External Exercise?

Like most people, you have probably heard somewhere, perhaps from your doctor, a magazine or TV show; that exercise is good for you. Perhaps, after hearing this you begin to research and think about exercising or you may be the type of person that decides one day to “Just do it” like the Nike commercials tell us.

Before you venture out there and just do it …or if you already did…there are a few questions that you probably have, if not then you should consider.

• why am I exercising
• what form is best
• what is the ultimate goal
• how will this exercise help me to reach that goal
• is there such a thing as the wrong exercise
• and in the long run will this help me to live longer, happier and be truly healthy

Now if you pick up an exercise book, magazine or go to a local gym, you will be directed towards the following: exercise machines, free weights, cardio machines, sports, calisthenics, aerobics, pilates, yoga, zumba, martial arts and a long list of other options. In short, you will have a long list of options that although they appear different actually offer the same end result and goal. That is, to have an attractive outer appearance/figure. All of these methods can also be classified under the same category of External Exercise since there emphasis is on the surface or outside of the body.

We are told that these external exercises will help to improve our health and will help our heart as well. On the contrary, external exercise actually puts increased stress and tension on the body and only further depletes our vital energy from an already depleted account (Dr. Stephen Chang, Complete System of Self Healing, Internal Exercise, and The Dao of Taijiquan by Jou, Tsung Hwa).

Not only is the exercise itself depleting but the end goal of larger muscles, increased heart rate; further strains our internal organs and systems which contributes to further weakening. When you age, and your muscles begin to break down and convert to fat this will further contribute to a weaker body. So to sum up external exercise: it is a fast approach to developing the body and external figure, which rapidly weakens and decreases the function of the internal vital organs and energy, ultimately increasing the aging process. Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s heart trouble as an example, or professional athletes being considered old in their 30’s. How is 35 old and how can we consider that form of exercise productive if it causes us to be “old” at such a young age? And if muscles are a prerequisite to strength and health then why is it so difficult for a grown adult to remove the hand of a newborn baby when it squeezes or holds onto their finger? The good news is that there is a way to balance out the side effects of external exercise!

Another Option does exist

There is a system of exercise that’s existed for over 6,000 years and was referred to and written about in both the Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine (approx. 5,000 years ago) and Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching (2,500 years ago). This method is called the Tao of Revitalization (Yǎng Shēng Shù) or Internal Exercise.

What is Internal Exercise?

Taoists discovered long ago that mankind must fulfill two basic physical needs in order to maintain, revitalize and prolong our lives.

1) Consumption (eating, drinking, etc…)

2) Motion

a) Mind movement (thinking)

b) Body movement (breathing and other functions of

internal organs and external limbs)

c) Sex

If either of the two basic needs are not properly met and sustained then life will cease. Internal exercise in almost every aspect is the opposite of external exercise. The emphasis is placed on healing, energizing and improving the function of the internal organs. The Internal organs are the key to youth, immunity against disease and true health (Dr. Stephen Chang, Complete System of Self Healing, Internal Exercise, p. 13).

Since external exercise depletes our energy through its fast and or strenuous movements; Internal exercise functions through slow, smooth, gentle, natural and precise movements that coordinate: physical movement, breathing, mental focus and spiritual awareness thus benefitting body, mind and spirit.

There are many forms or versions of Internal exercise, some more well known versions are Qigong (Chi Kung) and Dao Yin or Do-In as it is called in Japan. Many experiments in the west and east, as well as time tested faithful practice, have confirmed why the Tao of Revitalization/Internal exercises were given the title “The Foremost of Therapies” by the Yellow Emperor. “One study by Dr. Pao Ling published in Guolin Research Report involved 2,873 terminal cancer patients where “Chi Kung” therapy was used to treat their afflictions. Within a six month period, about 12% of the patients were cured and about 47% showed significant improvements in their condition, about 41 % showed no improvement” (Dr. Stephen Chang, Complete System of Self Healing, p. 14-15). That is almost 60% of the people cured or significantly improved after only 6 months of therapy/practice, truly incredible. The list of research would fill a book on its own so I will only include the one study for now. Future articles will reference others where appropriate.

Let us pause for today with one final thought that earlier was referred to as the goods news…. “If you do external exercises, you must do internal exercise. If you do internal exercise, you can forget about external exercise” (Dr. Stephen Chang).

Until next time, Best Wishes and Many Blessings to all.

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