Effects of Health Qigong • Yi Jin Jing on the Physical Fitness of the Old and Middle-aged

The physical fitness of the old and middle-aged population falls with the advancing age. This is mainly reflected in the declining locomotor activity and the normal physical strength of the organism and the decreasing reactivity of thoughts and agility and accuracy of body movements[1]. According to the main test items in Research of the Body Constitution Monitoring System for Citizens of the People’s Republic of China[2], some monitoring indicators suitable for the old and middle-aged population are chosen in this research to measure the body shape, functions of the respiratory system, the tenacity and balance of the body, and muscle strength, observe the effects of Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing on the physical fitness of the old and middle-aged people, and provide scientific basis for the promotion and popularization of Health Qigong.

1.1.1 Objects and methodology

1.1.1.1 Objects

Old students from University for the Aged People of Jiangxi Province and Activity Center for Retired Cadres of the Provincial Party Committee of Jiangxi are selected as the experimental objects. These objects are aged between 50 and 70 and do not have any history of systematic physical exercises or severe diseases. The experimental group contains 67 objects (14 males and 53 females, aged 62.34±6.66 on an average) who keep practicing the exercise and complete the tests respectively taken before the experiment, 3 months after the experiment, 6 months after the experiment, and 1 year after the experiment. The control group contains 65 objects (13 males and 52 females, aged 63.15±6.07 on an average) who normally complete the two tests taken respectively before the experiment and 6 months after the experiment. There is no significant difference (P＞0.05) between tested objects of both groups in terms of age distribution and average age. This indicates that objects of both groups provide good comparability.

1.1.1.2 Methodology

Objects of the experimental group practice Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing for 1h every morning for at east 5 days a week. Instructors are assigned to coach and instruct these objects. Official versions released by Health Qigong Administration Center of General Administration of Sports of China are used as the basis for the routines, requirements, and teaching guidance of Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing[3]. The control group does not participate Health Qigong exercise or any other systematic fitness activity.

According to the design of the research topic, both the experimental group and the control group are put to body constitution tests respectively before the experiment, 3 months after the experiment, 6 months after the experiment, and 1 year after the experiment. The tests are taken according to relevant measurement indicators and operating procedures in Research of the Body Constitution Monitoring System for Citizens of the People’s Republic of China. The main test items include: Quetelet index, closed-eyes one-leg standing, sit-and-reach, gripping strength, lung capacity, and reaction time.

SPSS10.0 statistical software is used to analyze the data. T-test is used for comparison of mean values. According to the principles of statistics, before-and-after test results of both the experimental group and the control group are respectively put to intra-group and inter-group difference tests.

1.1.2 Results

1.1.2.1 Vertical comparison study

(1) Analysis of effects of the exercise on the national body constitution of the experimental group 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after the experiment

Only the reaction time, lung capacity, and closed-eye one-leg standing are tested on the experimental group 3 months after the exercise. Table 1 shows that 3 months after the exercise, practicers make significant improvements in reaction time and closed-eye one-leg standing but their lung capacity does not change significantly. In 6 months after the exercise, they make significant improvements in Quetelet index, closed-eyes one-leg standing, sit-and-reach, gripping strength, lung capacity, and reaction time. This indicates that in 6 months after the exercise, the functions (sit-and-reach, balance, and gripping strength) of the respiratory and locomotor systems of the tested practicers are improved significantly and the improving effects are further enhanced with the extending term of exercise.

Table 1.1-1 Comparison of the national body constitution tests of the experimental group respectively taken before the experiment and 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after the experiment (n=67， )

ItemBefore experimentAfter 3 monthsAfter 6 monthsAfter 1 year

Quetelet index382.53±45.67374.45±45.30#378.41±42.94☆

Reaction time (s)0.23±0.030.19±0.05**0.15±0.05#0.14±0.04☆

Lung capacity (ml)1912.16±547.351904.48±432.812103.88±479.88#2103.73±452.29☆

Griping strength (kg)23.09±7.0325.50±7.28#26.13±7.86☆

Sit-and-reach (cm)5.20±7.669.84±8.13#10.64±9.61☆

Closed-eyes one-leg standing (s)12.19±14.3118.09±17.13**21.67±20.35#19.54±18.01☆

Note: ** means P

(2) Results of national body constitution tests of the control group respectively taken before the experiment and 6 months after the experiment

Table 2 shows that by comparison between the results of national body constitution tests on 6 indicators of the control group respectively taken before the experiment and 6 months after the experiment, there is no significant difference except with the reaction time, indicating that the body constitution of the control group does not change in 6 months after the experiment.

