This is a classic and popular qigong exercise to loosen the shoulders, realign the spine and teach you to twist upwards through the whole body. It connects every part of you to the centre of your body and teaches you to direct power from there.
This exercise is the most common first exercise I do in class to begin loosening and warming students up.
- Quickly release tension throughout your body
- Learn how to move from your centre outwards
- Open energy channels throughout the body
This arm swing looks simple but there’s a lot going on. Over time your body will start to respond and generate the force and send it up you body and down your arms more efficiently.
This exercise relies on the first 2 key principles so keep them in mind throughout the movement. Relax Down – Move From Centre
How to do it
- Stand in the basic stance
- Keeping upright with your weight equally balanced between your feet twist from side to side. Don’t lean in any direction – you may need to check yourself in a mirror to start with.
- Allow your arms to swing freely. Hold no tension in them at all. They should hang as if they have no muscles at all. Let them swing round then slap lightly against your body at the end of each swing.
- Relax your shoulders down, then elbows, then wrists then fingers.
- Relax your tailbone down, then knees then sink your feet into the ground.
- Get into the rhythm of changing directions as soon as your arms have reached the end of each swing.
Notes
At no time do your arms move independently. They are moved only through the turning of your waist and hips.
At the beginning of each swing bend your knees and push down slightly with your legs to create an upward force and combine it with a twist of your waist and hips. This pushes your arms out from the side. As you get half way round ie facing front then slightly lower your stance again and let your arms slap against your body, one in front and the other behind. This teaches you to move from the ground up and direct the force into your arms.