Chinese Exercise Balls

[cheya]

Has anybody been using chiming Chinese Exercise Balls, aka Baoding Balls? I've had a pair on the shelf for years, thinking of them as a fun novelty, but recently I feel a definite energy flow when I use them. It's not specifically a meridian current, more global than that, up the arms to the front of the head, then back of the head, then down to the feet and back up in a circuit. It's pretty consistent every time I pick them up... Rotating a pair in each hand at the same time seems to intensifiy the effect.

Using the balls seems to be helping my "bodyworker's thumbs", either from the energy activation, or maybe just because one direction of rotation makes the hand open widely, antidoting the continuous gripping motions in massage. My shoulder discomfort has disappeared since I started using the balls every day. (Could be partly due to doing gua-sha on the back of my shoulder with an ice cream scoop...but that's another post...)

This reminds me of Trunk's tan tien twiddling, circling movements at the center of the body, but in a different plane, and more in front of the suspender and belt channels (extroaordinary channels)...activating different circuits? The chimes also create a subtle vibration in the hands, which probably contributes to the effect...

Has anybody else noticed an energetic flow when using the exercise balls, or tried them for hand/wrist/arm/shoulder pain?

 

[joeblast]

I've got four pairs of them, varying sizes. They are a must for a musician's hands, imho

[doc benway]

I use them periodically. Seems to help with the occasionally cramping and stiffness I get in the hands.

[Trunk]

A bunch o' acu. channels go through the various fingers. I find that the baoding balls do stuff to my body, not just my hands. I'd circle them without letting them touch eachother: forces the fingers to articulate more carefully.

 

A friend who studies taiji said she circled 'em 2 minutes each direction, each hand. 8 minutes total.

 

Another friend is a drummer by trade (all kinds of drums). He uses them regularly.

 

Favorable reports, is what I'm saying here.

[joeblast]

I gave my small set to my mom because she's got some weird carpal tunnelish thing going on, but with her thumb. That was before vacation, havent asked her if she's actually used them yet. I hope so!

[exorcist_1699]

Another exercise which gives benefits to your health is to massage your balls by hand 20~ 30 times every day , it is good for the whole body , especially for old guys lack of Jing ( essence) or incapable of erection. Of course, you should be careful of the strength you use .

 

However, the highest accomplishment is to eliminate your balls, I mean, withdraw them from outside of your body. It is said that after having all Jing changed to Qi, naturally , your balls will be drawn inside ,and, aging will start to recede.

 

In Kung-fu training, of course, it is definitely an accomplishment for one of the most vulnerable parts of your body is therefore free from attacking . People who laugh at the movie showing such scene of attacking , thinking that it is impossible , in fact , do not know the reality of the practice.

[cheya]

 

 

I gave my small set to my mom because she's got some weird carpal tunnelish thing going on, but with her thumb. That was before vacation, havent asked her if she's actually used them yet. I hope so!

That's exactly the kind of thing I'd like to do with my massage clients who have arm and hand difficulties. Please let me know if it has helped her.

Do you just do the two ball rotations or have you gone on to the three and four ball exercises?

 

[cheya]

 

 

A bunch o' acu. channels go through the various fingers. I find that the baoding balls do stuff to my body, not just my hands. I'd circle them without letting them touch eachother: forces the fingers to articulate more carefully.

Hi Trunk,
You're the first person I've found that has said, "yes, I can feel that"! Questions: Do you notice a particular pattern of energy when the "balls do stuff to your body, not just your hands"? Is there a place of strongest sensation outside of your hands?

Does the "not touching" version do stuff to the rest of your body same as the touching version?

I can do the not touching version with small balls, but not with the 50mm balls that have given me the most chi sensation. I'm still a little spastic with the "not touching" version, so maybe that's why I haven't gotten an energy flow sensation with that exercise yet.

  Edited July 25, 2016 by cheya

[gendao]

Edited June 24, 2008 by vortex

[joeblast]

I dig on the walnut concept, seems like the activated hand motion would need to be more purposeful...

[cheya]

 

 

I have a set of those, but what I prefer far more are the "Taiji" walnuts...Basically, it's the same concept - except that you use walnuts, instead of smooth balls.

These "wild" Chinese walnuts (like shown in the right hand above) they sell in Beijing though have far harder, gnarlier surfaces than the smoother "domesticated" walnuts - and so you can grind them together and they stimulate your hands more than the balls.

Vortex,
Thank you for this! I had read that "in the old days" they had used walnuts, but, in typical modern thoughtlessness, had assumed that was before they had "anything better"! Thank you for waking me up on this! Do you know any sources for these wild walnuts? The source you linked to was selling kernals, but not whole nuts, and you might have to sort through a large number of nuts to find an appropriate pair. Did you get yours in China, or do you use some you found locally?

Do you feel actually feel the chi movement in your body when you rotate the walnuts, or is it primarily a dexterity exercise for you?

  Edited July 25, 2016 by cheya

[gendao]

Vortex,

Thank you for this! I had read that "in the old days" they had used walnuts, but, in typical modern thoughtlessness, had assumed that was before they had "anything better"! Thank you for waking me up on this! Do you know any sources for these wild walnuts? The source you linked to was selling kernals, but not whole nuts, and you might have to sort through a large number of nuts to find an appropriate pair. Did you get yours in China, or do you use some you found locally?

 

Do you feel actually feel the chi movement in your body when you rotate the walnuts, or is it primarily a dexterity exercise for you?

 

Adeha

Well, I bought mine in Beijing. They had a huge sack of them at a market there, and you just had to sift through them to try to find yourself a matching pair.

 

I can feel qi more in my shoulders and back if I focus on it, but I use them more for just relieving tension by grinding them really hard together. Sort of like teeth grinding, I suppose, lol. I really like the sound and feel of the walnuts grating together. Maybe I can shoot a small video of this.

 

For stimulating qi via my own hands, I find that simply rubbing my fingertips together is much more facile and effective.