This Hard Qigong was developed from ancient Chinese martial arts. Each movement is a "jin pattern", to train your body to circulate more abundant energy (Qi) and develop your speed and power. Shaolin White Crane movements involve whole body whipping motions to emit incredible force. Starting with a firm root though the legs, all your joints must be relaxed and the entire body moving in unison.

For your general health, Hard Qigong improves your balance and stability, and increases your muscular endurance and stamina. Hard Qigong training energizes the limbs, which then circulates to the internal organs, nourishing them with Qi and improving your vitality.

• Hand Forms, Stretching & Fundamental Stances
• Rare teaching of two complete sets of Moving Hard Qigong
• Hard qigong is the origin of barehand styles, such as karate and Taekwondo.
Also available: Shaolin White Crane SOFT Qigong

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming was born on August 11th, 1946, in Xinzhu Xian, Taiwan, Republic of China. He started his Kung Fu training at the age of fifteen under Master Cheng, Gin-Gsao. In thirteen years of study under Master Cheng, Dr. Yang became an expert in the White Crane Style of Chinese martial arts.

BONUS: Understanding the "Bows"

The spine and chest movements are the most important. Theoretically, as long as there is a joint which allows you to bend and then straighten, then it is considered a bow. These bows are constructed from the muscles and tendons in the joints. Through contraction and extension, the bow is able to generate power. In our body, there are two large bows which are constructed from the two biggest muscle and tendon groups. These two bows are the spine and the chest. If you look at the body’s structure, you will realize that through the contraction of the torso and the chest m"opening and closing", you are able to pull, push, lift or do heavy work. Once you have injured these two bows, your power will be significantly reduced.

In order to generate strong Jin for fighting, these two bows are emphasized in all Chinese martial styles. This is the same in Southern White Crane. Southern White Crane specializes in the training of the torso and the chest. We can see this from the White Crane Qigong training, in which the spine and the chest movements are the main focus. Through White Crane Qigong training, a practitioner will learn how to rebuild his spine and chest from weakness to a stronger level. This includes the muscles, tendons, and also the ligaments. Only after a practitioner has mastered the Qigong movements and coordinated it with his breathing, Yi, and Qi, can the Jin be manifested with the coordination of other, smaller bows such as the shoulders, elbows, and wrists to manifest the Jin to its maximum potential.

You should understand that in order to have strong Jin, you must have a strong physical body (Yang) and an abundant level of Qi (Yin). The physical body is like a machine and the Qi is like electricity. If either one is missing, the power will not be strong. This is true also for your general health: when you lose range of motion through the torso, your circulation and health are diminished.

Often, a Qigong practitioner only knows how to tense the muscles and tendons of the spine and chest without knowing how to relax them. It is common in this situation that the spine ligaments, the joints, or the muscles are damaged. This is commonly seen in Karate styles in which the tension of the torso is heavily emphasized. It is important to soften to the maximum as well.

Through Grand Circulation (whole body qigong) practice, a student will learn how to lead the Qi correctly to the limbs, or any part of the body, to energize it to the highest level of Jin (power) manifestation. In order to mentally lead the Qi to circulate smoothly and freely in the body, the physical body must be relaxed. A tense body will make the Qi circulation stagnant. Because of this, the body must remain soft.

When a high level White Crane practitioner manifests Jin in his practice or in battle, the physical body is very soft at the beginning while the Qi is led to the limbs to energize the muscles for action. Once the power reaches the opponent, then the physical body is tensed suddenly. This is why White Crane is called a Soft-Hard Style.