Move · Videos · Tai Chi · 14 min

Five Animals Qigong (Wu Qin Xi): 14-Minute Follow-Along

Five Animals Qigong (Wu Qin Xi): 14-Minute Follow-Along — video by QIGONG TAICHI CENTRE | Yogalily Studio Play · 14:00

Video by QIGONG TAICHI CENTRE | Yogalily Studio on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A qigong teacher leads the standard Five Animals set outdoors with short spoken cues: raising the tiger's paws and seizing the prey, deer antler twists and running deer, bear waist circles and sway, monkey lifts and picking fruit, then bird stretches and flying on one leg.

  • 14 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
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Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Ready position: arms relaxed, gaze soft; lift the hands as you breathe in and lower them as you breathe out. 0:10
  2. Raising the tiger's paws: make fists and lift as you breathe in, open the paws, then pull down as you breathe out. 1:06
  3. Seizing the prey: lift the hands as you breathe in, then stretch forward and press down as you breathe out. 2:18
  4. Deer: step and twist to look back at the rear heel, each side, then running deer, arching the back. 3:43
  5. Bear: circle the waist with the fists on the belly, then sway side to side, stepping and sitting back. 5:49
  6. Lifting the monkey's paws: hands rise, shoulders lift, heels rise and the head turns, then release. 7:36
  7. Picking fruit: step back and look, then step forward and reach up to pick, each side. 8:26
  8. Bird stretching upward: hands rise overhead, then lower and open as you stand on one leg, each side. 9:41
  9. Flying like a bird: lift the arms to shoulder height, then overhead, balancing on one leg, each side. 10:34
  10. Winding down: slow breaths with the hands over the lower belly, then open the eyes and massage the face. 11:44

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Breathe in as the hands lift and out as they press down
  • Step and twist to look back toward the rear heel in the deer movement

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Shoulders movestiger paws, bird arms overhead
  • Upper back movesdeer antler twists looking back
  • Lower back movestiger forward bends, bear waist circles
  • Hips movesbear waist circles, bird knee lifts
  • Knees movestiger crouch, bear and deer stances
  • Ankles & feet movesrising on the toes, bird one-leg balance
  • Rounding or twisting the back. With osteoporosis or a back problem, move smoothly and within comfort, and ask a physio which suit you.
  • Standing on one leg. Keep a chair or a wall within reach.

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by QIGONG TAICHI CENTRE | Yogalily Studio; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety