Pro Membership
Five Animal Sports Qigong (YMAA chi kung) DVD
Inhouse product
Reviews & Ratings
-
Neil F. Sambol
09-08-2025I have been looking for years for a qigong to give me the workout that this one does. Aside from the excellent exercises themselves, this DVD also features the following:1. Excellent instructional design -a. History of the five animal sports.b. Five element theory with Kathy Yang.c. Each piece has a detailed introduction by Dr. Yang stating why the piece is done the way it is and what it works on.d. Each piece is then practiced by Dr. Yang's class of 5 students.2. Easy to follow along at your own pace -Because this is a DVD, you can skip over the chapters you are not currently interested in. I have been following along every day. On the weekends, when I have more time, I review the detailed instruction. On the weekdays when I do not have as much time I just follow along with the class. Following the students from beginning to end (including the warm-ups) it takes approximately 1:15 to complete all 25 movements.3. Excellent production. High quality video, charts and graphs included for five element theory and TCM. The background is not too busy. It is easy to see what Dr. Yang and the students are doing.4. VERY detailed information - you really learn WHY you are doing the exercises. Dr. Yang invites you to modify them to suit your needs after you understand them fully. This is definitely NOT a DVD you should follow blindly. It teaches you and encourages you to think for yourself.I agree with other reviewers. This exercise routine is quite strenuous. I would not recommend it for beginners.I have quite a few of Dr. Yang's DVDs (probably about 10) - all of which are very good. However, this is the crown jewel of my collection.I cannot recommend this DVD more highly.
-
Yee Chow
09-08-2025This is the best instructional video I've ever watched and followed from my vast collection of Tai Chi and Qigong videos by various well-known instructors. Dr. Yang has always been thorough in his verbal instruction in all of his videos and this one is no exception. The animal forms are easy to follow and interesting to learn. Each animal form chapter is further broken down into subsets of movements so you can master a subset of movements via repetition before moving onto the next. I also find his students very good at demonstrating. Unlike most of Dr. Yang's videos, this one doesn't require too much space - just an ordinary living room - for the workouts to be done. I used this video for the first time when I woke up in a cold morning with some soreness on my back. After following these animal forms, my back and core muscles were completely relaxed and my soreness was gone!
-
Converted Skeptic
09-08-2025Excellent instruction but a little more demanding than the Eight Pieces of Brocade DVD put out by the same man (Yang Jwing Ming). This series of lessons targets specific organs in the five element system of qi gong. You'll do best by working through one at a time. You can use specific exercises to work on weak areas, and you can build up to the whole series. There is plenty of explanatory commentary. This is a great buy.I do want to add this note: this is NOT WuQingXi (Wu Qing Xi), the traditional five animal frolic. It's clearly based on that or is an alternatively developed practice ritual. But if you are thinking of the numerous YouTube videos that offer a fairly simple, 10-13 minute routine, this is not that same thing. It does step you through the same five animals, but this is slightly more difficult and slightly more demanding.
Technical Specifications
Product description SALE! (Reg $40) LEARN FIVE ANIMAL QIGONG! Medical Qigong (chi kung) for Healing The Five Animal Sports, or Frolics, are one of the most ancient and popular sets of medical qigong exercises. Passed down for nearly 2,000 years, it is an effective, fun, and sometimes humorous way to energize the entire body. By imitating the movements and spirit of the Tiger, Deer, Bear, Monkey, and Bird, a practitioner can build their strength and longevity inside and out, and enjoy excellent health. Learn the correspondence between the internal organs and Five Elements theory during an introductory discussion of Five Elements Theory by Kathy K. Yang. Experience a private lesson with one of the world's foremost masters of qigong as Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming offers detailed instruction, starting with a brief stretching and warming up section. SPECIAL FEATURES: Dozens of Chapter Markers Menus/Subtitles: English, Spanish Quick Reference Guide to the 5 Elements Chart and Healing Sounds (on-screen) All regions DVD / region-freeDVD plays worldwide, region 0. Review Man of the Year 2007 --Inside Kung Fu magazineOne of America's most sought-after instructors of Qigong. --Omega Center
