8 Section Brocade Qigong

8 Section Brocade Qigong. Lead by master Larry Ping.

八段锦由八节组成 ，体势动作古朴高雅 ，故名。八段锦形成于12世纪，后在历代流传中形成许多练法和风格各具特色的流派。这种健身法既有肢体运动也有气息调理。是导引健身术的一种。八段锦与五禽戏、易筋经和太极拳一样，都是中国民间广为流传的健身方法。“八段锦”这个名字，一般认为有两层意思：一是表示这是一种集锦多种练习方法的功法；二是表示练习时动作连绵，像织锦一样。Translation of this name is difficult: 段 can be “section”, “piece”, “posture”, however the word 锦 has nothing to do with the qigong postures. Direct translation of 锦 can be brocade or tapestry.  Many people translated 八段锦as “8 Section Brocade”, though this is not the best translation, let’s use it here until we can find a better one.

八段锦的体势有坐势和站势两种。坐势练法恬静，运动量小，适于起床前或睡觉前穿内衣锻炼。站势运动量大，适于各种年龄、各种身体状况的人锻炼。

The 8 section brocade is a fascinating qigong form with a long and colorful history, Marshal Yue Fei created the 8 section brocade (also known as the Ba Duan Jin) in the 12th centaury – To improve the vitality of his soldiers. There are sitting position 8 section brocade and standing 8 section brocade. The above video is the standing 8 section brocade.

站式八段锦分南派与北派。南派运动量小，北派运动量大。常见的是南派。

Standing 8-section brocade.

Section 1:  Two Hands Hold up the Sky (Shuang Shou Tuo Tian)

Benefits: balances clears and makes the triple warmer/heater meridian (sanjiao) flow properly in balance which is primarily associated with endocrine system and our fight or flight response, an unhealthy triple heater can result in issues such as ADD, Chronic fatigue, Anxiety and panic attacks as well as insomnia and tinnitus, practicing this qigong will benefit all these conditions.

• Stand relaxed with fingers interlinked palms facing you
• Inhale slowly and raise your hands to overhead palms still facing you.
• stretch in this movement and go onto your tiptoes
• hold your breath for a few seconds
• lower yourself back on your heels
• now move your body left and right (imagine you are standing between two walls of glass so you cant move forwards or backwards, you can only arc left and right – so that you become the shape of a crescent moon –imagine the guy in the picture stretching left and right in that position- that is exactly what you must do.
• Repeat this 7 times

Section 2: Draw the bow to shoot the hawk

Benefits: balances and replenishes the kidney meridian, strengthens your root through the low horse stance, strengthens lower body

• stand in a horse riding stance, ie wide legs like in the picture
• your arms are at your sides, bring them up and cross them in front of you
• extend your left arm out and put your index finger out(this motion should look like you are drawing a bow) while simultaneously drawing your right hand back as if pulling on a bowstring(see picture)
• now feel your chest open as you draw the bow, your backs shoulder blades should come together like you are trying to squeeze a cigar between them
• with your index finger out you should feel  a weird tingling in your finger, this is stimulating to the vagus nerve and is a health benefit of its own.(for longevity)
• 4 reps

 Section 3: Up Sky And Down Earth

Benefits: Spleen and stomach meridian

•  stand in horse riding stance (ma pu) slightly, not as intensely as drawing the bow
• place hands in a position as if you are holding a beach ball with one hand on top and one below
• raise your top hand  until its in the position in the picture above your head
• with your other hand you  put it palm facing the floor fingers facing your leg(pity it doesn’t show this in the image)
• now create a nice stretch with your hands
• swap hands to do opposite side
• Do this 7 times on each side

 Section 4 – Gazes Backwards

Benefits: Cures energy depletion and consumptive illnesses, as it works the entire spine much like a wringed out cloth, it gets rid of nagging stiff muscles and pinched nerves, this exercise really improves your vitality, focus and energy levels, it also wards off aging and is very beneficial for back pain all along the spine.

• 1. go down into horse position(or riding horse)
• 2. raise your right hand  to heart level with your palm open(imagine having your hands in a prayer position  – then remove the left hand and relax it at your side – this is the position your right hand should be in.
• 3. exhale and rotate your body left twisting your spine relaxedly – as far as it will go comfortably.(hey don’t strain, relax)
• 4. follow this movement up by moving your head to look back (left) Ie continue the movement you made with your body simultaneously with your head.
• 5. inhale as  you come back to the central position
• 6. repeat with the other side of your body ie now use your left hand and twist right.
• 7. Do 10 reps 5 each side.

 Section 5 – Bear Turns from Side to Side

Benefits: this exercise directly increases your life force and energy, affecting longevity personal power and health.

•  stand in horse stance with your hands on your hips at 90 degrees
• you should face north when doing this exercise
• turn left while pivoting your waist to face right(90 degrees from facing forward)
• now go back to facing forwards
• do the same to the left,
• basically you face left and right but in a low horse stance position, you can move your legs to accommodate.

