Many people are now practicing Ba Duan Jin, and there are many things to pay attention to when practicing Ba Duan Jin. Can you drink water after practicing Ba Duan Jin?
Can you drink water after practicing Ba Duan Jin?
Yes, you can drink water after practicing Ba Duan Jin, and it will not affect the effectiveness of Ba Duan Jin.
Ba Duan Jin is a form of Qigong exercise that requires coordinated movements and breathing. After practicing, you may experience increased respiration and sweating, which can cause partial loss of body fluids. At this time, you may feel thirsty, and it is correct and necessary to replenish fluids.
However, it is important to note that you should not drink ice water, coffee, etc. A cup of room temperature plain water, mineral water, or warm water is suitable.
What should you not do after practicing Ba Duan Jin?
1. Do not eat immediately after practicing Ba Duan Jin
It is best not to eat immediately after practicing Ba Duan Jin. After practicing Ba Duan Jin, blood flow is concentrated in muscles and the respiratory system, while blood flow to the digestive organs is relatively reduced. Eating immediately after practicing can result in poor digestion and absorption, and can burden the stomach and intestines. The correct approach is to wait for half an hour after practicing Ba Duan Jin before eating. After this period of time, breathing and other aspects will become more stable, and digestive function will gradually return to normal.
2. Do not take a shower immediately after practicing Ba Duan Jin
After practicing Ba Duan Jin, your body temperature may rise and you may sweat, but you should not take a shower immediately. You should wait for about half an hour for your body temperature to return to normal before showering. When you sweat, the sweat pores on your skin are open, and taking a shower immediately can easily cause a cold or flu.
3. Do not smoke after practicing Ba Duan Jin
After practicing Ba Duan Jin, it is not advisable to smoke, and it is best not to smoke during the time of practicing Ba Duan Jin. The main focus of Qigong practice is to coordinate with breathing, promote blood circulation, and open up the meridians. Smoking during this time can accelerate the delivery of harmful substances such as nicotine to various parts of the body, and smoking can also affect lung function, preventing the body from achieving the benefits of strengthening health and fitness.
4. Do not drink alcohol after practicing Ba Duan Jin
Drinking alcohol after practicing Ba Duan Jin is also not allowed. The components of alcohol can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system. After practicing Ba Duan Jin, the blood circulation throughout the body accelerates and fatigue is relieved. At this time, the blood contains a large amount of alcohol, which can harm the body and outweigh the benefits.
5. Do not immediately squat down to rest after practicing Ba Duan Jin
After practicing Ba Duan Jin, the blood circulation throughout the body accelerates and the meridians are unblocked, which can effectively relieve fatigue. However, if you squat down immediately, it will hinder the return of blood flow to the lower limbs, affecting blood circulation and deepening bodily fatigue.
What are the benefits of practicing Ba Duan Jin?
1. Improved lung capacity
By practicing the first, second, and sixth movements of Ba Duan Jin, continuously increasing the breadth and depth of breathing, the movement of the diaphragm is greatly increased, and the respiratory muscles are fully exercised. The diaphragm is the most important respiratory muscle in the human body. Training it can increase the volume of the chest cavity and improve lung capacity. It has good auxiliary therapeutic effects for coughing and asthma.
2. Weight loss and slimming
By practicing the fourth and fifth movements of Ba Duan Jin, mainly through the movement of rotating the hips, the abdominal and waist area can be exercised, improving the waist and hip circumference. The sixth movement adjusts hormone and autonomic nervous system function to achieve weight loss. The eighth movement activates the waist, abdomen, and adjusts the metabolism of the kidneys, achieving slimming effects. Therefore, obese people can try practicing Ba Duan Jin every day.
3. Relieving back pain
By practicing the first, third, fourth, fifth, and eighth movements of Ba Duan Jin, back pain can be effectively relieved. The first and third movements can improve the flexibility of the shoulder and hand joints and correct the bad habit of hunching over. The fourth movement can improve the flexibility of the cervical spine, and the fifth movement can rotate the waist and upper back to improve the flexibility of the hip and ankle joints. The eighth movement allows the body to make a forward bend to improve flexibility and prevent osteoporosis.
