To: K-list
Recieved: 2003/10/28 15:20
Subject: [K-list] RE: new member + soreness
From: Lbra782595
On 2003/10/28 15:20, Lbra782595 posted thus to the K-list:
Alicedee writes:
>i am also a beginning aikido student and am teaching myself chi kung.
>i am having a bit of a problem though already.
>around two weeks ago, i seem to have picked up some fairly harsh neck pain
>which is now radiating thru my shoulder as well.
Hi Alice,
Welcome.
As a Chi Kung instructor please believe me when I tell you that Chi Kung
should NOT be self taught. There are subtle nuances to the positions that cannnot
be adequately communicated on paper. If the positions are done incorrectly,
serious joint injury may result.
Ask your akido teacher if s/he can direct you to a qualified Chi Kung
teacher. A T'ai Chi teacher would be able to help you as well. Every T'ai Chi
teacher I have ever met has studied some Chi Kung.
As far as your current discomfort goes, I would guess that you are not
executing your
"Head Suspended" posture correctly. As you hold your positions, try lifting
the top of the head straight up from the spine. The net result of this is
that your chin will "tuck in" as you lift the head. Do not tilt your head
forward or back. Try pretending that someone has their hands on the edge of the
skull located about an inch below and behind each ear. See the hands lifting
your head STRAIGHT UP. Let the tip of your chin move towards your throat as
this happens.
>i have chronic pain in the left lower lumbar and sacrum area as well, tho
>this isn't recent.
This can be eased by being certain you are doing the "pelvic tuck" correctly.
This is a one of the core concepts of T'ai Chi and Chi Kung. Use the basic
"feet apart" position, bend forward slightly at the waist, then contract the
gluteal muscles and thrust the lower part of the pelvis/sacrum forward with a
smooth rocking motion. It is very similar to "pelvic thrust" in aerobic
exercise, but must be held in the tilted forward position at all times. The net
result is that the lumbar is flattened and the sacrum brought into alignment with
the spinal column. This is very difficult to describe with the written word.
It is much better to see it demonstrated.
One of the ways that you know that you are doing Chi Kung correctly is that
you will get physical reactions in your body called "rocks in the stream".
Some people also call these "kriyas". These are little jerking jolts that can
happen in any muscle or set of muscles in your body. They occur as the Chi or
Prana or magnetic life force finds a blockage in one of your meridians or
nadis. The blockage acts like a stone in a moving current of water. The water is
forced to change course slightly and swirl around the stone. This will make
your muscles jump as the lifeforce slowly eliminates the blockage.
Other basic pointers I can give you are:
Keep the insteps of your feet parallel.
Keep your knees pushed out slightly, but not so much as to lift the insteps.
Keep the major portion of your weight on the heels of your feet. Put only
enough weight on the balls of your feet to keep your balance.
Keep your knees bent at all times and make the thigh muscles do the work.
Putting weight on the balls of your feet transfers the load from the thigh
muscles to the knee joints. This can SEVERELY injure the knee joints. That is why
the weight is kept in the heels.
PLEASE seek out a qualified instructor and good luck in your practice.
Sincerely with Love,
Jason B
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