 Section 6 – Touching Toes then Stretch

Benefits: stimulates the yin meridians and the governing vessel so most of the lower meridians and all the solid organs of the body, check above for the illustration

• begin with a relaxed stance not too low ie not horse stance
• bring your arms to your lower dantien(navel area) as if you are cradling a tennis ball in both hands and bring it slowly up to your middle dantien(heart) area,
• exhale slowly as you push out with both hands going forwards from this point (as if you are pushing someone
• bend forward at the hips but keep a straight back (this will pull your hamstrings)and go down as low as you can, and try touch the floor with both hands- all the while exhaling
• feel the earth energy(yin) and inhale as you bring it back up with you, trace your inner legs beginning with ankle and calf area and up past inner thighs & groin back up past the lower dantien(inhaling all the way and pulling the earth energy with you) back to the heart area
• put your hands on your lower back in the kidney area and massage gently bend backwards and look up as you do so

 Section 7 – Punch with an angry Gaze

Benefits: strengthens and revitalizes the liver. Engenders courage and fortitude

•  stand in horse stance but not too low
• face forwards and raise both arms to the hips
• clench fist gently and raise your elbows (as if you have just picked up a barbell and are at the bottom of a bicep curl)
• Inhale.
• pivot towards the left with your whole body(without changing your footing, so you twist to face 90 degrees left
• Simultaneously punch, now you can adjust this to your mood, if angry then punch hard and forcefully allowing your angry energy to be thrown out as you exhale at the point of hitting. If you are calm, then do  a relaxed qigong punch.
• do this on both sides for 5 reps each side

Section 8 – Bounce on the Toes

Benefits: Bouncing on your toes, aside from a good calf workout is said to help rid the body of many diseases and stimulate healing and immune system. This makes sense even in western medical theory as it would stimulate the lymph to flow  the bouncing

•  stand with your legs about shoulder width apart
• slowly raise yourself to your tiptoes
• bounce down with reasonable force; allow yourself to bounce on your heels
• keep doing this for about 21 repetitions
• you should feel the force of the movement throughout your body, obviously don’t do it so hard you hurt yourself in any way, just bounce lightly.(but feel the impact through the body)

 站式八段锦练法

1．双手托天理三焦：自然站立，两足平开，与肩同宽，含胸收腹，腰脊放松。正头平视，口齿轻闭，宁神调息，气沉丹田。双手自体侧缓缓举至头顶，转掌心向上，用力向上托举，足跟亦随双手的托举而起落。托举六次后，双手转掌心朝下，沿体前缓缓按至小腹，还原。

2．左右开弓似射雕：自然站立，左脚向左侧横开一步，身体下蹲成骑马步，双手虚握于两髋之外侧，随后自胸前向上划弧提于与乳平高处。右手向右拉至与右乳平高，与乳距约两拳许，意如拉紧弓弦，开弓如满月；左手捏箭诀，向左侧伸出，顺热转头向左，视线通过左手食指凝视远方，意如弓箭在手，等机而射。稍作停顿后，随即将身体上起，顺势将两手向下划弧收回胸前，并同时收回左腿，还原成自然站立。此为左式，右式反之。左右调换练习六次。

3．调理脾胃须单举：自然站立，左手缓缓自体侧上举至头，翻转掌心向上，并向左外方用力举托，同时右手下按附应。举按数次后，左手沿体前缓缓下落，还原至体侧。右手举按动作同左手，惟方向相反。

4．五劳七伤往后瞧：自然站立，双脚与肩同宽，双手自然下垂，宁神调息，气沉丹田。头部微微向左转动，两眼目视左后方，稍停顿后，缓缓转正，再缓缓转向右侧，目视右后方稍停顿，转正。如此六次。

5．摇头摆尾去心火：两足横开，双膝下蹲，成”骑马步”。上体正下，稍向前探，两目平视，双手反按在膝盖上，双肘外撑。以腰为轴，头脊要正，将躯干划弧摇转至左前方，左臂弯曲，右臂绷直，肘臂外撑，头与左膝呈一垂线，臀部向右下方撑劲，目视右足尖；稍停顿后，随即向相反方向，划弧摇至右前方。反复六次。

6．两手攀足固肾腰：松静站立，两足平开，与肩同宽。两臂平举自体侧缓缓抬起至头顶上方转掌心朝上，向上作托举劲。稍停顿，两腿绷直，以腰为轴，身体前俯，双手顺势攀足，稍作停顿，将身体缓缓直起，双手右势起于头顶之上，两臂伸直，掌心向前，再自身体两侧缓缓下落于体侧。

7．攒拳怒目增力气：两足横开，两膝下蹲，呈”骑马步”。双手握拳，拳眼向下。左拳向前方击出，顺势头稍向左转，两眼通过左拳凝视远方，右拳同时后拉。与左拳出击形成一种”争力”。随后，收回左拳，击出右拳，要领同前。反复六次。

8．背后七颠把病消：两足并拢，两腿直立、身体放松，两手臂自然下垂，手指并拢，掌指向前。随后双手平掌下按，顺势将两脚跟向上提起，稍作停顿，将两脚跟下落着地。反复练习六次。