Global Standing - Queenstown, New Zealand

Universal Post - Zhan Zhaung

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 10

On the final day of this video tutorial, we explore how the ancient concepts of Tao, Yin, and Yang still have great importance in our busy lives. New warm-up exercise: hold two imaginary baloons in your hands and hold them behind yourself and gently vibrate up and down as you exhale. Breathe in and then breathe out as you vibrate up and down again allowing all of your muscles to relax. Again we practice the Low Post with hands in front of the belly, not too close, not too far away. Your head floating on top of your body, relax your shoulders, your armpits. Breathe quietly, calmly, naturally. Professor Yu explains that people don't understand the art at first, but once they understand the benefits, it will stay with them for life. Zhan zhuang is explained with modern scientific and medical theories, it is very safe and effective exercise. "Lam Kam Chuen's method invites us to use our imagination to find calm, to use stillness to create balance in our busy lives, and to use the natural power of breathing to replenish our energy." Each position is a progression from the last, so work up to about 20 minutes in each posture before moving on to the next. Once your stamina has increased, try moving through the five posture series in one session. Good luck!

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 9

In Day 9, we leave the Chinese country side and travel to the urban setting of Hong Kong. City life is busy and creates tension, but this pressure can be overcome through the simple exercises of Qigong. We begin with a new warm-up exercise: punch one fist out while chambering the second. We then move into the final position, the Low Post. Make sure your fingers are gently open. Your hands are not too forward, not too close to your body, somewhere in the middle. Two balloons under your arms, relax your chest, relax your shoulders. Don't stick out your belly or your bottom. Keep your body upright, in the middle, centered.  Your eyes look forward, your ears can accept any noise. Breathe through your nose, very calm, quiet, and naturally. Professor Yu explains that zhan zhuang relaxes the brain, rests the brain. "As Mr. Wang Xiangzhai used to say: the advantage of zhan zhuang is that by entering into the practice the brain has a chance to rest. No other forms of exercise can achieve this. Most exercises put your mind in a state of excitement. If I stand still, I have a complete sense of safety, no fear of hurting myself, the mind is not excited, it is in a state of self-will. This makes it possible to concentrate fully on the exercise."

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 8

"A good way to keep healthy is to practice Qigong, the way of energy. "Qigong is our breath energy, or life force. In China, virtually any type of natural activity, even playing music and singing, can be described as Qigong. Many Chinese believe that practicing Qigong adds to their health and vitality and ensures an active old age. Lam Kam Cheun's exercises are designed to increase our own energy, naturally and without strain." In Day 8, we return to the Songshan Mountain countryside and join Lam Kam in a new warm-up exercise. Breathe in and raise your hands to the sky, breathe out as you bring yours hands back down and gently bend your knees. We then practice the Fourth Position again, holding the arms to the side with the palms facing the ground, gently resting on imaginary balloons. "You are also sitting on the balloon chair, your head is floating on top of the shoulders. Don't hunch your shoulders, stay natural. Your arms are supported by the balloons and also always make sure your knee is not beyond your toes. Breathe naturally, relax, harmony, quietly, calm." "Water and philosophy are often drawn together in the classic Chinese text, the Tao te Ching. The ripples of life might disturb the surface of the pond, but underneath it is calm and tranquil. As you stand still, try to imagine an inner tranquility, a sense of quietness, a feeling of soft and supple energy, which the ripples of every day life cannot disturb."

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 7

"Traditional Chinese medicine has a history of over 2000 years. The essence is the harmony of the body and nature. Modern life is too busy, so we need to find our own way for health." In Day 7, we travel to the middle of China and visit the beautiful Songshan Mountains. This is an ideal location to practice Qigong - fresh air, trees, nature. "The mountain, stillness, is yin. The water goes in motion, is yang." We warm-up by reaching one arm over the head to open the side of the body. As we breathe out, we return to the center. Then breathe in and bend to the other side. Lam Kam then introduces us to the Fourth Position, standing still with the arms out to the sides, not too forward, not too backwards, every stable. Let the hands float naturally, as if resting on balloons. "Flowing water is a central image in Taoism. Nothing in the world is softer than water, but we know it can wear away the hardest of things. Water teaches us we can flow around any obstacle. The Tao is the Way of Water." Professor Yu: "Wang Xiangzhai taught that each person should be taught according to their nature. Some people are sick and begin with a simple posture. If you are healthy, you can begin with the Universal Post, straight and erect." We end our practice with the same cool-down exercise, gently, naturally, slowly swinging the arms from side to side. "Don't just watch. The only way to find out is to join us. Join us and you will be fit very soon!"

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 6

In Day 6, we return to the Fa Wang Temple and begin our practice with a new warm-up exercise, the Turning Cow. Breathe in as you raise your arms to heart level with your palms facing out, breathe out as you rotate your shoulders one direction, breathe in as you rotate to return to the center, breathe out as you lower your arms. Breathe in as you raise your arms again, breathe out as you turn the other direction, repeat. This is a great exercise to perform before standing still in the Cow Post, with your hands up and out in front of you. Keep your fingers gently spread, relax your shoulders, imaging your weight resting on balloons under your arms. Keep your stomach in and don't let your bottom stick out. Relax into your balloon chair. Look forward and breathe gently and naturally. The Tao te Ching says: "It's stupid to rush around. When you fight against yourself, it shows in your face. But if you draw your sap from your heart, then you will truly be strong." As you continue to stand, keep your body upright and relax. To stop, lower your hands slowly down in the front. To cool down, swing the arms gently up and down. A very simple exercise to transition back to your day. Remember, the lessons from Qigong can be applied to your every day life. Scan your body for tension and relax in everything that you do.

