Deep Relaxation and Vital Energy Replenishment for Men: Details of Relaxation Exercises, Upper Vital Energy Exercises, and Lower Vital Energy Exercises

This method is suitable for those who are physically weak or suffer from chronic diseases. Its key points include relaxation, calming the mind, and proper breathing. The posture should facilitate the flow of qi and blood; lying down, sitting, or standing are all acceptable, but relaxation and naturalness are essential. The usual position is lying down, either on one's side or back, prioritizing natural comfort. Gently close your eyes and mouth, with your upper and lower teeth lightly touching and the tip of your tongue lightly touching the roof of your mouth. Breathe naturally, inhaling and exhaling through your nose. Based on the normal rhythm and depth of breathing, gradually adjust to achieve evenness (uniform speed and movement), fineness (breathing so light it's inaudible), stability (steady and not strained), and length (gradually increasing the respiratory cycle).

Through practice, one can concentrate the mind and achieve a state of tranquility. One method is the silent recitation of words: while inhaling, silently think of the word "quiet," and while exhaling, silently think of the word "relax." While silently thinking of "relax," consciously relax a specific part of the body, relaxing one part with each breath, in that order: head, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, back, waist, hips, legs, and finally the feet. After relaxing all the muscles, relax the blood vessels, nerves, and internal organs. This is a practice that begins with cultivating intention, using specific postures as a foundation, and guiding the relaxation of different parts of the body through mental activity in coordination with correct breathing. In fact, physical relaxation also contributes to mental ease.

To help practitioners improve the effectiveness of relaxation exercises, some regions promote music-guided practice. Here is an excerpt of a relaxation exercise rhyme: "Lie comfortably on the bed with your head high, your posture relaxed, your breathing natural, silently contemplate stillness and relaxation. When inhaling, think of the word 'stillness,' and when exhaling, think of 'relaxation.' Keep the word 'relaxation' in mind, and relax your muscles simultaneously. First relax your head, neck, and arms, then your chest and abdomen, followed by your waist and back, and finally your legs and feet. Repeat this three times, until your whole body is relaxed, and your internal organs and six bowels also feel relaxed and loose. Breathe evenly and steadily, and focus your mind on your lower abdomen. At this time, your mind enters a state of stillness, seemingly asleep but not quite. After a while, get up and move around again. With diligent practice, you will see results over time." Depending on the practitioner's specific health condition, relaxation exercises should be practiced 2-4 times a day, for half an hour each time. With consistent practice, results can be seen after three months.

This exercise is said to enhance vital energy, hence the name "Shangyuan Gong" (Upper Yuan Exercise). I. Preparatory Stance: Stand upright with legs shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides, hands hanging naturally, muscles relaxed, and eyes looking straight ahead. II. Starting Posture: Slowly raise your left hand, palm facing up, fingers slightly spread, and move it along the center line of your chest from bottom to top. As it reaches your chest, your right hand begins to move, while your left hand continues to move forward and to the left. Follow your left hand with your gaze. At the top of your left hand (but without fully extending your arm), turn your palm upwards, forming a "scooping the moon from the sea" posture as you descend.

As the left hand moves upward, the left toes move along the ground past the inside of the right foot, taking a half-step and arcing out to the left, landing with the knee bent. The two legs are about 60 centimeters apart. The torso then turns to the left, shifting the body weight to the left leg. The right leg follows the left turn, with the right heel slightly raised, forming a left-leg bow stance with the right leg in a half-bow position. The inner sides of both legs are tightly clasped together. This completes the left-side movement. Next, perform the right-side movement: the torso turns from left to right, the right hand extends forward and to the right, and the left hand follows from downward to upward. After the right hand reaches its maximum extension, it flips its palm, descending into a "scooping the moon from the sea" posture. Simultaneously, the feet turn from left to right, forming a right-leg bow stance with the left leg in a half-bow position. The inner sides of both legs are tightly clasped together. This completes the right-side movement.

