Nei Gong

About Chi Kung (Qi Gong)

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) is a ‘soft’ way of standing in different positions and consciously moving according to fixed patterns. The movements are often repeated in a relaxed manner in which the body is alternately tensed and released at specific moments. Through these movements the body is also ‘stretched’ in a way that is beneficial for the adhesions that many of us in today’s society often have to deal with. The slow repetition of the movements makes us move more ‘fluently’ and makes us more aware of our own bodies.

 

Chi Kung - Sifu Benno Wai - Meditation

Discover your self and your true potential. Chi Kung is training for body and mind and is enriching for everyone, regardless of age.

In Chi Kung, the exercises focus on both ‘internal movement’ and ‘external movement’ whereby having these exercises coordinate with each other will increase your ‘internal strength.’Growing your internal strength will ensure that you will be better able to handle mental and physical stress. Your health will increase day by day with the disciplined practice of Chi Kung.

The internal component of Chi Kung is substantially different from most known physical training in the west where the focus is on cardiovascular training (running, biking, swimming etc.) and strength training (fitness, weight lifting etc.)

 

Iron shirt Chi Kung and the martial arts

The ‘Iron shirt’ Chi Kung is a valued part of training in many ‘Kung Fu’ systems. This is also the case with the Practical Wing Chun of GM Wan Kam Leung. The ‘Iron shirt’ Chi Kung at Practical Wing Chun is aimed, among other things, at making the learned techniques of the Wing Chun system more effective. In addition, the (heavy) training results in a strong body externally but also internally.

Through a unique series of breathing exercises, the practitioner learns to create a permanently strengthened Chi flow in the connective tissues (fasciae) around the organs and the subcutaneous connective tissues.

 

TRAINING

Health & Chi Kung (Qi Gong)

The Chi Kung training which is completely focused on the ‘overall’ health will be given at the UCT Academy in Amsterdam starting August 30th on every Tuesday in the morning (check the current schedule of UCT Academy Amsterdam for the times)

The training is completely focused on ‘soft’ Chi Kung and can be done by anyone regardless of age. If you have any questions, please send an email to info@uct-international.com

 

Iron shirt Chi Kung

This training is given on a course basis or during private sessions by Sifu Benno Wai. Because this training is considered a ‘closed door’ training, these trainings are only open to UCT members. When a practitioner registers for this training, he or she automatically becomes a member of the Chi Kung Omega group and in that capacity always has free access to all Chi Kung training given by Sifu Benno Wai at the UCT Academy Amsterdam (except for special courses that are occasionally given).

BENEFITS OF CHI KUNG

Benefits of Chi Kung (Qi Gong)

There are many benefits to practicing Chi Kung, but surely the most important are that anyone can do it, that it is life extending and that it improves the quality of life.

 

Primary benefits

  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) makes the muscles flexible and provides strength increase.
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) strengthens the organs
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves the condition of your lungs
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves the nervous system
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves the circulation and quality of the veins
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) provides stronger joints, tendons and bones
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) provides accelerated recovery of injuries
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves ‘overall’ athletic strength and martial arts strength
  • Chi Kung (Qi Gong) relieves stress and improves balance on emotional level

Chi Kung Party

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) makes the muscles flexible and provides strength increase

In internal Kung Fu training, when developing the muscles, we focus not so much on strength training or stretching but more on a more flexible quality and the resulting relaxed strength. Relaxed strength improves when we become looser and thus can allow the energy (Chi) to flow more effectively.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) strengthens the organs

In addition to the various forms of exercise (Kungs or Gongs), we also use mediation and massage techniques during training to make the organs function better and consequently stronger.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves the condition of your lungs

While the many aerobic exercises done in the West do indeed improve your fitness (lung condition) these exercises require heavy commitment from the practitioner, also with the help of Chi Kung (Qi Gong) training you can improve lung capacity and thus your fitness. Using slow, deep and regular breathing (in combination with specific movements) we ensure that we allow the oxygen to act more deeply on our tissues than normal fitness training.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves the nervous system

Our nerves are a kind of mediators between our body and mind, through our nervous system we can get access to information about our own body. In the beginning of the Chi Kung (Qi Gong) training a lot of attention is given to get in touch with yourself (your own body) and try to remove the blockages. When your Chi becomes better and stronger through the continuous repetition of the various exercises, your nervous system becomes stronger and you become more aware and one with your own body.

In general, within the internal Kung Fu arts it is said: your mind moves your chi and chi moves your body.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves blood circulation and quality of the veins

In the Chi Kung (Qi Gong) training we make sure that we improve the circulation of the heart by improving the elasticity of the veins. This allows the blood to be better transported through the body. It is almost standard in China to prescribe certain Chi Kung (Qi Gong) exercises to patients with high or low blood pressure.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) creates stronger joints, tendons and bones

Unfortunate injuries can occur in many ways. Joints and tendons are especially prone to injury. Many people have the habit of locking their joints when they fall or have all kinds of accidents, but when you lock a joint you are more likely to break it. Tendons are easily over-stretched or even torn by sudden extreme overloading of a joint.

