Example of internal martial arts exercise (hip rotation)

This is one of the internal martial arts warm up exercises. It should be performed before any form practice as part of the opening of energy gates (joints) set. I will show the full opening of energy gates set at some stage later. I have decided to show this exercise separately, because it is one of the best illustration of what “internal” means in internal martial arts.
Hip rotation exercise looks simple. Anyone who has ever been to a physical education class, or to any sport training has done this exercise as part of the warm up routine.
Every external martial arts has this exercise as part of its warm up routine as well. You were told that it loosens up the hips. This is all external martial arts gets from this exercise. You were told to put your hands on your hips and to swirl around. No other instructions were given.

In internal martial arts, this exercise has many levels:

1.It opens up hip and ankle joints
2.It stretches all ligaments, tendons and muscles from your floating ribs all the way to your toes
3.Teaches you how to open and close your qua
4.It teaches you how to shift your weight from foot to foot in a circular way not just linear way
5.It teaches you how to perform smallest and most important Bagua circle, the foot circle. This circle is the weight shifting circle, where the 70% weight point traces the circle witch has it center in the center of the foot, and diameter the distance between the ball of the foot and the center of the heel of the foot. This enables you to change direction of the force and its intensity by shifting the weight from one part of the foot to another. This is the core exercise for push hands.
6.It teaches you how to extend your awareness into your feet.
7.It teaches you how to connect the lower Dan Tien and your feet.
8.It stimulates bone growth in your legs by oscillating the pressure in the bone tissue through weight change through the leg bones all the way from the hip to the toes.
9.It works like chi pump. When the 70% of the weight is on the ball of the foot, this opens the upward chi channel, which allows the chi to ascend from your feet up your legs to the lower Dan Tien. When the 70% of the weight is on your heel, this opens up the downwards chi channel which lets the chi descent from your lower Dan Tien to your feet.


The instruction for performing this exercise are very precise:

1.Stand with feet shoulder with apart
2.Put your hands on your kidneys, with your fingers pointing down, and palms facing out.
3.Lock your knees, and then just open them tiny bit.
4.Your upper body should stay upright at all times
5.Keep your feet fully pressed on the ground. Do not lift your toes and heels. Do not rock your feet from side to side.
6.Perform circles slowly and smoothly.
7.When you shift your weight never shift your full weight forward or backwards. Always maintain ratio of 70 – 30.
8.Keep your feeling in in the space between your feet and the ground.

Here is the link to the video showing the exercise being performed.