jayjay Posted April 12, 2013 Hey folks, I started doing the Zhan Zhyang Qigong exercises and wanted to hear some feedback from you guys about them, if anyone is doing them If you stick with those exercises, and you do it every day for a good amount of time.. When and what kind of benefits can you experience in let's say 1 year? I'm excited to talk with you all JJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
i am Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) It will of course depend on the individual, but what I personally have experienced is: More energy. Noticeably more. More relaxed posture. Grounding. Rooting. Ability to endure things like intense yoga postures etc with parts of my body screaming, but calm relaxed face and mind. Increased knowledge of my body; how it feels, moves, rests or is tense, how things line up. Difference in how I stand, walk, sit, move in general. Just like with ZZ, I'm constantly adjusting, relaxing, tensing, changing and experimenting with the way I walk. Sometimes intense bursts of energy, that can have an outlet either in mental or physical activities. The feeling that I want to find something tall and run towards it and jump in one leap to the top! Probably more but that's what immediately comes to mind. It's pretty cool. I started out about two years ago, with really no more than 5 minutes at a time. Sometimes ten. A year ago I trained with someone for a short time, and the first time he put me in ZZ, he kept me there 45 minutes. That continued for two weeks, every morning. I didn't keep that up on my own, but now stand basically every day (I shoot for every day. Maybe once every two weeks I miss a day), and I shoot for 25 minutes. I regularly get 20, sometimes only 10 or 5 if I couldn't get moving fast enough that morning before work. Just to give you an idea. Edited April 12, 2013 by i am Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ish Posted April 12, 2013 You will get internal power. IF you practice it correctly and sufficiently. If you do a lot of Zhan Zhuang ( like 1hour in a few postures) correctly every day you will build a LOT of internal force. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jayjay Posted April 12, 2013 Thanks for the reply guys, great info! Really appreciated.. Will it be ok to learn ZZ from youtube videos? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ish Posted April 12, 2013 Thanks for the reply guys, great info! Really appreciated.. Will it be ok to learn ZZ from youtube videos? Do you have any prior experience with Qigong or meditation? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jayjay Posted April 12, 2013 With meditation, yoga and other related practises: YES Qigong: NO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
i am Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) The "stand still, be fit" videos from master Lam are good. Those are the only ones I can comment on, though I'm sure there are more. At some point you really want someone checking your posture. But as long as you aren't trashing your knees or lower back, you at least shouldn't be causing any harm... Edited April 12, 2013 by i am Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jayjay Posted April 12, 2013 Cool - Sounds all really sweet Yeah I'm learning from the 10 part videos from "stand still, be fit" His Chinese accent is funny tho Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
i am Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) Just be happy he speaks English at all! His book, The Way of Energy, is great, and worth buying. In my opinion, the videos are just a supplement to the book, and only stand alone so well. What I've learned is that his teaching is standing for health. You'll get all sorts of people saying you should be doing this or shouldn't be doing that. But the truth is that while there are standards across them all, there are different ways of standing, depending on what you're trying to accomplish. If you want to get a good practice going, gain health and build a foundation of good standing, master Lam's stuff is great. Edited April 12, 2013 by i am 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChiDragon Posted April 12, 2013 Hey folks, I started doing the Zhan Zhyang Qigong exercises and wanted to hear some feedback from you guys about them, if anyone is doing them If you stick with those exercises, and you do it every day for a good amount of time.. When and what kind of benefits can you experience in let's say 1 year? I'm excited to talk with you all JJ How did you do it or how do you stand with your leg position.....??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ish Posted April 12, 2013 With meditation, yoga and other related practises: YES Qigong: NO Just do it as a standing meditation, bring your awareness and feeling back to your body. Relax relax relax. Settle into the correct alignment. It's a great qigong practice. Some kind of moving qigong is a good complement to Zhan Zhuang. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wisdom Seeker Posted April 13, 2013 It will of course depend on the individual, but what I personally have experienced is: More energy. Noticeably more. More relaxed posture. Grounding. Rooting. Ability to endure things like intense yoga postures etc with parts of my body screaming, but calm relaxed face and mind. Increased knowledge of my body; how it feels, moves, rests or is tense, how things line up. Difference in how I stand, walk, sit, move in general. Just like with ZZ, I'm constantly adjusting, relaxing, tensing, changing and experimenting with the way I walk. Sometimes intense bursts of energy, that can have an outlet either in mental or physical activities. The feeling that I want to find something tall and run towards it and jump in one leap to the top! Probably more but that's what immediately comes to mind. It's pretty cool. I started out about two years ago, with really no more than 5 minutes at a time. Sometimes ten. A year ago I trained with someone for a short time, and the first time he put me in ZZ, he kept me there 45 minutes. That continued for two weeks, every morning. I didn't keep that up on my own, but now stand basically every day (I shoot for every day. Maybe once every two weeks I miss a day), and I shoot for 25 minutes. I regularly get 20, sometimes only 10 or 5 if I couldn't get moving fast enough that morning before work. Just to give you an idea. I agree with I AM. His results are similar to mine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jayjay Posted April 13, 2013 Thanks so much everyone What would be a good "moving" way of Qigong to complement this practice? THX Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted April 14, 2013 If you really want to keep it simple. Shaking. 10, 15, 20 minutes. You shake small starting with wrists so that you vibrate and your heels just move off the floor. Or big, shaking at the knee joints, ape style, feel free to Oooo oooo ooo. More formal I like the simple energetic movements from Pan Gu, and the easy form from Michael Winns Fundamental II DVD. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gemstone Posted April 15, 2013 A walk in nature is a great way to end a Zhan Zhuang session! It circulates the energy and softens the stiff legs. It helps to turn the openings you had in practice to realizations. And the mystical side of reality can more easily manifest itself. It feels really good! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ish Posted April 15, 2013 Squats right the way down. Medium ~ slow speed. Make sure your breathing is still relaxed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gendao Posted May 17, 2013 It's a core practice for IMA, including Baguazhang, Taijiquan & Xingyi. On the higher end of results, one might experience the slow opening of the MCO, like Sun LuTang. That said, I think these practices aren't necessarily that effective "standalone" , though. They probably work better when integrated with varied adjunctive therapy holistically within the greater context of your monomythic journey, to clear through all your blocks from multiple levels and release your inner being... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChiDragon Posted May 17, 2013 Hey folks, If you stick with those exercises, and you do it every day for a good amount of time.. When and what kind of benefits can you experience in let's say 1 year? It gives you good muscle tones on the legs. The legs become very strong after one year of practice. It'll make you still firm and not letting someone to push you away that easy. You can kick a door open at one blow if you have the will. Just be careful who you kick and try not to hurt somebody with your legs. If you just stand there meditating but not doing any breathing exercise, then you are not doing it properly. Doing breathing, in zhan zhuang, will give you the most benefits. Otherwise, your leg muscles become fatigue in no time. However, there are some insights, in Zhan Zhuang, that the beginners should know. To understand the ZZ concept, one should know something about muscle contraction. Doing without knowing is less advantageous. If one knew why is doing, then it would be more appreciative and effective. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RiverSnake Posted May 18, 2013 Thanks so much everyone What would be a good "moving" way of Qigong to complement this practice? THX Many practitioners whom practice Zhan Zhuang also practice internal martial arts. In my understanding they are highly complementary. Tai Chi, Bagua.....etc are all good moving forms that circulate energy quite effectively. My 2 cents, Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