Chi Kung training provides a better balance when you are at rest and when you are in motion. During the training you also learn how to turn your body by moving your joints in the correct way. The training increases the yielding capacity of your tendons.

The action of your Chi also ensures an accelerated recovery after an injury. Even when you have trained intensively, Chi Kung training will speed up your recovery.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) accelerates recovery from injuries

One of the reasons why Chi Kung training contributes to accelerated recovery is because the training helps you relax. When you are injured or have sore muscles from over training it creates increased tension throughout your body and mind. This tension consumes your Chi in the wrong way. By learning to relax and give direction to your Chi you remove the ‘tension’ and you will recover faster.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) improves overall athletic strength and martial arts power

Chi Kung training is at the root of many Chinese martial arts. Especially the internal martial arts such as Tai-Chi, Hsing-i, Ba-Gua and in our own Practical Wing Chun system. It is difficult for most outsiders to understand how, with what appear to be slow and often graceful movements, one can generate so much power that the practitioner can effortlessly keep large attackers off him or her. This power comes from the Chi Kung training which develops the chi and therefore can bring the internal strength to great heights.

 

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) relieves stress and improves balance on an emotional level

Especially in the hectic world we live in, there is a great danger that we lose ourselves through negative stress, at work, at home, on the sports fields and many other situations. Chi Kung training provides an anchor, it helps you come back to yourself. It is a journey through your own body and mind where you continuously try to get everything in balance.

Chi Kung helps you to reset!

HISTORY

History of Chi Kung

The effectiveness of Chi Kung has been proven in China by its beneficial impact on the health of millions of people over thousands of years. Developing the life force, or chi, is the focus of Taoism, China’s original religion/philosophy. The Taoists are the same people who brought acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, bone setting, and the yin/yang concept to the world.

Unfortunately, until recently, most of the specifics of these valuable contributions were hidden from Western consciousness by cultural and language barriers. These barriers are beginning to disappear to some extent in acupuncture, but with respect to Chi Kung they are still present to a great extent.

For most people, the first and most important benefit of Chi Kung lies in the alleviation or prevention of chronic health problems. The range of diseases that have been helped by Chi Kung in China includes cancer, internal organ ailments, poor circulation, nerve pain, back and joint problems, and general physical illness.

 

Chi Kung gives mental clarity

Many physical problems are at least partially due to, or exacerbated by, mental or emotional stress, so the importance of the inner peace developed through Chi Kung cannot be overstated. The practice of Chi Kung helps to manage stress, anger, depression, morbid thoughts and general confusion that besiege your mind when your chi is not regulated and balanced. Strengthening and balancing the energy of your mind increases your ability to perceive subtle nuances and to perceive the world and its patterns at an ever higher level of complexity. People who do not practice some form of energy development will often never acquire these abilities.

 

Clearing energy blockages

Many people who engage in spiritual disciplines focus their attention on enlightenment, injuring their bodies and upsetting their minds in the process. They attempt to train in the higher spiritual disciplines without first clearing the energy blockages in their physical and emotional bodies. This way of working can cause the equivalent of a short circuit in their systems, because spiritual exercises can generate more power than their bodies or minds can handle.

Many monks from various Buddhist sects in China have had to seek out Taoist masters to repair the damage to their systems caused by overly powerful meditation techniques. Therefore, Chi Kung is only a preparatory exercise for Daoist meditation. Chi Kung can help calm an agitated mind and your negative emotions, strengthen the nerves, clear energy blockages and make you healthy.

However, Chi Kung alone is not normally sufficient to dissolve and clear serious and traumatic emotional and spiritual blockages in the deeper layers of your consciousness. This more comprehensive skill belongs primarily in the realm of Taoist meditation.

 

Chi Kung can be practiced by people of any religion

Chi Kung was developed primarily as an exercise to keep people healthy and reduce tension. Chi Kung is practiced by people of all spiritual and religious beliefs. Although the basis of Chi Kung is Taoism, one of the primary Eastern religions, it is not necessary to learn or believe its philosophy to practice Chi Kung

 

The mind directs the Chi

The science of Chi Kung is based on the axiom that the mind has the ability to direct chi. You can literally learn to go into your body with your mind, feel what is there, and direct your chi where it needs to go. This is not a mysterious process, but a natural process that can be acquired with time and effort.

Chi Kung - Shaolin Monk

 

Iron Shirt Chi Kung

Before the introduction of firearms, Iron Shirt Chi Kung built powerful bodies to withstand hand-to-hand combat. Even then, martial arts was only one aspect of training. As now, it was also used by those who sought better health, a healthy mind, and spiritual growth. In Iron shirt Chi Kung, the practitioner is introduced to the practice that not only strengthens the body, but also fortifies the internal organs, helps root in the energy of the earth, and unites physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Through a unique system of breathing exercises, the practitioner is taught how to permanently put concentrated air into the connective tissue (fasciae) around vital organs, making them almost impervious to injury.