Flying Cat Cow, Turn And Burn, Cat Cow Tornado

 

 

Explanation of terms

🐱🐮 cat cow, flying cat cow (link to detailed article and explanation)

the principle of alternating forward and backward bending of the spine, as well as all other directions of spinal flexing (left, right, and everywhere in between)

Turn and Burn

In China, even internationally in major cities, such as Los Angeles USA, you'll see in Chinatown local parks seniors gathering in local parks early in the morning, doing various qigong exercises.

One of the most common exercises you see, is they'll spend even 20 minutes continuously just doing one move,  swinging their arms back and forth with waist turning. 

I'm not sure what the name of the move is, I call it "turn and burn", because the waist turning and loose arm swinging burns away tension and knots in the hips, shoulders, elbows, etc. 

My version, the qigong gorilla 'turn and burn', shown in the video up top, takes the move off the rails by introducing many angles not done in the vanilla standard version of the move done worldwide.

For example, starting at 25sec, and right around 30sec mark in the video, that particular angle with the head and spine forward bending somewhat really targets the same trouble area that the 'plow helicopter suite' addresses. 

finish diminish, finish the mission of exploitation

In the video clip above, I only swing a couple of times at the various angles to quickly demonstrate the range of possibility. 

But in your practice, you should be noticing as you sample various angles, what your body really needs.

spend extra time in the especially problematic areas you have!

For example, the angle at the 30sec. mark, I'll spend 2-5 minutes there. 

Your body will give you feedback letting you know, often endorphines and pleasure chemicals, that it wants you to spend more time there. Ride it out, finish the mission of exploitation, getting the most benefit out of that.

conversely, at other angles you don't feel feedback sensations letting you know there's any special need there, no need to waste too much time at those angles ('finish diminish', drop activities with diminishing return). 

But do quickly try out all the possible angles and assess the situation ('assess to progress' and 'measure for pleasure'). 

(to be continued)