Shaolin Four Forms Practice


Ⅰ.　THE FIRST FORM (Taking in Qi energy through the sky)

Taking in Qi energy through the sky 1. Stand in the basic posture, extend your arms to the side to the shoulder level.
(IMAGE: Your palms are pulling up the Qi energy of the ground.)
2. Put your palms up, bring your arms overhead, and fold your hands together.
(IMAGE: Your palms are absorbing the Qi energy of the sky as they go up.)
3. Keep your hands folded, and face them toward the sky.
4. Stretch your body up and release 8 times.
(When you inhale, you pull up your body and arms. When you exhale, you release your body.)
5. Keeping your back straight, bend your body forward from your hips, and put your hands down.
6. Stretch your body downward. Touch your hands to the floor, and then release your hands from the floor. (Do that 8 times)
7. Without changing your posture, touch your hands to the left side of your left foot. .
Stretch and release 8 times.
8. Touch your hands to the right side of your right foot. Stretch and release 8 times.
9. From the bottom left, swing your body upward in a circle 8 times
From the bottom right, swing your body upward in a circle 8 times.
(When your hands are overhead, inhale. When your hands are downward, exhale.)
(IMAGE: When you inhale, absorb the universal Qi energy, when you exhale, release the illness from Yongquan (the cavity located on the soles of the feet)



Ⅱ. THE SECOND FORM (Yin Yang Twist)

Yin Yang Twist 1. Stand in the basic posture. While inhaling, twist your body to the left. When you turn back,
look at the heel of your right-foot.
2. Put your body back to the front. While exhaling, twist your body to the right.
(Do steps 1 & 2, 8 times.)




Ⅲ. THE THIRD FORM (Punch left and right)

Punch left and right 1. Spread your legs out to the side (twice the length of the shoulders).
2. Place your right fist on your right hip (face your fist upward).
Twist your left palm inward in front of your chest.
3. Straighten your left hand and while inhaling, bring it to the left side.
Put your weight on your left foot. (Straighten the fingers of your left hand, and put your palm outward.)
Keep your right fist on your right hip.
4. Make a fist with your left hand. Bring it toward the left hip and turn it upward.
5. Turn your body to the right, while shifting your weight to your right leg.
6. While exhaling, put your right fist out on the shoulder level. (Your right fist should be facing downward.)
7. Go back to the steps on No.2.
8. Repeat the steps from No.2 to No.6, 7 times.




Ⅳ. THE FOURTH FORM (Tiger's paws in the horse-riding posture)

Tiger's paws in the horse-riding posture 1. Take the horse-riding posture. Face both fists upward and put them on your hips.
2. Bring your left fist to your shoulder level, and put it out to the front. While doing so, spread your fingers and exhale.
3. Put strength into your fingers, bend your fingers as if to grab something, and shape the fingers like a tiger's paw. While inhaling, pull your fist to your left hip.
4. Repeat the same steps on the opposite side.
5. Do this 8 times.