Lung（肺經） - Large Intestine（大腸經）

Chuen T L, 25 April 2018
Note: Please consult your doctor if you think the exercises are not suitable for you and be aware that I cannot take responsibility for you trying out any of the exercises.

Here are two upper body resistance stretches for the TCM meridian pair Lung（肺經）and Large Intestine（大腸經）. They balance each other and should be done as a set.

1 Lung（肺經）

1.1 Description

1 Start position
  • Stand behind a door frame or corner and put your hand against the wall at about head height. Have the elbow slightly bend. The right arm will be stretched.
2 Contract muscles
  • Push with your hand into the wall in a diagonally-downward direction towards your left hip to contract your 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 forward past the door frame/corner to stretch the arm and peck muscles.
  • Breathe out slowly as you go through the stretch.
You can try to focus on the thumb and put more pressure on it.
Only go as far as you can maintain the contraction of your target muscles to avoid straining your shoulder joint.
4 End Position
  • When returning to the starting position you can optionally strengthen the target muscle group by keep pushing into the wall as you slowly walk backwards.
The arm and chest muscles are usually weak, so it is advisable to strengthen them as well in order to get a good stretch.
 Repeat the stretch for about five times each side.
Remember to breathe!

1.2 Pictures

1.3 Video

2 Large Intestine（大腸經）

2.1 Description

1 Start position
  • Cross your elbows and claps your hands together. The top arm (left arm in the picture below) will be stretched.
2 Contract muscles
  • Push the elbows and hands into each other as if you wanted to open them apart to contract the muscles along your arm and shoulder.
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 slowly in all directions to stretch your contracted shoulder and arm muscles.
  • Breathe naturally as you go through the stretch.
Only go as far as you can maintain the contraction of your target muscles.
4 End Position
  • The continuous contraction will both stretch and strengthen the target muscles, hence this stretch can be very tiring.
  • Move the elbows in each direction about five times and then swap them around.
Remember to breathe!

2.2 Pictures

2.3 Video