Many people exercise primarily to lose weight and improve physical fitness. Others, however, prefer gentler disciplines such as tai chi to reduce stress and promote relaxation. But for those seeking a calming mind–body practice that also supports weight control and fitness, an alternative exists in the form of the Chinese Wand Exercises — an established traditional system of health training.
This system combines Chinese callisthenics with qigong breathing techniques intended to balance and stimulate the flow of qi, or vital energy, along the body’s energetic pathways. The practice involves the controlled handling of a light four-foot pole, traditionally made of bamboo, while performing gradual stretching and strengthening movements in a calm, meditative state with coordinated deep breathing.
The exercises were introduced to the West in 1945 by the American teacher Bruce L. Johnson and later documented in his 1979 book, which is now out of print. Recognising the value of the system, I went on to publish what remains only the second book on the subject in 2011.