Qigong is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial arts training. It is a traditional Chinese medicine mind-body practice that offers many possible benefits, from improved immunity to stress reduction to enhanced fitness. Qigong involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being.

Qigong practice typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow-flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and a calm meditative state of mind. The movements are typically gentle and smooth, aimed at relaxation, and are composed of movements that are typically repeated, strengthening and stretching the body, increasing fluid movement (blood, synovial, and lymph), enhancing balance and proprioception, and improving the awareness of how the body moves through space.

In most forms of qigong, breath is slow, long, and deep. Breath patterns may switch from abdominal breathing to breathing combined with speech sounds. Qigong is designed to improve functional abilities by engaging all six hundred muscles and 230 joints associated with actively participating in the world. Unlike walking, running, and riding bikes, which are generally performed in only one direction (forward), the functional exercises of Qigong work all the muscles and joints of your body in multiple directions.

Tai chi is one of the hundreds of forms of qigong exercises that was developed in China. Other forms of qigong include Baduanjin, Liuzijue, Hu Yue Xian, Yijin Jing, and medical qigong. Qigong is generally believed to be a safe and gentle practice that helps engage the parasympathetic side of your autonomic nervous system.