Baduanjin guides
Three guides cover the practical side of Baduanjin: how to start from nothing in your first session, how the breath sets the pace of every movement, and the five mistakes that account for almost everything that goes wrong. Each is short and can be read in a few minutes.
- Guides in this section
- 3
- Reading time
- 4 to 6 minutes each
- Order they are useful in
- Beginners, then breathing, then mistakes
- Practice needed first
- None
Start here
If you have never done Baduanjin, read the beginners guide first — it tells you which three movements to start with and what the first two weeks actually feel like. The other two guides make more sense once you have done the movements a few times.
- Baduanjin for beginners — which three movements to start with, how long to practise, and the five mistakes beginners make.
- Breathing in Baduanjin — how to sync breath and movement, when to inhale and exhale, and what to do about breath-holding.
- Common mistakes in Baduanjin — moving too fast, forcing range, and the neck and lower back rules that matter most.
Where these sit in the site
The guides are about how to practise. The eight movement pages are about what to practise, and the seated practice section is about doing it from a chair. If you are here because you cannot stand for a full round, start with the seated section and come back to the guides afterwards.
Common questions
Do I need to read all three guides?
No. The beginners guide is the one that matters at the start. The breathing guide is worth reading once you have done the set a few times and notice your breathing is uneven.
Are these guides about the seated form or the standing form?
Both, mostly. The advice on pace, breath and range applies either way, and the seated adaptations are described on each movement page and in the complete seated session.
Is there a guide to the Twelve-Section Brocade?
The Twelve-Section Brocade has its own section with each form clearly titled, including a chair version. Start at the Twelve-Section Brocade hub.
Written by LiHe — practitioner, teacher and consultant in qigong and traditional health practice. Review status and sources are shown below where available.
This is general movement education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Read the full disclaimer.
The Chinese names are the traditional names of the movements. They are not medical claims, and this site does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition.
- Last reviewed
- Movement data
- Standing form follows the Chinese Fitness Qigong Association standard routine. The chair versions are this pack's own adaptation, written for a seated reader.. Version v0.5.