The movements are the same on both sides, but in opposite directions, alternating 8 times on each side, for a total of 16 repetitions. Pay attention to relaxing all muscles; avoid stiffness. The hand movements should be fluid and natural, without pausing midway. The key to this exercise is bringing the inner thighs inward during the torso rotation. This movement can be categorized into high, medium, and low intensity levels based on the range of motion and the degree of squatting. Middle-aged and elderly men or beginners can generally practice the low or medium intensity levels, while young people can practice the high intensity level (but must start with the low or medium intensity levels).

After starting the exercise, the arms are naturally bent, which helps to unblock the arteries in both arms, promotes smooth energy flow, improves the elasticity of joints and muscles, and prevents vasculitis. Because the movements directly affect and stimulate numerous acupoints such as Neiguan, Waiguan, Zusanli, Quchi, Jianyu, Huantiao, and Tiantu, it has a good therapeutic effect on preventing and treating hemiplegia, senile hip and groin arthritis, frozen shoulder, and lower back pain caused by kidney deficiency. For men, gently squeezing the scrotum promotes testicular health and enhances its function, preventing hernias, varicocele, and testicular prolapse.

The Lower Yuan Gong, passed down by Wang Zhaolin, a senior figure in Jinan's martial arts community, can improve the function of the anus, rectum, and urinary and reproductive systems. It has good therapeutic effects on hemorrhoids, anal fissures, chronic nephritis, prostatitis, and other diseases, and is also beneficial for health and longevity. I. Posture: It can be performed sitting or standing, with the standing posture being the most effective. Supine posture: Use a pillow slightly higher than usual for sleeping. Lie flat on a wooden bed with legs naturally extended, heels together, and arms naturally placed at your sides with palms facing inward.

Seated Posture: Sit upright on a wooden chair with feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, knees bent at 90 degrees; straighten your back and relax your shoulders, slightly tuck your chest and back, tilt your head slightly forward, tuck your chin slightly, and place your arms naturally at your sides with palms facing inward. Alternatively, stand with feet parallel and slightly bent at the knees, hips relaxed; other requirements are the same as the seated posture. II. Breathing: Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, inhaling evenly and deeply, contracting the abdomen, inhaling to the maximum capacity, and exhaling slowly and deeply until completely exhaled. Both inhalation and exhalation should be silent. III. Procedure: Whether sitting, lying down, or standing, maintain a natural and upright posture, relax your whole body, gently close your lips and eyes, look down at the area your mind is focused on, breathe naturally, and calm your mind.

Focus your mind on the soles of your feet (Yongquan acupoint) for 5-10 minutes. When you feel a sensation of energy in your soles, exhale deeply and slowly, guiding the energy up your legs to the perineum (between the anus and genitals). At the same time, contract your abdomen, clench your fists, grip the ground with your toes, lift your anus, clench your teeth, and lick your palate with your tongue. Inhale fully, hold your breath, and hold your breath until you feel slightly breathless. Then, slowly inhale through your mouth, guiding the energy back down the same path to the soles of your feet. Simultaneously, relax your abdomen, loosen your fists, relax your toes, release your anus, loosen your teeth, and lower your tongue. Repeat this for 3 breaths (one inhale and one exhale is one breath).

Similarly, when inhaling, guide the breath upwards along both legs, past the coccyx (the point behind the anus at the tailbone) for 3 breaths, then continue upwards along the spine to the Mingmen point (between the second and third vertebrae). Hold your breath and hold it. When exhaling, guide the breath back down the same path to the soles of the feet, for a total of 6 breaths. Finally, guide the breath along the same path to the Mingmen point without stopping, then forward through the abdomen to the navel. Hold your breath and hold it. When exhaling, guide the breath downwards, passing through the perineum and down both legs back to the soles of the feet, for a total of 9 breaths. To finish, place both hands on top of each other, palms facing inwards, on the navel, and focus your mind on this point for 5-10 minutes. Then, gently rub your face and ears with both hands, slowly open your eyes, and take a leisurely walk to finish the exercise.