Qigong is an internal energy cultivation exercise that has been practiced at the Shaolin Monastery for centuries. This legendary exercise has been accorded high respect by both Chinese Martial Artists and Qi Gong practitioners alike. It is aimed at strengthening the muscles, tendons, and ligaments and achieving a balanced state of internal energy (Qi) in the human body. This exercise consists of stretching, breathing and visualization techniques to achieve these holistic health goals. Persistent practice will increase blood and energy flow and ameliorate various illnesses and disorders. Some of the better known routines are Bodhidarma Yi Jin Jing, Ba Duan Jin and Xin Yi Ba.

Routines include fundamental movements of the body and parts of the body including moving up, down, twisting, bending, and folding. We will learn how these movements create different alignments of the body and why these alignments are important. We will also learn the internal practice of how to use breathing to practice qi, or life energy and, most importantly, how to unify movement with these qi breathing methods. We will use these movements to understand how the internal and external work together.