Chinese holistic exercises to give you a killer body

Chinese holistic exercises to give you a killer body

The Chinese have their 2,000 years old exercising and relaxation techniques that you will find them practicing in any park in the country. Their techniques of self-massage, stretching, relaxation, breathing and strengthening are time tested methods to increase flexibility, strengthen the body, calm the mind, relieve joint pain and muscle pain, balance the emotions, enhance circulation, boost cardiovascular health and more. These Chinese holistic health exercises are suitable for everybody, need no equipment and are easy to learn. Do them anywhere for around 15 to 30 minutes a day, targeting specific body parts, and you can have a complete physical and spiritual work out.

Eye roll exercise

Start your routine with eye strengthening exercises and you can find yourself with bright, lustrous eyes in a few days. The Chinese believe that bright eyes show you have a harmonious spirit. While a harmonious spirit may depend on other things than exercise, these exercises will, at the very least, relieve sore eyes and improve vision. They stretch and tone the muscles around the eyes and improve vision by improving circulation. Consult a physician before you carry them out if you have a history of eye problems.

Steps: You can do this either standing or sitting down. With your eyes open, roll them clockwise around 15-20 times in circles, then repeat for 15-20 times counterclockwise. Start slowly, and then increase your speed gradually. Make sure that the circles you roll your eyes in are as wide as possible. Do this eye roll 2-3 times a day. To help you wake up, do the eye roll in bed.

Chin and throat stretch

Work on that flabby neck and emerging double chin with this throat and chin stretching exercise. It will firm and tone the front and sides of your neck. You can do it standing or sitting, but keep your back straight.

Steps: Place your lower lip on your top lip. Inhale slowly through your nose and gently raise your chin until you are looking straight up. Hold your breath and the position for a second or two to stretch your throat. Keeping your shoulders fixed and firm, turn your head to the side as if looking over your shoulder. Hold the position for a second or two and then drop your head back towards your chest, exhaling as you do. Do 3 or 4 stretches on each side, building up to 10-15 per side.

Qigong shoulder rolls

Here is a basic qigong shoulder roll to relieve the poor circulation of qi or chi (your life force) in the shoulder joints. While doing the rolls, keep the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, focusing on your shoulders, and breathing through your nose. These are basic qigong principles.

Steps: Stand up, relax your body and bend your knees slightly. Raise your arms to your sides and with your arms and shoulders make small circles in the air. Repeat in both directions and then relax your arms. Then, raise and roll your shoulders in both directions while keeping your arms relaxed at your sides.

Arm and chest building pull ups

Strengthen your chest, shoulder, upper back, firm your belly, strengthen your abs as well as work on your arms with the pull ups. You can use pull up bars at the gym or special bars you can attach to your door frame or wall at home.

Steps: Place your hands on the bar shoulder-width apart. Let your legs hang loose while you keep them together. Pull yourself up on your arms right up to your chin at the bar. Immediately lower yourself to straighten your arms. Repeat, stopping one or two pull ups short of muscle failure for one round. Rest for a minute, take deep breaths and then do another 1 or 2 rounds. 2-3 sessions a week are enough.

Forward backward bend

The forward-backward bend can stretch the front and the back of the body for a complete stretching. Do it just before bedtime to improve sleep.

Steps: Stand with your feet parallel and hip-width apart and arms loose at sides. Look straight, slightly bend your knees and rest mostly on the front of your feet. Gently exhale through your mouth as you bend your neck, touch your chin to your chest, keep bending your upper and then lower back to a comfortable extent. Take 3 deep breaths. Take a fourth breath and exhaling slowly, begin to rise up slowly. Unroll your spine from middle back to neck until you are straight again. Breathe smoothly and evenly throughout. When you are standing straight, slowly raise your arms straight up, lift your head, arch your spine back as far as you can. Exhale. Breathe deeply twice. Slowly lower your arms to stand straight again. Repeat for 3 rounds, build up to 10 to 12 rounds.

Back twist back stretching

The back twist is a great exercise for stretching your lower back, upper back, hips and waist.

Steps: Stand with your back straight and feet parallel, slightly bend knees, sink weight on legs, arms loose by the sides. Gently twist upper body and head to the right, looking back, slowly turn back and continue to the left, until you are facing back from the other side. Gradually build up speed and torque, always keep your arms loose and free to swing. Do 10-15 twists per side, building up to 30-40 a side. Gradually slow down when you are done and take deep breaths.

Thigh burner exercises

For stretching your inner thighs, strengthening them and tightening your butt, repeat this exercise along with slow and deep breathing.

Steps: Stand with feet turned outwards, further apart than shoulder width. Bend your legs, sinking your weight into your thighs so they are parallel to the ground, place your hands on your thighs with fingers facing inwards. Keep your back straight. Start slowly breathing through your nose. Hold position for 30-60 seconds to feel your inner thighs stretching. Slowly stand and take deep breaths. Repeat a few times to start with, then work up to 4 or 5 times in a session.

Knee circles

Strengthen your knees and ankles with these knee circles and build strong, flexible legs. This exercise can also relieve pain and stiffness of knee joints.

Steps: Stand with your feet together, bend legs and squat slightly with hands on knees covering the kneecaps. Focus eyes on your toes. Slowly and gently move your knees together in small, clockwise circles. Keep your knees above your toes. Do not lift your feet up. Do 10-15 circles, then repeat in the other direction. Build up to 25-30 circles in each direction. Stop, if you feel any pain, do not force it.

Ankle stretch and roll

Work on your ankle joints and the tissues around them, stimulating blood flow and local nerves.

Steps: This is best done lying down. Lie flat on the bed and slide down till your ankles hang off the end. Rest your arms at your sides. Gently stretch your feet out as far as your can, feel your shins stretching, then bend them back as far as you can towards your body to feel your calves stretching. Repeat 15-20 times. Then gently turn both feet around in circles at the ankle joint in opposite directions. Move each foot through a full circle. Do 15-20 circles then repeat in the opposite direction.

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