Health balls - Rosowski Budokan Institute
Rodokan Combat Karate Kempo
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Rosowski Budokan Institute
Rodokan Combat Karate Kempo
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Health balls
Wellbeing
Health Balls are known by various names. The most common are Qigong (chi kung) balls or simply Chi (ki) balls. They are used for hand massage, since the hands, like the feet and ears, have acupuncture points that correspond to most human organs. One can also use them to harmonize one’s internal energy, strengthen finger tendons and improve the energy flow in the hands and fingers. My adventure with health balls began when I was looking for a way to enhance recovery of my hand after a complicated fracture of three fingers and a metacarpus. As I wanted to return to my exercises as soon as possible, I found an effective method to improve the function of the injured hand without putting excessive strain on it.
However, the balls can be used for more than only recovery. Experts in traditional Chinese medicine claim that the balls can help to raise or lower one’s blood pressure and calm one’s mind and body, depending on how they are rotated. Exercises with health balls are also recommended for people with rheumatic disorders and even Alzheimer’s disease. In both cases, the hand function is greatly impaired and the joints become stiff.
The balls can also be helpful in anti-smoking therapy since they allow to keep hands occupied and suppress the desire to reach for a cigarette. They also help children with ADHD.
Chinese Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) exercising with health ballsHistorical sources say that initially, at the times of Han Dynasty, nuts or small stones were used to exercise the hands. They were used mainly by acrobats and warriors, who needed to demonstrate their dexterity. The first mentions of the medicinal properties of the balls date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
One can train virtually anywhere and in any position (lying, sitting and standing). Beginners should not practice with too large balls. The size of the balls should be matched to one’s hands so that they can be manipulated naturally and without effort. To start, place the balls in your hand so that they touch each other. Then move your fingers and thumb so that the balls rotate.
Try to rotate clockwise and anticlockwise. Do not get discouraged when you feel that rotating in either direction is more difficult. Perform the exercises alternately with the left and right hand.
Depending on the speed and direction of rotation, your Yin or Yang becomes stronger. Fast rotations strengthen the Yang. This technique stimulates, raises blood pressure and warms up. It affects the gallbladder, bladder, small intestine, stomach and large intestine. Slow rotations strengthen the Yin, thus allowing one to calm down and lower one’s blood pressure, while affecting the liver, heart, spleen, lungs and kidneys. When the balls are rotated anticlockwise, the Yang becomes more dominant, and vice versa, when they are rotated clockwise, the Yin is strengthened. And again, when the balls are manipulated for a long time, the balls become warm and the Yang is more powerful, whilst when they are rotated shortly, they remain cold, emphasizing the Yin. By using the right technique, one can calm down and strive for balance in the body.
Health balls can be made of various materials. In ancient China, they were most often made of steel, jade or agate.
Nowadays, the most common are metal balls with a soft-sounding bell hidden inside. Listening to the bell sound while exercising with the balls helps to calm the mind. For those who practice listening meditation, it can be an excellent source of sound for this type of exercise.
People who prefer quiet practice, for instance, because they wish to exercise in public without disturbing anyone, will find wooden or stone balls perfect. Agate, rock crystal, jade or tiger’s eye will be the best choice in this case. Where the original metal or stone balls are not available, one can try to exercise with any round objects such as glass balls, nuts or avocado seeds. I hope you will benefit from this kind of exercise, as it is not only a way to stimulate your Chi (Ki) energy but also an excellent hand recovery method for those practicing martial arts.
