Heart（心經）- Small Intestine（小腸經）

Chuen T L, May 2018
Note: Please consult your doctor if you think these exercises are not suitable for you and be aware that I cannot take responsibility for you trying them out.

Here are two upper body stretches for the TCM meridian pair Heart（心經）and Small Intestine（小腸經）. They balance each other and should be done as a set.

1 Heart（心經）

1.1 Description

1 Start position
  • Stand in front of a stable table or chair and have your hands on top, elbows almost straight, about shoulder width apart. Both arms are stretched at once.
2 Contract muscles
  • Push your hands down into the surface and your arms towards your body to contract the arm and chest muscles.
You don't have to contract with full strength. The more strength you use, the more physical change you can achieve, but the faster you will exhaust yourself.
  • Maintain the muscles contracted to start the stretch.
  • Now take a breath in as you're about to start the stretch.
3 Stretch contracted muscles
  • Walk slowly backwards as you lower your head between your arms in slow and gradual motion while you keep pushing down with your hands and arms.
  • Breathe out slowly as you go through the stretch.
Only go as far as you can maintain the contraction of your target muscles.
4 End Position
  • When returning to the starting position you can optionally strengthen the target muscle group by slowly lifting your upper body with your arms.
When the target muscles are weak, it is advisable to strengthen them as well in order to get a good stretch.
Repeat the stretch for about five times.
Remember to breathe!

1.2 Pictures

2 Small Intestine（小腸經）

2.1 Description

1 Start position
  • Clap your hands together. Fingers can be interlocked or not. Both arms are stretched at once.
2 Contract muscles
  • Push the hands into each other to contract the muscles along your triceps (back of upper arm) and shoulder joints.
You don't have to contract with full strength. The more strength you use, the more physical change you can achieve, but the faster you will exhaust yourself.
  • Maintain the muscles contracted to start the stretch.
  • Now take a breath in as you're about to start the stretch.
3 Stretch contracted muscles
  • Move your elbows towards each other and try to touch them as you keep your hands steady and maintain the contraction.
  • Breathe out slowly as you go through the stretch.
Only go as far as you can maintain the contraction of your target muscles.
4 End Position
  • When returning to the starting position you can optionally strengthen the target muscle group by keep pressing your hands into each other as you bring the elbows apart.
When the target muscles are weak, it is advisable to strengthen them as well in order to get a good stretch.
Repeat the stretch for about five times.
Remember to breathe!

2.2 Pictures