Qigong and Stretch

Cervical flows

• Turn neck. Wise Owl Gazes Backwards.
• Draw a bow.
• Stretch arms. Look left, lift. Look right, lift.
• Expand chest. Lift, then look left. Lift, then look right.
• Spread wings for flight.
• Raise iron arm.

Stretch

• Arm swings forward and backward.
• Arm swings across the chest. Hold.
• Fold arms over head, stretch to sides.

Lumbar flows

• Support sky with both hands.
• Turn trunk and push palm.
• Hip circles with arms akimbo.
• Stretch and bend trunk. Reach up, bend down, reach down, reach forward.
• Lunge and strike high. Step left, strike right. Reverse.
• Press palms on feet.

Stretch

• Close-in tiger paw. Stretch left and hold, right and hold.
• Sitting spinal twist. One leg over the other. Hold it, turn in opposite direction.
• Butterfly stretch forward, to sides. (Or cross-legged.)

Hip and leg flows

• Knee circles. Loose knees.
• Reverse bow and turn. (One-legged bow squat.)
• Bow stance, bend, squat, touch toes, lift while touching feet.
• Bow stance, keep one palm on knee, lift other hand high and sweep.
• Hold knee in front of chest (or other one-leg balance exercises).
• Taiji walking forward and backward.

Stretch

• Hold deep squat. Do variations if more advanced. Stand (slowly) from squat.
• Toe stretches.
• Lunge stretch. Rear knee to the floor. Front knee not beyond the ankle.

Closing

• One-leg balance practices or Xingyi / Santishi posture.
• Taiji opening and closing ("big wave").
• Nurture qi at core.