As I mentioned previously, I have determined Qigong is the form of Yoga that I intend to do as part of my exercise protocol to minimize Parkinson’s symptoms. I have included excerpts from the newsletter with helpful information about the routine. To read the entire newsletter, it may be found at taichi18.com
| In this newsletter, I would like to address some frequently asked questions and common mistakes made by students when they practice the shibashi qigong. Frequently Asked Questions (Part I):Q. What is the ideal speed of doing this qigong? A. The ideal speed for each person is different. The speed should depend on your own breathing since each movement is coordinated with breathing. If your breath is shallow, you may tend to perform the whole set faster than if your breath is deep.Beginners who have no previous training in breathing usually perform the whole set in about 10 minutes. That is about 12 breathes per minute. In my videos, I performed the set in this pace since I assumed most viewers were beginners. After you remember all the movements and their sequence by heart, you should do it at your own pace, no need follow the pace of the video anymore. When I practice this qigong on my own, I usually spend about 20 minutes to perform a set. That is about 6 breathes per minute or 0.1 Hz (cycle per second). Coincidentally, it makes scientific sense to perform the Shibashi at this pace. …………..Studies have found that there are many positive effects both physically and emotionally when our bodies vibrate at this resonant frequency.For human beings, the resonant frequency of our system is approximately 0.1 Hz…………………………Most people should be able to perform the Shibashi at a pace of 6 breaths per minute (0.1Hz), after practicing daily for a couple of months. Again, doing the exercise at a comfortable pace is more important than trying to achieve 6 breaths per minute…………….. Q. What is the benefits of each movement? ……………..Just remember, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Q. Can I increase the number of repetitions for each movement? A. It would be more beneficial to do the entire set twice instead of increasing the number of repetitions for each movement. However, if a particular movement makes you feel really good, you could repeat that movement a few more times. Q. How often should I practice this qigong? A. You may do it as often as you like. However, I’d say do the entire set twice in the morning and twice in the evening is enough. ……………… |
Common Mistakes – Shoulders:
Most beginners tend to raise their shoulders when they raise their arms. The shoulders should be relaxed all the time because when they are relaxed, you can breathe deeper, thus allowing the whole body to be more relaxed. Also, the qi flow to the arms would be much better when the shoulders are relaxed. Sadly, many beginners are often so tense and stressed out that they forget how to relax their shoulders.
Here is a simple technique to relax the shoulders:
a. Breathe in, raise the shoulders.
b. Hold the breathe for 10 seconds, hold the shoulders in the raised position.
c. Breathe out, let the shoulders sink down naturally.
Repeat steps a – c at least 9 times.
There is a free video clip on https://taichi18.com/online-video-course/shibashi that talks about how to check and make sure your shoulders and relaxed during the movements.
Standing up to Parkinson's 