Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely

攒拳怒目增气力 · Cuán Quán Nù Mù Zēng Qì Lì · Movement 07 of 8

From a wide stance with both fists held at the waist, punch one fist straight forward at shoulder height, level with the shoulder, while the eyes widen and the gaze sharpens; then draw the fist back and repeat on the other side. The pace is deliberate rather than forceful, the line of the punch stays horizontal, and the eyes stay open and focused throughout. The seated version keeps the arm and wrist work with the feet planted.

Works on: wrists, arms, hands, focus
Time: 2 min
Difficulty: Moderate
Seated version: Yes

The standing version of Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely

Shift the weight to the right leg and step the left foot out to the side, bending both knees slowly into a horse stance. At the same time close both hands firmly and draw them in to the waist, the knuckles facing up. Keep the gaze forward.
Continuing without pause, send the left fist slowly forward, level with the shoulder, the elbow slightly bent and never locked straight, the knuckles facing up. As the elbow leaves the ribs, close the fist more and more, and glare along the direction of the fist, opening the eyes wider and wider. Grip the toes into the floor at the same time. Keep the gaze on the fist.
Continuing without pause, turn the waist to the right and let the shoulder follow. At the same time rotate the left arm inward, turn the left fist into an open palm and reach it forward, palm facing outward and fingers pointing forward. Keep the gaze on the left palm.
Continuing without pause, rotate the wrist in turn so the fingers point down, right, up, left and down again, one full circle, then close the fist firmly with the palm facing up, sitting the wrist fully at the end of the turn. Grip the toes into the floor at the same time. Keep the eyes wide open and follow the movement of the hand. When closing the fist, first bring the thumb across to the base of the ring finger, then close the remaining four fingers over the thumb all at once.
Continuing without pause, draw the left fist back and, bending the elbow, draw it in to the waist with the knuckles facing up. At the same time relax the toes and relax the eyes, and keep the gaze forward.

Breathing

Exhale on the punch, inhale as the fist returns to the waist.

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 tall with both feet flat and a little wider than the hips, and close both hands firmly in the grip the standard calls wagu, drawing them in to the waist with the knuckles facing up. To close it, first bring the thumb across to the base of the ring finger, then close the remaining four fingers over the thumb all at once, and do not let the fingers close one at a time from the little finger. The caution for high blood pressure tells you to keep the fists loose; that is about how much force you put into them, not about the shape of the hand, so the grip stays wagu and only the effort is kept gentle.
Punch one fist straight forward, level with the shoulder, the knuckles facing up, unrolling the arm rather than snapping it, and keep the line of the punch horizontal. Keep the elbow slightly bent and never locked straight. Use internal power and go slowly and evenly; driving with raw strength and forcing the elbow out to the fullest are the two errors named here. As the elbow leaves the ribs, close the fist more and more, and grip the toes into the floor at the same time. Keep the shoulders down.
Fix your gaze on the fist that is punching, on the knuckle face it travels out towards, and let the eyes open wider and wider as the fist goes. The standard says the eyes widen while they stay on the fist, so the glare has a target: it is aimed at the hand in front of you, not at the wall in front of you, and it is the eyes that widen rather than the face tightening.
Continuing without pause, turn the waist to the right and let the shoulder follow. From a chair the waist turns through a smaller angle than it does standing, because the seat holds the hips still, so turn the waist as far as the seat allows and let the shoulder follow the turn instead of twisting the spine further to make up for it. At the same time rotate the punching arm inward, turn the fist into an open palm and reach it forward, palm facing outward and fingers pointing forward. Keep the gaze on that palm.
Continuing without pause, rotate the wrist fully so the hand comes back to a fist. The two sources word the turn differently and both are kept: the group standard has the fingers point down, right, up, left and down again in turn, one full circle, while the 2018 correction text describes about 270 degrees of counter-clockwise rotation with the wrist fully settled at the end of it. Either way the hand travels all the way round rather than part of the way, then close the fist firmly with the palm facing up, first bringing the thumb across to the base of the ring finger and then closing the remaining four fingers over the thumb all at once. Grip the toes into the floor at the same time. Keep the eyes wide open and follow the movement of the hand.
Continuing without pause, draw the fist back and, bending the elbow, bring it in to the waist with the knuckles facing up. At the same time relax the toes and relax the eyes. Keep the gaze forward, and repeat the whole sequence on the other side, one to three repetitions each way, keeping the shoulders down and the elbows close to the ribs.

Helpful cue

Punch one loose fist straight forward at shoulder height, gaze level

Do not do this

Punching diagonally downward instead of straight forward at shoulder height, which is the most common fault in this movement.
Punching hard and fast, which turns a slow strength movement into a strain.
Holding the breath and tensing the jaw along with the fists.
Letting the elbow drift away from the body, which pulls the shoulder forward.
Forcing the punch with raw strength and straightening the elbow out to the fullest, instead of using internal power and letting the elbow stay naturally straight, and turning the elbow farther than it should go.
Not rotating the wrist far enough on the way back, or closing the fingers in one at a time from the little finger.

Who should take extra care

Go gently if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis in the hands, or a wrist injury.
Keep the fists loose if you have high blood pressure and are unsure whether breath-holding is safe for you.
Do not lock the elbows straight or force them open. The two sources word the elbow differently and both are kept: the group standard says the elbow joint is slightly bent, while the 2018 correction text names a fully straightened elbow as an error and asks for internal power, a slow even punch and an elbow that is naturally straight. Teach it as a slight bend, never locked, with no forcing in either direction.

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

Qualitative studies have reported good levels of enjoyment among clinical populations, including people recovering from stroke and living with chronic heart failure, practising Baduanjin.

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, Baduanjin and physical activity participation for older people (2026)

Common questions

Can I do Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely sitting down?

Yes. The seated adaptation keeps the wrists, arms, hands, focus 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 Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely take?

About 2 minutes 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 Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely work on?

It mainly involves the wrists, arms, hands, focus. In the traditional framing it belongs to the 攒拳怒目增气力 principle; practically, it is a slow mobilisation through that area rather than a strength exercise.

When should I be careful with Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely?

Go gently if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis in the hands, or a wrist injury. Keep the fists loose if you have high blood pressure and are unsure whether breath-holding is safe for you. Do not lock the elbows straight or force them open. The two sources word the elbow differently and both are kept: the group standard says the elbow joint is slightly bent, while the 2018 correction text names a fully straightened elbow as an error and asks for internal power, a slow even punch and an elbow that is naturally straight. Teach it as a slight bend, never locked, with no forcing in either direction.

What else is Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely called?

In Chinese it is 攒拳怒目增气力 (Cuán Quán Nù Mù Zēng Qì Lì). English sources use Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely, Punch with Fists, Clenching Fists and Glaring and Clench Fists and Glare. 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.