{"id":4829,"date":"2023-06-14T23:19:36","date_gmt":"2023-06-14T16:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=4829"},"modified":"2023-06-14T23:19:36","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T16:19:36","slug":"try-this-body-stress-release-using-tai-chi-and-qigong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=4829","title":{"rendered":"Try This Body Stress Release Using Tai Chi and Qigong"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">I<\/span>f you learn just one thing from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/aipingtaichi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/aipingtaichi\/\">Shirley Chock<\/a>, let it be this: Stress is <em>not<\/em> \u201call in your head.\u201d<\/div>\n<p>In fact, the certified corporate wellness specialist known as \u201cThe Stressbender\u201d primarily helps her clients relieve stress by focusing on their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-stress-affects-body\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-stress-affects-body\/\"><em>physical<\/em> tension<\/a>. \u201cWhen we talk about relieving stress, a lot of people focus on addressing the mental side,\u201d Chock says. \u201cIt\u2019s really important to remember, though, that it\u2019s not stress until there\u2019s a buildup of tension in your physical body.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re stressing over an upcoming deadline or an argument with your partner, that mental tension leads to physical reactions that we think of as stress: increased heart rate, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/high-blood-pressure-lifestyle-changes\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/high-blood-pressure-lifestyle-changes\/\">high blood pressure<\/a>, chronic muscular contractions, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-causes-brain-fog\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-causes-brain-fog\/\">brain fog<\/a>, among other responses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you\u2019re stressed out, your brain just doesn\u2019t work as well,\u201d says Chock, who\u2019s a master teacher of both Tai Chi and Qigong. She uses both of those techniques to help clients manage their stress. \u201cInternal martial arts like Tai Chi and Qigong are wonderful techniques for relieving stress because you really have to come into the body to find out where the tension is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So how can you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/physical-ways-relieve-stress\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/physical-ways-relieve-stress\/\">relieve stress within your body<\/a> yourself? This four-step sequence (curated for Well+Good by Chock, using elements from both Tai Chi and Qigong) will help set you up for less-stressed success.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-stress-release\/\" current-title=\"\u2018I\u2019m a Tai Chi and Qigong Expert Known As \u201cThe Stressbender,\u201d and Here Are 4 Ways I Release Stress in the Body\u2019\" current-image=\"GettyImages-body-stress-release-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2022-12-14\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-stress-release\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-stress-release\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-stress-release\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As Chock says, \u201cIf you can put your body in an optimal state where you\u2019re in good alignment with good posture and good breathing, you\u2019ll be better able to handle those stresses that are part of everyone\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Step 1: Come into your body<\/h2>\n<p>Take stock of how your body is feeling physically. \u201cQuiet that analytical part of your brain that wants to overthink everything,\u201d Chock advises. \u201cWe can\u2019t relax what we don\u2019t feel is tense.\u201d Listen to your body so you can notice and relax any points of tension.<\/p>\n<p>Not sure where to begin? For many of us, the shoulders hold a lot of physical stress. \u201cImagine you\u2019re a clothes hanger, hanging in a closet from the crown of your head,\u201d Chock suggests. \u201cPicture gravity as a fluid weight that flows down through your head, neck, shoulders, arms, and fingers. Allow your arms to feel heavy as they hang down by your sides.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/CqYoFBgDy-U\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Step 2: Relax your face, then your body<\/h2>\n<p>According to Chock, practitioners of Chinese medicine and internal-arts practices often say, \u201cIf you can relax your tongue, you can relax your whole face. If you can relax your face, you can relax your whole body.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Start by gently touching the tongue to the roof of your mouth, right behind your top teeth. Keeping your lips closed, let the tongue spread gently across the roof of your mouth and form a tiny \u201cBuddha smile\u201d with your lips. As you take a moment to get comfortable with this softening of the jaw, you may also notice a corresponding release of tension around your eyes. (Keep up this practice, and you could eventually feel some relief from chronic tension headaches.)<\/p>\n<p>Check in with your overall posture, and repeat Step 1 as needed.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@aipingtaichi\/video\/7208586606603783467\" data-video-id=\"7208586606603783467\">\n<section><a title=\"@aipingtaichi\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@aipingtaichi?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@aipingtaichi?refer=embed\">@aipingtaichi<\/a> Replying to @rudeman81 Stressbending Hack, when your mind is flooded with stress, here&#8217;s a relaxation hack that releases face and body tension so your mind can also release the tension <a title=\"stress\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stress?