Strength in Baduanjin stretches

[Manaus]

Hi guys,

I've practiced the Brocade set from the Chinese Health Qigong Association Dvds, but I cannot infer important details from the booklet or the video. Main of which is the strength or effort you should put in the push/stretch excercises. Clearly the set is the harmonious mixing of soft-yin with the strong-yang. But how much yang? I have read, the strength for toppling mountains. That is quite a heap of force. Good news it should not be muscular.

 

I understand, but I'd like to get confirmation, that more than force what is important is the awareness/presence during the movement. Awareness should teach the right amount. Still I feel there is a part of me willing to 'push' a little more than the easy. The usual 'no pain, no gain' conditioning that wants to make all difficult.

 

I tried also with a soft force, just enough to make the arm straight, without trying to distance/stretch the joints. That has a remarkable effect of making me more alert. Like coffee, so to speak

But the Baduanjin booklet (I do not have it at hand) gives me of a more strong approach.

 

Thanks for any comment

[soaring crane]

Rule of thumb: 70% in both directions.

 

edit: What I meant by that was roughly 70%  of what you would categorise as a "full stretch", but also in the relax phase only about 70% of what you would consider "hanging limp".

[idquest]

The stretch should be sublte but enough to engage the tendons/connective tissue along the lines of the meridians. That is if you extend an arm, the stretch should be felt all the way down to the feet. But you are right this is not a muscular stretch. A very good explanation of the lines of stretches and how it works is provided in the Damo Mitchell's book 'Four Dragons...'. The intermediate result will be your ability to open and close joints along the lines of the stretches.