Developing "qigong only" class

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Developing "qigong only" class

Postby vvanesse59 » Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:04 pm

It is my desire to create a qigong only class that I could “teach” basics at least in a twelve week setting at my Community College. I currently teach Wuji Posture/ZZ and 8 Pieces of Brocade but want add a second qigong. In the past, I have instructed in Yi Jin Jing but in reading different internet sites it seems this is too “advanced” and requires too much commitment for short classes. I have also tried Five Animal Frolics.... fun but awkward to teach as it seems to be too dynamic.... Same thing for the Taiji Ruler (if you do all of the movements). So does anyone have any suggestions. If anyone has a “syllabus” of sorts for a qigong class I would sure appreciate any help you could suggest/recommend.
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Re: Developing "qigong only" class

Postby Brian » Mon Apr 30, 2012 2:45 am

You could try the Shi Ba Shi Taiji QiGong....18 gentle movements that are easily learnt..here is an example from YouTube ( movement 1 begins properly at 3.15min..):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c60u6WfChmM
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Re: Developing "qigong only" class

Postby Dvivid » Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:21 am

My qigong class for the past six years contains a mixture of exercises from a variety of sources.

Occasionally we'll do the Eight Brocades for 6 - 8 weeks.

Then, we'll return to what I call "Qigong Fundamentals' which involve white crane soft qigong, some taiji ball patterns (with empty hands), taiji coiling set exercises, standing post, meditation, four gates qigong, seasonal qigong, etc.

For the average newbie walking in with no experience, and/or a community center program, I think that a 20 minute warm up, and 40 minutes of the standing Eight Brocades twice a week is well more than enough.
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Re: Developing "qigong only" class

Postby vvanesse59 » Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:01 am

20 minute warm up, and 40 minutes of the standing Eight Brocades twice a week

What does your warmup consist of Dvivid? And then how about putting the ZZ/wuji in 10 min and 30 min standing 8 Pcs? The
"Qigong Fundamentals' which involve white crane soft qigong
sounds like a good "syllabus" thanks. I do need to investigate white crane soft myself...... Thanks

Brian: I had thought at one time about the 18 Shi ba shi but never got back to it. Maybe good to reconsider. I know they have a website with free download.... at least they used to. but then again w/youtubedownloader all is possible. Thanks for input
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Re: Developing "qigong only" class

Postby Dvivid » Mon Apr 30, 2012 2:13 pm

My warm up an adaptation of the YMAA class warm up.

Loosen the joints, one by one. wrists, elbows, shoulders, waist, knees, ankles.

Bend like a rag doll. Shift side to side. Wag your tail, and swing the head.

Raise the arms, bend from side to side and loosen torso.

Squat, with flat feet.

Four gates, breathing. Abdominal breathing. All of the above takes 20 mins.

Since the Eight Brocades contains moving Zhan Zhang (twice), I don't practice it separately while we're in Eight Brocades session. My elders have had enough by the end of the Brocades. During the Fundamentals sessions I do add it. Five minutes of proper ZZ posture is enough, unless you have intermediate/advanced repeat students. Ten minutes is asking too much for beginners, and may cause more harm than good, IMO.
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Re: Developing "qigong only" class

Postby yeniseri » Mon Apr 30, 2012 2:50 pm

vvanesse59 wrote:It is my desire to create a qigong only class that I could “teach” basics at least in a twelve week setting at my Community College. I currently teach Wuji Posture/ZZ and 8 Pieces of Brocade but want add a second qigong. So does anyone have any suggestions. If anyone has a “syllabus” of sorts for a qigong class I would sure appreciate any help you could suggest/recommend.


I have never been comfortable with the word 'qigong' but reluctantly use it.
You already seem to have the esentials already.

1. Warmup (10-15 minutes)
2. Baduanjin (20 minutes
3. Zhanzhuang (2-3 minutes/per 'staking posture
4. Ending (shougong) 5-10 minutes

Perhaps it is an age thing, but for the past 5 years or so shougong has been part of the session as opposed to just ending the exercise session!
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Re: Developing "qigong only" class

Postby vvanesse59 » Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:15 pm

Thanks for help all. I believe I have been trying to add too many different qigong sets to a given class series. I was thinking in terms of teaching two + wuji/zz different styles over a period of 8-10 weeks. After reading your thoughts and session items, I was overlooking the obvious of teaching the fundamentals and sticking with learning proper stances/postures/movements of a single style. I have always seemed to complicate things by giving too much information too soon. Thanks again I think I now have a direction that makes more sense.

As for the "shougong" I presume that to mean a "cool down" to end with.
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Re: Developing "qigong only" class

Postby yeniseri » Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:59 pm

The "100 days' session means that one does the same basics for x period of time as opposed to many postures. As an example, there are3 basic postures are great for the rest of one's life!
1. Holding arms outstretched to sides (palm up)
2. Holding ball at chest
3. Holding ball at lower dantian
p.s. Qishi is another good beginning posture to start whereas one raises hands and lowers for x perpetitions!.
Of course, there are variations
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