Table 1.1-2 Comparison between results of national body constitution tests of the control group respectively taken before the experiment and 6 months after the experiment (n=65， )

ItemBefore experimentAfter 6 monthst

Quetelet index376.55±49.05373.69±49.300.701

Reaction time (s)0.22±0.040.19±0.057.564**

Lung capacity (ml)1932.92±457.121936.92±425.580.229

Griping strength (kg)21.79±7.4321.43±6.781.764

Sit-and-reach (cm)5.24±8.325.09±8.860.573

Closed-eyes one-leg standing (s)11.37±11.1811.42±10 80.151

Note: ** means P<0.01.

1.1.2.2 Horizontal comparison study

By statistical analysis, there is no significant difference (P>0.05) between the experimental group and control group in the 6 national body constitution indicators before the experiment, indicating that samples selected for both groups come from the same population and provide good comparability. By comparison between the test results of 6 national body constitution indicators of both groups 6 months after the exercise, there is no significant difference in Quetelet index(P>0.05) but the reaction time, gripping strength, sit-and-reach, and closed-eyes one-leg standing results of the experimental group are significantly superior to those of the control group with very significant difference (P<0.01), and its lung capacity is also superior to the control group with some significant difference (P<0.05).

1.1.3 Discussion

During the experiment we have selected 6 national body constitution indicators suitable for the body constitution of the old and middle-aged population, namely, Quetelet index, reaction time, lung capacity, gripping strength, sit-and-reach, and closed-eyes one-leg standing. Quetelet index (body weight kg/body height cm×1000) is an important indicator that reflects how well the body is proportioned. Reaction time is an important physiological indicator used to test the dynamic reaction velocity of the nervous system of the organism and to measure the degree of aging. Lung capacity is an important indicator that reflects the respiratory functions of the organism. Gripping strength is mainly used to test the muscle strength of the forearms and hands. Sit-and-reach is mainly used to test the extendibility and tenacity of joints, muscles, and tendons of the body trunk, waist, and hips. Closed-eyes one-leg standing is mainly used to test the balancing ability of the human body. Experimental results show that Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing can effectively improve the tenacity, balance, and muscle strength of the organism as well as the agility and accuracy of body movements and provides some strengthening effects on the respiratory functions of the old and middle-aged people. Hence we are justified to believe that Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing has positive effects on the physical fitness of the old and middle-aged people.

Special emphasis is laid on muscle-stretching and bone-pulling movements in Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing. Many movements in the exercises require fully bending, stretching, abducing, adducting, and turning different a part or the whole of the body. These “muscle-stretching” and “bone-pulling” movements can pull the large and small muscle groups and anadesma in all various parts of the human body as well the muscles, tendons, joint capsules, and all kinds of connective tissues at the large and small joints, promote the blood circulation in the soft tissues of moving parts, improve the nutrition and metabolism of soft tissues, elevate the tenacity and flexibility of muscles, tendons and other soft tissues, activate the functions of bones, joints, and muscles, and thus enhance health and strengthen the body[3]. On the other hand, Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing harmonizes the activities of Qi in channels by stretching and pulling the muscles along the channels and thus regulates the functions of the internal organs and strengthens the muscles and bones.

References

[1] Tang Shuyi (Editor in Chief). Diagnosis and Treatment of Frequently-seen Diseases of the Aged [M].Beijing: Military Medical Science Press, 2003: 5.

[2] Science and Education Department, National Sports Commission. Research of the Body Constitution Monitoring System for Citizens of the People’s Republic of China [M]. Beijing: Beijing Sport University Publishing House, 2000.

[3] Health Qigong Administration Center of General Administration of Sports of China. Health Qigong•Yi Jin Jing [M]. Beijing: People’s Sports Publishing House,2003.