me & through me.& when it has gone I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.Only I will remain.F.Herbert

hmmmm?,...just in 'my' opinion,...lol' It sounds kind of' odd that your External style Si-Fu doesn't teach 'Some' kind of stretching,..or Chi-Gong 'With' your long-fist practice? But,...anyhow',...I've been training in Both hard & Soft styles for 36 years so far, and haven't had any 'cross-over' problems, as far as' anything hindering or interupting either one. 'Ba Duan Jin' & 'Yi Jin Jing' are two pretty basic Chi-Gong routines as far as basic movements go',...if you can't/don't want a seperate Si-Fu in internal arts then follow the movements on youtube and buy three or four books on the subject of Chi-Gong(Qi-Gung). If I were you I would 'stay-clear' of books by Earle Montigue(sp.?), just to keep away from the 'too Mystical' side of things,...lol'! Coach Li

I've been practicing Lifting the Sky for the past several weeks now and I feel it helping me relax and focus better. Now some people might say its placebo, but I bet Qi has something to do with it.

Thanks for all the advice from a . . . . really long time ago.

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“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”

YES!,....."Lifting the Sky", or "Palms Support Heaven",(plus many other analogy names that it goes by'),...is a VERY good basic Chi-Gong to start with! It opens the rib-cage, and stretches and activates all of the acupuncture meridians, plus', if you do the 'raise to the balls of the feet' version,...it, of-course, includes the calves and whole foot/root balance connection as well! This Chi-Gong posture/technique is SO important/popular/common in China, ...that it is represented in a Very common/popular Chinese statue; "Happy Buddha" ,("Fo Gao-xing")! Also your 'Chi',(Qi),...has alot/everything to do with it, as well as 'Everything' you do! ALL of us have Chi!!! It is Not something that only martial-artists obtain by doing certain exercises,...Chi,(Qi), is a very real electro-magnetic energy related to, and working with your nervous-system energy. If you are Alive, you have CHI! Now, all of the 'special' exercises that are out there help generate 'more' Chi, and/or show us how to use it more properly for good health, but, even when we die, the remaining Chi in our system helps to break-down our cellular and tissue structure,...so, it is even present/working after we are dead. Coach Li

“	Now some people might say its placebo, but I bet Qi has something to do with it.	”

The way I like to see it is like this. It IS a placebo, or could say it's all in our heads. But, the mind is very powerful and can make real what isn't. The fact that people can stress themselves sick is a good example of the power our minds have over our bodies.

So, what I'm trying to say is, it doesn't matter if it's a placebo or not, what matters is how you feel after you train it. You say it's made you feel relaxed and you are focusing better. Sounds great. As long as it's making you feel happy, then keep doing it. If it makes you feel bad, then stop.

Have a good one.

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"To alcohol ! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson

Master Li does a lot of this in warm up before we start working on our forms

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And I'd like to add that Lifting the Sky is a really really nice way to stretch in the morning.

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"To alcohol ! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson

My kung fu uncle, Randy Choy has written two qigong articles

The Eight Han Dynasty Daoist Exercises

“	So, maybe you might want to consider practicing a set of Chinese health exercises called, “Wai Dan Gong.” It is often referred to as the, “One hundred day gong fu.” There is an old Chinese saying, “If you have the patience to practice these exercises for one hundred days, your energy will increase.” Furthermore, “Given three hundred days, you will enjoy good health, both mentally and physically.”	”

Twelve Forms of External Elixir Exercises

“	According to my teacher, Master B.W. Cheng, Grandmaster Zhang Zhi-Tong’s twelve forms of external elixir exercises called, “Wai Dan Gong Shi Er Shi,” is classified as a “modern” Chinese therapeutic health exercise. Through the practice of Wai DanGong, you can learn to free yourself from distracting ideas by focusing the Qi within your body... ...In conclusion, whether you practice a traditional or modern Chinese therapeutic exercises, the goal of these exercises are to provide us with some form of calisthenics cultivating both mind and body. It provides us with an effective way of improving our overall health and body’s fitness, no matter what age or physical condition we are in.	”

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“	Originally Posted By: Li Ma-Keh YES!,....."Lifting the Sky", or "Palms Support Heaven",(plus many other analogy names that it goes by'),...is a VERY good basic Chi-Gong to start with! It opens the rib-cage, and stretches and activates all of the acupuncture meridians, plus', if you do the 'raise to the balls of the feet' version,...it, of-course, includes the calves and whole foot/root balance connection as well! This Chi-Gong posture/technique is SO important/popular/common in China, ...that it is represented in a Very common/popular Chinese statue; "Happy Buddha" ,("Fo Gao-xing")! Also your 'Chi',(Qi),...has alot/everything to do with it, as well as 'Everything' you do! ALL of us have Chi!!! It is Not something that only martial-artists obtain by doing certain exercises,...Chi,(Qi), is a very real electro-magnetic energy related to, and working with your nervous-system energy. If you are Alive, you have CHI! Now, all of the 'special' exercises that are out there help generate 'more' Chi, and/or show us how to use it more properly for good health, but, even when we die, the remaining Chi in our system helps to break-down our cellular and tissue structure,...so, it is even present/working after we are dead. Coach Li	”

Thanks for the information, it was really informative. When I do lifting the sky and breath, I visualize bad energy upon exhaling and good energy upon inhaling. Also could you go a bit into the foot-raise version? Do I rise on the balls of my feet when I'm pushing against the sky and holding my breath briefly?

Thank you.

TaichiMantis - thanks for those links mate!

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“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”