At the start of practicing Qigong, new practitioners may feel soreness, fatigue, or weakness in the beginning stages. You are doing new exercises, stimulating new energy flows, using new muscles and exercising the body in a new way, which is why it can take some time to adjust. In fact, soreness could actually be a positive result of good Qigong practice. Shooting pain is not good and you should stop the movement if you experience this. Let yourself rest and come back to it once more. If it still persists, stop and seek out the advice of a qualified instructor. If after three days you are still sore from the Qigong, it means you have pushed your body too hard or over- exerted. The next time you practice, do less so that you can recover properly.
If you experience shortness of breath during the exercises, it is important to go back to a natural breathing method. Do not try to control or force the breath. A breath that is too shallow or too long can also be a cause of this. In this case, a more balanced, natural breath is advised. Another possibility could be improper posture, and this can be alleviated through proper postural alignments.
Concentrating too intensely during Qigong practice can cause headaches. Qigong should always be done gently in a calm and relaxed way. Holding the breath unnecessarily can also cause headaches and dizziness, as the oxygen supply and blood flow will potentially be blocked.
During menstruation, women are advised to proceed with caution. If the Qigong increases your menstrual flow, cease your practice until your period stops.
Women should not practice Qigong while menstruating heavily as Qigong will likely increase blood flow.
Learn each movement by itself and then put them together. This is a time-tested Taoist methodology of learning. You must be able to grasp each component to successfully combine it with others.
Get to know your body and how many repetitions it can handle. Stop at the onset of fatigue. Do not let the ego push your body. Knowing when to stop brings forth the ability to conserve proper energy and keep it for the next set or the next day. This is also a principle of the “I-Ching”. Once something reaches an extreme, it will turn into its opposite. An example of this is when you train so hard that you become so fatigued that you have no energy left. Always keep a little energy for the next training session.
I recommend practicing bare foot on soft, dry grass. This ensures proper stimulation of the acupuncture points on the bottom of the feet. The next best practice is to wear soft, thin-soled shoes that allow your feet to flex and feel the connection to the earth.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING TIP: BREATHE CONTINUOUSLY
Only hold your breath when instructed by a qualified teacher. Holding your breath while doing certain Qigong can be dangerous as you risk losing your balance, passing out, getting dizzy or simply hurting yourself.
Always let your tongue touch the roof of your mouth to connect the Ren and Du Mai (Governing and Conception Vessels).