4. Improving memory
By practicing the first, fifth, and eighth movements of Ba Duan Jin, the expansion of the chest and improved blood circulation can provide fresh blood to the brain, thereby enhancing memory and concentration.
5. Improving insomnia and relieving stress
By practicing the first, fifth, and seventh movements of Ba Duan Jin, insomnia can be improved and stress can be relieved. These movements can improve metabolism, regulate the autonomic nervous system and central nervous system, stabilize brain activity, and strengthen blood circulation, which is beneficial for the operation of qi and blood.
If the qi and blood in the body cannot operate on time and yin and yang cannot be harmonized on time, it can lead to a situation where you can't sleep when you should sleep and feel mentally exhausted when you shouldn't be.
6. Assisting in the treatment of shoulder and neck problems
The first and second movements of Ba Duan Jin are active chest expansion exercises that can strengthen the function of the shoulder and neck joints and relieve stiffness in the shoulder and neck area. The fourth movement can exercise the cervical spine and relieve stiffness in the shoulder and neck area. The sixth movement can relax the muscle groups in the spine through shaking movements.
7. Regulating the spleen and stomach
By practicing the first movement of Ba Duan Jin, the triple energizer can be regulated to harmonize the internal organs, balance the endocrine and metabolism systems, and improve appetite. The third movement can strengthen the function of the spleen and stomach, helping digestion and nutrient absorption. The seventh movement can enhance liver and gallbladder functions, increase bile secretion, and lower cholesterol.
8. Enhancing immune function
By practicing the first, second, and third movements of Ba Duan Jin, immune function can be enhanced. These three movements harmonize the internal organs, massage the internal organs, and dredge the Sanjiao meridian, lung meridian, and spleen meridian, promoting the flow of qi and blood, increasing energy, activating cells, and improving immune function.
9. Improving headache
By practicing the fourth, fifth, and sixth movements of Ba Duan Jin, headaches can be greatly relieved.
These movements can activate the cervical spine, lower back, and spine throughout the body, allowing the whole body's muscles and bones to move, promoting smooth circulation of qi and blood, and naturally reducing pressure on the head. The most common cause of headaches is stress, and the muscles and fascia in the neck and shoulders cannot relax, leading to headaches due to continuous contraction.
How long does it take for Ba Duan Jin to be effective?
Most people will see results after practicing Ba Duan Jin for 3-6 months, but the specific time varies from person to person.
Everyone has different intentions when practicing Ba Duan Jin. Some people just want to exercise, while others want to lose weight or treat certain chronic diseases. Many people will only see noticeable improvements in their bodies after persisting for 3-6 months. Everyone has different goals, but as long as the method is correct and you continue to practice, your body will tell you what benefits you have gained.
Who is Ba Duan Jin not suitable for?
1. Acute spinal injury without a clear cause
People with acute spinal injuries whose cause is unknown should not practice Ba Duan Jin. For example, if you suddenly find that your waist cannot move or you suddenly experience pain in your waist and do not know the cause, do not practice Ba Duan Jin or engage in other exercise activities lightly. Practicing Ba Duan Jin involves bending, stretching, twisting, and rotating the spine, and any twisting or bending movements at this time may aggravate spinal injuries.
2. People with spinal cord symptoms
If you have been diagnosed with spinal cord symptoms, such as spinal compression or spinal cord injury, you should not practice Ba Duan Jin casually. The treatment and rehabilitation training for this type of patient should be conducted under the guidance of a doctor. If you have the intention to practice Ba Duan Jin, you can consult your doctor and let the doctor decide the time and method of exercise.
3. Patients with severe heart, brain, or lung diseases
Although the movements of Ba Duan Jin are simple and easy to learn, practicing a complete set of movements can make you feel hot and sweaty, as if you have done intense exercise. Therefore, people with severe heart, brain, or lung diseases are not suitable for practicing Ba Duan Jin to avoid triggering the diseases.
However, people with milder conditions can practice Ba Duan Jin after consulting a doctor.
4. People with excessive physical weakness
Many people with physical weakness may feel dizzy and physically exhausted even after walking a little or lifting something. Ba Duan Jin is a form of fitness Qigong that requires coordinated breathing. People with excessive physical weakness and insufficient energy are not suitable for starting to practice Ba Duan Jin abruptly.
