Bouncing on the Toes

背后七颠百病消 · Bèi Hòu Qī Diān Bǎi Bìng Xiāo · Movement 08 of 8

Stand with feet together, reach the crown of the head upward as you rise onto the balls of the feet, then let the heels drop lightly back to the floor so a small vibration travels up through the body. Traditionally performed around seven times to close the set. In the seated version the heels lift and drop while the balls of the feet stay on the floor, which keeps the calf and ankle work without any balance challenge.

Works on: calves, ankles, balance, spine
Time: 1 min
Difficulty: Gentle
Seated version: Yes

The standing version of Bouncing on the Toes

From a still upright stance, extend the spine and lengthen the crown of the head upward, sink the shoulders and drop the elbows, draw up the anus and firm the abdomen, and let the fingers hang down. At the same time lift both heels and grip the toes, with the focus on controlling the swing of the head and the weight travelling no further than from the heel to the ball of the foot. Hold for a moment at the top. Keep the gaze forward.
Lower the heels slowly and evenly from the highest point, landing with a light shock through the floor; the drop must be neither too heavy nor too light. Keep the descent smooth and even, with no pause halfway and no hollow tremor on the way down, the whole body centred, the muscles relaxed and the teeth together. At the same time, close the teeth, sink the shoulders, open the arms and let the whole body settle. Keep the gaze forward.

Breathing

Breathe naturally and evenly throughout; inhale as the heels lift, exhale as they lower.

The seated version

This is the part most other guides leave out. If standing for a full round is difficult, uncomfortable or simply not something you want to do today, the movement still works from a chair.

Sit with both feet flat on the floor and let the hands rest on the thighs. The standing form takes the feet together; from a chair, feet set hip-width apart are the adaptation, because two feet set together would interfere with each other when the heels lift and the hip-width gap leaves the ankles room to rise.
Extend the spine and reach the crown of the head upward as you press through the balls of the feet to lift both heels, and hold for a moment at the top. Extend the spine so the crown reaches up, lengthen the back of the neck, sink the shoulders and drop the elbows, draw up the anus and firm the abdomen, and let the fingers hang down. Grip the toes, and in the standing form the legs are kept straight, drawn together and tight and never slack, with all five toes gripping and the little toes working hard; from a chair the feet stay hip-width apart, so carry the drawn-together demand into the knees tracking towards each other over the feet while the heels stay lifted. Keep the gaze forward.
The standing form limits how far the weight travels to between the heel and the ball of the foot, because the support is narrow and the head must stay steady over it; from a chair you are not balancing the whole weight, so the same rule is translated to the ankles instead. Let the ankles stay square, neither rolling in nor rolling out, let the pressure stay spread across the whole sole rather than tipping onto the balls of the feet or onto the heels, and keep the arches from flattening.
Lower the heels from the highest point slowly and evenly and let the shock come up through the sitting bones into the spine. The drop must be neither too heavy nor too light, and a landing so light that nothing reaches the floor counts as too light. Keep the descent smooth and even, with no pause halfway and no hollow tremor on the way down, the whole body centred, the muscles relaxed and the teeth together.
Stay seated with both sitting bones in contact with the chair as the heels come back down, and repeat one to three times. If your ankles feel stiff, reduce the height of the lift rather than shortening the descent.

Helpful cue

Press through the balls of the feet to lift and lower both heels

Do not do this

Dropping the heels hard, which jars the spine and the joints of the feet.
Letting the weight travel too far forwards and backwards, so the balance becomes uncertain; keep the weight inside the foot, between the heel and the ball of the foot, and use support if you feel unsteady.
Pausing halfway down or letting the heels fall as a hollow bounce instead of descending smoothly and evenly from the top, or landing so lightly that nothing reaches the floor.
Letting the knees soften, the legs drift apart or the heels lift unevenly while the heels are raised, instead of keeping both legs straight, drawn together and tight, with all five toes gripping and the little toes working hard.
Tensing the whole body instead of letting the bounce travel softly.

Who should take extra care

Hold the back of a chair or stand near a wall if you are unsteady on your feet.
Skip or reduce the movement if you have an acute heel, ankle or foot injury.
Avoid the bouncing element if you have a recent vertebral compression fracture.

Safety first

Ask your doctor before starting if you have heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, dizziness or fainting, a fall in the last 6 months, surgery in the last 3 months, diagnosed osteoporosis, a hip or knee replacement, a painful joint, or pregnancy.
Pain is a stop sign. Stop with burning, pressure or sharp pain; ordinary muscle tiredness is different from pain.
For seated work use a sturdy, armless, wheel-free chair with a firm seat against a wall. Keep both feet flat, and use a stable book under the foot if you need it.
For every standing or balance movement keep a fixed support within one arm's reach.
Never hold your breath. Breathe with the movement, and return to normal breathing when the effort rises.
If you feel dizzy, sit down, wait one minute, and end the session for that day.
Drink water, practise at least one hour after a meal, and use non-slip shoes or a non-slip bare-foot surface.
Use a comfortable range. Forward bends come from the hips with a long, neutral spine; avoid sudden twisting.
This programme is not medical treatment and does not replace physiotherapy.

What the research says

In the 2026 narrative review, over half of the included Baduanjin studies involved samples with health conditions affecting function and mobility, and no included study reported the use of technology.

The same review noted that most practice, research and uptake of Baduanjin until recently has taken place in countries with predominantly Chinese populations.

Sources

General Administration of Sport of China, Health Qigong Centre, Common Errors in Baduanjin and How to Correct Them (per form)
Group standard for Baduanjin (Chinese Health Qigong Association / China Association of Chinese Medicine), graded movement breakdown — consulted via a government re-publication, 2026-06 (full citation not yet recorded)
Narrative review, New options needed for improving physical activity participation for older people (2026)

Common questions

Can I do Bouncing on the Toes sitting down?

Yes. The seated adaptation keeps the calves, ankles, balance, spine work and removes the standing balance challenge. Both feet stay flat on the floor. The full seated steps are listed further down this page.

How long does Bouncing on the Toes take?

About 1 minute for one round at a slow pace. The quality of the movement matters more than the number of repetitions — move slowly enough that your breathing stays even and unforced.

What does Bouncing on the Toes work on?

It mainly involves the calves, ankles, balance, spine. In the traditional framing it belongs to the 背后七颠百病消 principle; practically, it is a slow mobilisation through that area rather than a strength exercise.

When should I be careful with Bouncing on the Toes?

Hold the back of a chair or stand near a wall if you are unsteady on your feet. Skip or reduce the movement if you have an acute heel, ankle or foot injury. Avoid the bouncing element if you have a recent vertebral compression fracture.

What else is Bouncing on the Toes called?

In Chinese it is 背后七颠百病消 (Bèi Hòu Qī Diān Bǎi Bìng Xiāo). English sources use Bouncing on the Toes, Rise and Lower on the Toes, Seven Bounces, Heel Raises and Bouncing on Toes. The movement is the same in every case.

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: 2026-10-08
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.