Exercisers Slow It Down With Qigong

CHUNYI LIN remembers the first qigong class he ever taught in the United States. In 1993, he traveled from China as part of a cultural exchange between schools, and was asked to teach at a community center in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Only five people showed up.

“Nobody knew of qigong, said Mr. Lin, 49, a master of the age-old practice, which entails coordinating slow movements with breathing to cultivate the flow of energy, or qi, in a sort of graceful, fluid dance.Now, he runs a qigong center in Eden Prairie, Minn, called Spring Forest, where he teaches to packed classes of more than 60 students and workshops nationwide to hundreds more. "Qigong is growing like crazy in the United States in the past few years, Mr. Lin said. "People want to be more proactive with their health care. The face of exercise is changing in America. Instead of relentlessly pursuing a sculptured physique, people are chasing longevity, stress reduction and improved health through mind-body practices like qigong.

"The realm of working out has shifted from people just wanting to build bulk and lean, toned muscles to them understanding that the inner health of the body is just as important as the outer health, said Bernard Shannon, a medical qigong therapist who works one on one with clients and sits on the board of the National Qigong Association, a trade group.This vanguard of wellness-motivated exercisers prefers a regimen that encourages self-awareness to one with a high calorie burn.

"People want to get back to a simpler time, said Ted J. Cibik, a medical qigong therapist and a certified health and fitness instructor, whose patients include athletes. "They want to find something they can practice that doesn't take a lot of apparatus, allows them to deal with their stress, and gives them a good physical workout in the sense that it gets them moving. It wasn't until recently that the ancient, gentle practice of qigong caught the attention of even the most sophisticated American exercisers.

The reasons vary. Mindful yoga has acclimated people to Eastern practices. Rising health care costs and expensive prescriptions have led people to look for alternative ways to feel vital. And an influx of qigong teachers from China has paved the way for new generations of teachers and students.
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