The images of the Chinese practicing in the squares these sequences of fluid and slow movements are certainly dreaming. But above all, these disciplines combine the benefits of any physical activity with those of real therapy. An integral part of Chinese medicine, their movements aim to open and tone the meridians in order to facilitate the circulation of energy and thus bring both health and moral well-being.
“In qigong, the synchronization of breathing with movements and the concentration that accompanies them work wonders against stress,” specifies Dr. Yves Réquéna, who in 1989 created the first qigong training school in Europe. Both invigorating, euphoric and relaxing, it brings real inner fulfillment. “For a neophyte, the difference with tai chi is not obvious. “There are few, admits Yves Réquéna. In theory, qigong is a gymnastics of health, while tai chi belongs to the internal martial arts. In other words, in qi gong, the movements are studied to stimulate a particular part of the body, while in tai chi, they simulate attack and defense, like a magnificent slow kata. However, in practice, you hardly notice a difference. And you can choose one or the other, depending on the course closest to you. “Especially since both offer an additional advantage: they are accessible to everyone, regardless of age and physical condition. Jean started over 70 years old. He now teaches about sixty people aged 30 to 92. And boasts, at 85, of not having seen a doctor for ten years!
What benefits can we expect from it?
These disciplines obtain very interesting results in diseases linked to stress, as well as on flexibility, vitality, digestion, memory, sleep, prevention of aging (strength and balance). In Germany, qigong is reimbursed by social insurance because its benefits, proven by numerous scientific experiments around the world, show not only effects on anxiety and depression, but also an improvement in physiological parameters and l ‘immunity. A study, published in the American journal “Archives of Internal Medicine”, has for example shown that the practice of tai chi improves cardiovascular health (whether one is in good health or has already had one. heart alert), especially by lowering cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.
