Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe this sort of training is called qi gong. If thats not what it's called then the thing I'm talking about is the Chinese training where people are conditioned (mentally, and physically) to be able to do things like break poles and all sorts of crazy acts of mental strength and the like. Anyway, I always wondered what it was for, it seems to me that most who practice it are also martial artists, butI don't see why. If somebody punches you in the face, does it make it so that it won't hurt? or is it something that takes some meditation? Thanks
Basically, qi gong, also written as chi kung (and called hei gung in cantonese) are techniques to improve a person in various aspects. Qi gong is very broad. There are techniques for health, strength, conditioning, mental power, spiritual cultivation, vitality and so on (supposedly even immortallity). There are techniques that work on all of these things and there are techniques that work on only one thing or just a few things. There are hundreds of different schools or styles of qi gong. There are thousands of different techniques. In any qi gong there are three aspects: jing, qi, shen. Body(essence), energy, spirit. Qi gong techniques utilize and regulate these things to achieve it's goals. For instance, in a qi gong technique you make a certain movement with a certain breathing method in a certain state of mind.
From what I know... Nei Gong = Internal Work Wei Gong = External Work Qi Gong = Energy work The internal and external work are both aspects of qi gong in general, using different methods to manipulate you 'qi.' Nei gong is the basis of all internal martial arts. It informs your techniques, movements, power generation, reaction time, adaptability... everything. You can think of it as supercharging your body. The ability of these meditative practices to create such changes can be attributed to many things. One is mind-body awareness. You can sense your own body much much better with the proper meditative practices (a difference that you can clearly feel within weeks of starting nei gong exercises). This allows you to reach higher, more subtle levels of body mechanics, allowing you to produce more power, faster, over shorter distances. The meditation also helps you to clear your mind, focus, react better, be more aware and stay within the moment, and sense your opponent's movements better. The benefits of this to fighting are quite direct. It can also help to clear out some subconscious mental blockages which might impede your fighting abilities. The ability to absorb blows is rather baffling to me, but I've heard a few different explanations. One is your qi, or internal energy, does it. Another is that, through all this mind-body work, you can control the way your muscles relax so that they become impact dampers. I have a kung fu instructor who can do this very effectively. I had the pleasure of elbowing and kicking him in his flying ribs, kidneys, etc. with no effect.
I think you're talking about Iron Palm and Iron Shirt training. It's at the extreme end of qigong. Basically, qigong is simple cardio exercises designed to stimulate the joints, muscles and the flow of blood and chi. On one side it can be as straightforward as concentrated stretching, on the other hand it can become more and more linked to meditation. Any good qigong exercise has elements of both.
I wish your definition of Qigong was as simple as this. Unfortunately it is not. Firstly Qigong is not as simple as it looks, secondly it is not just cardio exercise as it is considered as any exercise that helps you use oxygen more efficiently by reaching and maintaining your Target Heart Range. The benefits of Qigong are the following: 1. Cardiovascular: Lowered resting heart rate, normalised electrocardiogram (EKG), lowered blood pressure and LDL levels (low-density lipoproteins or the cholesterol we shpould have above 160 mg/dL). 2. Respiratory: Slower respiratory rate, improved gaseous exchange, and benefitial to combat asthma & bronchitis. 3. Immune System: Better targeting of antigens, significant anti-cancer effect 4. Circulation: Improved microcirculation, prevention of vascular spasms, very helpful for angina, migraine, and Reynaud's Syndrome (cold hands & feet) 5. Brain: Improved cerebral blood flow, less incidence of stroke; reduction in frequency and intensity of seizure disorders; slow, high amplitude brainwaves (alpha, theta and delta) suggest relaxed and integrated state of consciousness. 6. Musculoskeletal: Improved posture, balance, strength, stamina and flexibility. 7. Chronic Pain: Significant pain reduction from all causes, including injury, surgery, arthritis, fibromyalgia 8. Mental Health. Qigong decreases: stress response, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, depression. Improves memory and interpersonal sensitivity. 9. Longevity. Qigong improves: blood pressure, vital capacity, cholesterol and hormone levels, kidney function, mental acuity, vision and hearing, skin elasticity, bone density, immune function, digestion, balance, flexibility, strength, libido. Destroys free radicals (major cause of tissue degeneration) by stimulating activity of superoxide dismutase. On the other hand, the HeartMath Institute (http://www.heartmath.org/) has conducted some interesting studies of DNA in which they used 28 trained volunteers who were each given a container with placental DNA. The upshot of the experiment was that the DNA coiled more tightly, contracted and shut-off vital replication tasks when the volunteers held negative emotions, while it uncoiled, expanded and expressed it's full potential to replicate when they held emotions of love, acceptance and calmness. Its is worth noticing here that one of the "side-effects" of regular, long-term Qigong is that the practitioner becomes more calm, relaxed and clear-headed. If the HeartMath study is accurate, this might explain the association of Qigong and related disciplines with fostering longevity. However, in a deeper and higher conscious level, Qigong is the training of our souls, that is the link between our spirits and our physical presence on this planet. Finally, in Qigong practice diet, emotional state, mental clarity, general energy level, environmental variables, upbringing, karma and genetics all play a role in optimizing your Qigong experience. Thanks.