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stress?refer=embed\">#stress<\/a> <a title=\"stressrelief\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressrelief?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressrelief?refer=embed\">#stressrelief<\/a> <a title=\"stressreliever\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressreliever?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressreliever?refer=embed\">#stressreliever<\/a> <a title=\"tip\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/tip?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/tip?refer=embed\">#tip<\/a> <a title=\"hack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/hack?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/hack?refer=embed\">#hack<\/a> <a title=\"relax\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relax?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relax?refer=embed\">#relax<\/a> <a title=\"relaxation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relaxation?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relaxation?refer=embed\">#relaxation<\/a> <a title=\"relaxationtips\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relaxationtips?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relaxationtips?refer=embed\">#relaxationtips<\/a> <a title=\"relaxface\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relaxface?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/relaxface?refer=embed\">#relaxface<\/a> <a title=\"taichi\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/taichi?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/taichi?refer=embed\">#taichi<\/a> <a title=\"qigong\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/qigong?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/qigong?refer=embed\">#qigong<\/a> <a title=\"stressbending\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressbending?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressbending?refer=embed\">#stressbending<\/a> <a title=\"stressbender\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressbender?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/stressbender?refer=embed\">#stressbender<\/a> <a title=\"\u266c Quiet meditation music - Jun Naotsuka\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Quiet-meditation-music-6817363134332798977?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Quiet-meditation-music-6817363134332798977?refer=embed\">\u266c Quiet meditation music &#8211; Jun Naotsuka<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>Step 3: Slow down your breathing<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cA lot of the tension that we feel can be alleviated by improving, i.e. lengthening, our breathing,\u201d Chock explains. \u201cHowever, trying effortfully to deepen our breath will add unnatural tension.\u201d To avoid this pitfall, begin by simply noticing where your inhale stops or feels trapped.<\/p>\n<p>Oftentimes, Chock sees clients\u2019 breath stop like this in the upper chest area. If that\u2019s you, try to visualize what the tension feels like. Tight coils? A hard, stuck feeling? Per Chock, creating a clear mental picture of your physical tension will help you release it with equally vivid visual metaphors. Try thinking of washing the tension away with cool water, untangling a ball of string, or anything else that resonates with you.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/CnC5igEJ07B\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Step 4: Tune in to your body\u2019s symmetry<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cOur bodies are designed to be symmetrical, and they function best when symmetrical,\u201d Chock says. But, she adds, most of us spend our days shifting between uncomfortable, asymmetrical positions.<\/p>\n<p>Chock\u2019s fix? \u201cLearn to notice the stillness, calm, and symmetry in your body.\u201d Maintaining healthy posture and a neutral stance will cut down on the daily bodily micro-stresses caused by poor posture and its close companion: asymmetrical body positions. Put both feet on the floor when sitting, uncross your arms, spread weight evenly between both hips\u2014you\u2019ll feel your body start to feel better.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@aipingtaichi\/video\/7164075662062423338\" data-video-id=\"7164075662062423338\">\n<section><a title=\"@aipingtaichi\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@aipingtaichi?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@aipingtaichi?refer=embed\">@aipingtaichi<\/a> Why Tai Chi is S-L-O-W <a title=\"taichi\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/taichi?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/taichi?refer=embed\">#taichi<\/a> <a title=\"overcomeyourfear\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/overcomeyourfear?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/overcomeyourfear?refer=embed\">#overcomeyourfear<\/a> <a title=\"\u266c original sound - AipingTaiChi\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7164075695247805227?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7164075695247805227?refer=embed\">\u266c original sound &#8211; AipingTaiChi<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you learn just one thing from Shirley Chock, let it be this: Stress is not \u201call in your head.\u201d In fact, the certified corporate wellness specialist known as \u201cThe Stressbender\u201d primarily helps her clients relieve stress by focusing on their physical tension. \u201cWhen we talk about relieving stress, a lot of people focus on &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4829"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4829\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}