Qigong

Qigong (pronounced 'Chi Kung' ) is an important part of Traditional Chinese medicine that has been practised for thousands of years. It involves the control and co-ordination of different breathing patterns with various static and dynamic postures. Qigong is mostly taught for health purposes, but it is also practised as a therapeutic intervention in TCM. Various forms of traditional qigong are also widely taught in conjunction with Chinese martial arts, and are especially prevalent in the advanced training of what are known as the Neijia , or internal martial arts where the objective is the mobilization and direction of energy (qi) in application towards an opponent.

There are currently more than 3,300 different styles. Qigong relies on the traditional Chinese belief that the body has a natural "energy field" generated and maintained by the natural respiration of the body, known as qi (analogous to Prana and Pranayama in Yoga). Qi means 'vital energy', 'breath or gas' in Chinese and the energy produced by breathing that keeps us alive. Gong (kung) means 'work' applied to a discipline or technique. Qigong is then 'energy work', 'breath work' or the art of managing one's breathing in order to achieve and maintain good health and, especially in the martial arts, the direction and control of energy mobilization.

Qigong (Chi Kung) is especially beneficial in dealing with stress management.