Qigong, Tai Chi, and Neigong - what's the difference?

Last week I wrote up an article on the basics - What IS Qigong?  Today I'd like to tackle the second most often asked question I get: What's the difference between Qigong and Tai Chi? 

Qigong and Tai Chi are like cousins - similar in many ways - but where qigong is often a little simpler, Tai Chi can be more complex.  The reason behind this main difference comes from the origins of these two related arts.

It starts off simple, Tai Chi, while it looks so meditative, is actually a martial art style.  Qigong, on the other hand, is more specifically dedicated to healing.  The lines get a little blurry because there are martial forms of Qigong (you can learn a bit more about this in this previous post), but Tai Chi is made of literal combat moves, but slowed down and done in a way that allows one to cultivate Qi - the vital energy.  Qigong is usually not based on martial technique, but does whatever movement (or stillness) will best mobilize these inner forces.

The basic distinction is this: Tai Chi is a martial art based on qigong principles, and Qigong is a type of inner cultivation exercise that has healing, spiritual, and martial arts variations!

When people ask me which one they should study, I almost always recommend practicing Qigong first.  Why?  Because learning Tai Chi usually involves memorizing a specific choreography where one move follows the next in a prescribed sequence.  This has amazing benefits for the mind, and once integrated the form becomes quite meditative - BUT - while in the process of learning some students can get stressed out by all that memorization and miss the stress-relief benefits they were attending class for in the first place!

Qigong, by contrast, sometimes has pre-choreographed sets, but many systems of qigong are simpler, and repeat the same move over and over - the students can simply follow along.  Additionally, many qigong postures are less complicated because they are designed specifically for healing and stress relief, rather than originally possessing a martial-arts purpose.

That said, if you know what you're getting into, Tai Chi brings its own unique benefits to the table that make it a powerful system of inner cultivation!

Tai Chi became popular first here in the West because, I believe, people saw older practitioners able to flow through these routines of graceful movement, and began to realize that this exercise system must contain numerous health benefits.  Studies down through the decades have now shown that indeed, Tai Chi is very beneficial to your health!  It works on your balance and strength and even cardiovascular health in a way that not all Qigong styles can.

Qigong can be a little more "approachable" with its gentle stretching, coordinating of the breath, and focus of the mind, and with fewer complicated balance postures or extended flowing routines.  Qigong is easier to do in a chair if its hard to stand for long periods of time.  Because of this, it's a little easier to use for relaxation and recovery, or to tune up the body via the meridians of Chinese Medicine - which it targets.

The main take-away is that BOTH these systems of self-cultivation are GREAT for you, and which one to pick just depends on your goals or capacities!  What they both share is called "Nei Gong" - the inner work.

Nei Gong is lesser known in the West, but it is the active ingredient that connects Qigong and Tai Chi!  In Tai Chi, "Neigong" relates to how one uses the body mechanics of posture, and the focus of mind to enhance the performance of this martial art.  In Qigong, it involves these same principles of aligning body, breath, and mind to bring about a healing effect.  Neigong is the science of "inner cultivation" that these traditions from ancient China are rooted in.  By studying either art properly, you can begin to appreciate the principles of Neigong, and by studying Neigong specifically, you can open up entirely new dimensions in your TaiChi or Qigong practice!

One powerful form of Neigong is the classic "Ligament and Bone Qigong" also called Iron Shirt Qigong.  Coming up on November 11, I'll be teaching the final of a three class series on Iron Body Qigong where we'll explore my Sifu's lineage treasures for the cultivation of Inner Strength!  Check it out and I hope you can join us!