Kidney-Related Qigong

A set of kidney-related meridian exercises.

These are traditional practice notes, not medical advice. Move gently, adapt every exercise to your own body, and ask a health professional about any condition.

Kidney-related qigong / qi meridian exercises.

Circulation Exercise

  • Lie on back. Extend legs, arms, raise head. Shimmy and shake for 1-2 minutes. Repeat 5 times.

Upper Body Lift

  • Lie on stomach with palms on floor under shoulders. Push up, arching the back. Hold, while focusing attention on spine. Exhale. Repeat 3 times.

Sitting Forward Bend

  • Sitting with legs straight. Rotate both arms 360° and reach to toes 10 times. On the last reach, hold bottom of feet and bend forward as much as possible, exhaling. Relax. Do the bend-and-hold 3 more times.

Lift Legs Over Head

  • Lie on back, arms extended, palms down. Inhale, raise legs over head, extending as far as possible, hold a few seconds, exhale and return. Repeat 3 times.

Raising Hands

  • Standing stance. Left foot forward. Reach right arm back, shifting weight, and focus attention on the horizon with the moving hand, stimulating lower abdomen and waist. Same with right foot / left hand. Repeat 2 times for each side.

Face-Down Toe Touch

  • Lie on stomach, arms akimbo. Inhaling, reach left leg over to right hand. Focus on waist, hold a few seconds. Exhale, release. Same with right leg / left hand. Repeat 2 times for each side.

Sole Patting

  • Tap 30 times, then massage the sole of the foot with thumb or a massage stick for 5 minutes. Try to find/focus on the yong quan acupressure point (Ki-01, "the bubbling spring") just behind the ball of the foot, about 1/3 of the distance from toes to heel, in the center of the foot near the base of the big toe.

Kidney (shen shu and zhi shi) Massage

  • Standing. Place thumbs on the shen shu ("bladder 23") points, on each side of the second lumbar vertebra. Inhale, hold breath and press with thumbs, gently tilting upper body backwards. Release, exhale. Repeat two times.
  • Then do the same at the zhi shi ("bladder 52") points, on each side of the second lumbar vertebra, about 2 cm outside the shen shu points.

Kidney Stimulation

  • Standing, feet close together, hands in prayer position raised to mouth level. Inhale, rotate hands left with fingers pointing away until left elbow is behind. Keep facing forward. Bend knees and upper body with focus on kidneys. Exhale. Repeat on left side.

Back Leg Lift

  • Lie on stomach, hands at sides with palms on floor. Inhale, lift left leg, keeping chin on floor. Exhale and lower gently. Inhale and do the same with right leg. Repeat the set 2 more times.
  • Inhale and raise both legs, with focus on lower abdomen and kidneys. Gently lower legs.

Direct Kidney Massage

  • Sitting on floor. Rub hands to activate qi. Press on kidneys, fingers pointing down, and massage in an up-and-down motion.

Ankle Acupressure

  • Sitting, pull left, then right foot forward and massage the Ki 3, 4, 5, 6 and 12 points with thumb and index finger ("great ravine", "large goblet", "water spring", "shining sea", "great manifestation").

Abdominal Breathing

  • On exhale, focus on sending energy to the GV 4 ming men point, located just below the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

From movement.davidstitt.net/en-US/qigong/kidney-qigong/