Qi Gong is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation.  With roots in Chinese medicine, martial arts, and philosophy, qigong is traditionally viewed as a practice to cultivate and balance qi (chi) or what has been translated as “intrinsic life energy.”  Among the Qi Gong methods practiced at the Scott Academy of Martial Arts are the 99 Longevity Exercises of the Chen Pan Ling Curriculum, the Yijinjing (the muscle/tendon change classic), and the Baduanjin, or the eight brocades.  Originating from the Shaolin Temple itself, the Yijinjing strengthens the muscles and tendons, promoting strength, flexibility, speed, stamina, balance and coordination of the body.  The Baduanjin (standing eights, eight brocades) is an exercise for longevity and health over 2000 years old. Another highly beneficial and challenging practice is Zhan Zhuang, also called post standing or standing Qi Gong.  Zhan Zhuang is a method of training in which static postures are used for physical training, to develop efficiency of movement, perfection of structural alignment; and hence maximal strength, for martial applications.