Getting ready for summer: overcoming pain, stiffness and fatigue. (A nice reference: Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing, by Ilchi Lee.)
Warm up
- Earth: tap, massage from toes to head.
- Metal: loosen up the joints; say hello to the bones.
- Water: ring the temple bell; flow up/down, left/right.
- Wood: swirl qi from heaven to earth; dragon breaths.
- Fire: snap the yin; expand into the cosmos.
Overcome fatigue
- Inner thigh stretch: squatting, one knee bent, the other straight.
- Open leg meridians: sit, pound sides of legs with a gentle fist.
- Sole clapping: sitting, clap soles of feet together.
- Bicycle exercise (advanced): push legs up, bicycle motion.
- (Alternative: standing or sitting hip stretches.)
- Pull qi from the heavens, lift qi from the earth.
- Push hands to sky and earth: cross hands, turn to bow stance, step forward to warrior pose with back right foot on toes, forward left knee bent; reach up and look at left hand, push down with right; repeat with right foot forward.
Relieve aches and pains
Lower back
- Leg sweep: horse stance, bend forward, massage back of legs.
- Side-to-side knee twist: lying on back, arms wide.
- Wag your feet: table pose; cat and cow; lift feet left and right.
Neck
- Neck pulls and turns (also good for the shoulder).
- Move the jar: horse stance, form a triangle with palms facing down; push the "jar" down to left and right; at center, bring knees together, arms at side, push down.
Shoulder
- Pushing palms: wide stance, prayer position; push.
- Arm rotations: warrior pose with back foot on toes; push hand over forward knee forward; push hand over back foot up in a circular rotation; switch sides.
Sciatica
- Iron hand pushes the sky.
- Butterfly bend.
- Extend leg to toe touch: sitting, one leg tucked under; reach up, hands together, reach forward towards extended toe; switch. Advanced: extend leg to side and reach sideways.
Osteoporosis
- Body vibration: slightly wide stance, palms facing at belly level; relax, start shaking at hands and arms, then extend to every cell in the body.
- Swing arms, limbs dropping: lift right arm, bending knees, while swinging left arm back; pause, continue.