Five Animal Sports Qigong

Medical Qigong (chi kung) for Healing

The Five Animal Sports, or Frolics, are one of the most ancient and popular sets of medical qigong exercises. Passed down for nearly 2,000 years, it is an effective, fun, and sometimes humorous way to energize the entire body. By imitating the movements and spirit of the Tiger, Deer, Bear, Monkey, and Bird, a practitioner can build their strength and longevity inside and out, and enjoy excellent health.

Learn the correspondence between the internal organs and Five Elements theory during an introductory discussion of Five Elements Theory by Kathy K. Yang. Experience a private lesson with one of the world's foremost masters of qigong as Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming offers detailed instruction, starting with a brief stretching and warming up section.

SPECIAL FEATURES: Dozens of Chapter Markers • Menus/Subtitles: English, Spanish • Quick Reference Guide to the 5 Elements Chart and Healing Sounds (on-screen and in enclosed DVD insert)

 

 $49

 
 

 

Reviews/ Testimonials

Taijiquan.com, Patrick Dickson

This DVD covers the 5 Animal Sports Qigong set that displays the movements and spirit of the Tiger, Bear, Monkey, Deer and Bird. Master Yang's daughter Kathy Yang helps to perform the set with her father. These five routines are far from short and simple. They are complex and long. Each of them in their own right would be a wonderful Qigong routine.

One of the important aspects of doing Qigong, Taijiquan and many other internal martial arts is intent. Without intent the moves become empty in meaning and lack focus, balance, rooting and power. These Qigong routines display the characteristics and spirit of the five animals, which brings life to these routines.

The DVD starts with a lecture by Master Yang on the history of the Five Animal Sports Qigong set. This is followed by discussions of the healing sounds, and their relationship to the Five Elements.

The five animals have their own sound in these routines and are linked to the five yin organs, the liver, kidney, spleen, heart and lungs. Emotions and their link and effect on the organs is explained. These sounds are not some imaginary creation. Master Yang provides concrete examples of how we use these sounds in everyday life. The panting a runner does after a long run is similar to the sound He, which is related to the heart and to the monkey. The He sound is used to release the fire of the heart.

Master Yang has always had a wonderful ability to relate the movements and postures he is teaching to real life actions that people do on a daily basis. This allows the student to immediately grasp the concepts by relating things they are already familiar with to the new routines and skills.

Unlike Taijiquan, which doesn't require much warm up before doing the form, the Five Animal Sports Qigong routines are quite heavy on stretching and a warm up prior to practicing the routines is highly recommended. Master Yang discusses how first you stretch, then move around to loosen things up, and then one can move the stretch deeper into the body to the ligaments and tendons.

After teaching the five routines, they are then performed continuously by Kathy Yang and four other students of Master Yang. The routines are long, complex and very complete. I've been slowly learning the routines from the DVD and feel that this is a stand-out-from-the-pack Qigong form that has many benefits to the practitioner. As always, David Silver's quality production and directing presents this DVD information in a very effective and pleasing to watch format. Highly recommended.

 

 

About The Instructor

Yang, Jwing-Ming Ph.D., is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taiji, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Newton, Massachusetts.

Dr. Yang started his Kung Fu training at the age of fifteen under the Shaolin White Crane (Bai He) Master Cheng, Gin Gsao (曾金灶). In thirteen years of study (1961-1974) under Master Cheng, Dr. Yang became an expert in the White Crane style of Chinese martial arts, which includes both the use of bare hands and of various weapons such as saber, staff, spear, trident, two short rods, and many others. With the same master he also studied White Crane Qin Na (or Chin Na), Tui Na and Dian Xue massages, and herbal treatment.

At the age of sixteen, Dr. Yang began the study of Taijiquan (Yang Style) under Master Gao, Tao (高濤). After learning from Master Gao, Dr. Yang continued his study and research of Taijiquan with several masters and senior practitioners such as Master Li, Mao-Ching (李茂 清) and Mr. Wilson Chen in Taipei. Master Li learned his Taijiquan from the well-known Master Han, Ching-Tang, and Mr. Chen learned his Taijiquan from Master Chang, Xiang-San. Dr. Yang has mastered the Taiji barehand sequence, pushing hands, the two-man fighting sequence, Taiji sword, Taiji saber, and Taiji Qigong.

In 1974, Dr. Yang came to the United States to study Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. At the request of a few students, Dr. Yang began to teach Kung Fu, which resulted in the foundation of the Purdue University Chinese Kung Fu Research Club in the spring of 1975. While at Purdue, Dr. Yang also taught college-credited courses in Taijiquan. In May, 1978 he was awarded a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering by Purdue.

Dr Yang was named MAN OF THE YEAR 2007 by "INSIDE KING FU"