Qigong Routines · SequenceLast reviewed Oct 23, 2026

Spinal Balance Qigong

脊椎平衡方

· 10 movements · 10 min · Free

Counting · The name counts the sections; the opening and closing postures are performed but sit outside that count.

Naming · The English names are descriptive translations in common use. The official compilation publishes no English movement names.

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Start — Three Adjustments

起势

Stand and settle into the starting position before anything moves: length through the crown of the head, feet pressing down and gripping the floor, perineum drawing gently inward. Do three rounds of reversed abdominal breathing — the belly softens as you breathe out.
Three rounds of reversed abdominal breathing: absorb on the inhale, soften on the exhale. This is the inverse of ordinary abdominal breathing, so go slowly.

Activate the Spine

第一式——激活脊椎

Rotate the arms and lift them overhead, opening the elbows and lifting the chest, then bring the elbows together and press them back, and finally press both hands up so the spine is drawn upward segment by segment.
The lifting comes from the spine itself, not from the shoulders rising. Every section of the spine takes part in the extension.

Raise the Arms, Turn the Eyes

第二式——举臂运目

Raise the arms and turn the head, with the eyes following the hands, so the neck rotates, extends and flexes through a full range.
The eyes travel with the hands — that is what turns this into a neck exercise rather than an arm exercise. Stop before anything pinches.

Rotate Atlas and Axis

第三式——旋转寰枢

Rotate through the upper neck to work on the first and second cervical vertebrae. Bend the knees and look back, then come forward and massage down the lower neck.
The rotation stays in the upper neck while the head stays level. The knees bend to support the movement rather than to create it.

Draw In the Chest, Lift the Back

第四式——含胸拔背

Press the hands forward and draw them back at the same time, then lower the head and look at the chest, so the mid-back is stretched and the chest cavity is compressed and massaged.
The forward press and the backward draw are one action with two directions. The back widens while the chest softens.

Lift the Chest, Brace the Spine

第五式——挺胸夹脊

Lift the chest and press the hands back, while the hands also press downward, so the upward and downward forces brace the mid-back and activate it from both sides.
The chest lifts and the back is held at the same time. The ribs stay down — lifting through the ribs turns this into a shrug.

Bow-Step Stretch

第六式——弓步抻拉

Swing the arms and turn the body, then step into a bow stance and stretch to the side, drawing the neck, mid-back and lower back upward segment by segment in one long pull.
The reach is long and continuous rather than forceful. The eyes follow the direction of the stretch.

Raise the Knee, Reach Forward

第七式——提膝前伸

Raise one knee while the arms press upward, so the upward reach of the arms and the raised knee pull against each other. This works the lower spine and the sacral area.
The balance point is brief; keep the trunk steady and the standing leg soft rather than locked.

Backward and Forward, Softening the Spine

第八式——仰俯柔脊

Lie or lean back with the belly opening, then fold forward, so the spine is worked and smoothed through its whole length in one continuous pass.
The movement is slow and rounded, with no jerk at either end of the range. Keep the neck long as you fold forward.

Close — Three Adjustments

收势

Return to the starting position and settle: feet pressing down and gripping, crown lifted, perineum drawn in.
Three rounds of ordinary abdominal breathing: soften the belly on the inhale, draw it in on the exhale. Beginners often reverse this — slow down and check.

Tai Chi Wuji · https://www.taichiwuji.com/qigong-routines/spinal-balance-qigong/