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Qi Gong
Qi Gong (气功), Qigong, Chi Kung, or Chi Gung is a holistic system encompasing the metaphysical concept of "vital energy" or "life energy". It combines coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and moving meditation for the promotion of good health, spirituality, to loosen and warm the muscles and joints as a preparation for Tai Chi or martial arts practice.
With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, Qi Gong is traditionally viewed as a practice to cultivate and balance a person's Qi.
There are many different forms and versions of Qi Gong, but all forms consist of slow moving exercises with coordinated breathing. All Qi Gong forms involve the repitition (anywhere from 4 to 8 times) of a set of movements which combine breathing, stretching, bending, isolation, exercising muscles and joints, gentle weight-shifting and balance.
Which Qi Gong you practice is not that important, as long as you spend 15-30 minutes in continuous and focussed movement. Also, each individual movement is not as important as the total process - the objective is that at the end of your practice you feel relaxed, energised and prepared.
There is a selection of Qigong videos that you can use for practice on 
Techniques
Whether viewed from the perspective of exercise, health, philosophy, or martial arts training, there are several principles concerning the practice of Qi Gong:
- Intentional movement: careful, flowing and balanced
- Rhythmic breathing: slow, deep breathing combined with fluid movement
- Expansion and Contraction: inhaling and exhaling coordinated with physical movements
- Awareness: calm, focused meditative state
- Visualization: of qi flow, philosophical tenets, aesthetic
- Softness: soft gaze, expressionless face
- Solid Stance: firm footing, erect spine
- Relaxation: relaxed muscles, slightly bent joints
- Balance and Counterbalance: motion over the center of gravity
- Ba Duan Jin (Eight Silken Movements)
- Shi Ba Shi (Shibashi or 18 Movements)
- Luohan (18 Palms)
- Lotus Blossom
- Long Life 32
- Silk Reeling
There is a selection of Qigong videos that you can use for practice on
The video below shows a modified version of Chen style Silk Reeling which is used as a cool-down and relaxation at the end of each class. If practicing this Qi Gong, remember:
- Keep both feet flat on the floor (bow stance)
- Breath in as you come back and breathe out as you go forward
- Let the body (shoulder) lead and let the hands follow, do not lead with the hands
- Relax and enjoy.