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 5

In Day 5, we visit the Fa Wang Temple situated at the base of Mount Song in Henan Province. The warm-up exercise is done by pushing one hand toward the sky and the other toward the ground - then changing to the other side. Lam Kam then shows us the Third Position, the Cow Post. It is written in the Tao te Ching: "A wise person watches the seasons rise and fall and he knows how things grow, he knows they are fed by their roots and they return to their roots to grow and flower and flow. This quiet feeding is the way of nature. A wise person never tries to break up the whole." Professor Yu explains: "This is different from other forms of exercise. It does not place undue stress on the heart, but instead works accordingly to your body's ability to adapt... If you go running, you get out of breath. Zhan Zhuang doesn't do this. Most forms of exercise cause a lack of oxygen... Zhan Zhuang replenishes the body's oxygen, so it's biologically different."At the end of the practice, we rotate the hips to relax any tension that remains in the waist and lower back. "Try to be more aware of how you are sitting and breathing in your every day life. A little relaxation can go a long way!"

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 4

In Day 4, we travel to the Summer Palace to practice stillness, the forgotten art. "Stillness, balance, and harmony is the theme of the Summer Palace Gardens near Beijing. Like a lake, the heart must be calm and quiet, having great depth beneath it." We warm up by pulling the bow: breathing out while we pull out and breathing in as our hands return to center. We then practice the Second Position, the Universal Post. Keep the hands in the heart level. The fingers are gently spread apart. The head is floating on top the shoulders. Two balloons under your armpits support your arms. Your belly does not stick out, neither does your bottom. If you feel tired, sit in the balloon chair. Stay calm, calm. We then explore the opposing forces of nature: yin and yang. "These fundamental opposites are harmonized by the immaterial breath or energy, called qi. Qi gives us life. It's the vital force of the cosmos. The aim of Zhan Zhuang is to feel our qi, our natural energy, and learn to develop its balanced flow through our body. It's a soft form of fitness, a gentle strength." We cool down by gently rotating the hips.

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 3

In Day 3, Lam Kam Cheun takes us to the Tian Shan Mountains, the beautiful region of China where Lao Tzu founded Taoism in the 6th Century. The Lao Mun Dong Temple is over 2000 years old and was built in honor of Lao Tzu. We start with a warm-up exercise that looks much like a morning stretch: breathing out as we stretch our arms above our head and breathing in as we return them to the top of the head. Lam Kam then introduces us to the Second Position, the Universal Post: hold your arms at heart level, not too high, not too low. Don't open the fingers or close the fingers. Slowly, naturally, easy, relax your chest. Don't hunch your shoulders, relax onto the balloons under your armpits, sit onto the balloon chair. Your head is very loosely floating on top of your shoulders, your eyes look forward, your nose breathes very deeply, very nicely, quietly, natural. Your bottom is upright, don't stick out your belly, don't stick out your bottom. Calm, calm, calm. Again, we rotate the hips to end our practice. 

Professor Yu: "The first aim of Zhan Zhuang is to improve one's health. The second aim is to regulate the flow of vital energy. Thirdly, there is self defense." As Lao Tzu said: "Those who have tempered themselves are not afraid of encountering tigers."

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 2

In Day 2, we return to Song Yang Academy and warm-up by "swimming on land." Breathe in as your arms go forward, breathe out as they return. "Swimming in the air." We then review the First Position. Remember to bend your knees slightly and sit in your balloon chair. There are also balloons under your armpits, allowing the arms to hang loosely. Fingers are not too open and not too closed. Your head is floating on top of your body. Don't hunch your shoulders. Make your chest very relaxed and don't stick out your belly or your bottom. Breathe gently, deeply, and naturally through your nose. "Do nothing and everything is done. Standing still looks passive, but it is this simple stillness that creates the space for us to relax and restore our energy through soft, natural breathing." Professor Yu explains that this exercise was developed over 2,700 years ago, making it one of the oldest Oriental exercises, but that it is still difficult for people to understand. We then meet Western practitioners and learn about their experiences with Qigong. Finally we close by again rotating the hips to relax the tension in the waist. "If that's all you learn - you got it! Very simple! Nothing more." Qigong can be practiced in your every day life. Even waiting for the bus can become an impromptu training session!

Zhan Zhuang Instructional Video: Day 1

In Day 1, we travel to the Song Yang Academy to learn about the origins of Zhan Zhuang, standing like a tree. Follow along with a warm-up exercise to loosen up the knees. You will then be shown the First Posture, Wuji, standing with your arms by your side. "As a tree grows, it's deep roots appear motionless, but the tree is actually growing from within. Through stillness, Zhan Zhuang introduces us to an inner relaxation that helps to replenish energy and restore strength naturally... To bend like a reed in the wind - that is true strength. Active nothingness - the powerful philosophy that not doing is doing something." Professor Yu explains the many benefits of the practice, which may seem mysterious at first. Lastly, you are shown how to rotate the hips, a simple exercise to open the waist and lower back. "The lessons of relaxation and posture can also be applied to everyday life. The simplest example is walking... With arms relaxed, hanging by your sides, try walking without conscious effort, without tension, breathing easily and naturally." So simple, anyone can do it!