Note: William Song, the editor-in-chief of M Weekly, conducted the following interview with Master Hong on sports injuries. This is an advance copy of the interview, which has been translated into English.
WS: Can conventional treatment and Qi Gong be used concurrently?
MH: Yes. Qi Gong Energy Work can be used in a complementary manner. The trainer or doctor can work on the athlete first, and then I follow. The key point is that Energy Work has no side effects. I don't directly touch the athlete for new injuries, but it would be best if I worked on the athlete first.
WS: Most people don't understand the concept of Qi. Can you explain what Qi is?
MH: Sure. Most people are not aware of the concept and practice of Qi Gong Energy Work. Most people do not understand what Qi is either. Qi is translated as life force, vital energy, or just energy. While the concept of Qi may seem complicated, it is actually very simple. Matter progresses to energy and energy to spirit. Qi is the medium, or bridge, between matter and spirit. Through observation and study, Chinese Qi Gong Masters discovered that each organ in the human body has a different function with a different speed of energetic vibration. By tracing the meridians (channels) Qi takes through each organ and observing the effects on bodily functions, the Chinese developed the basic theories upon which Qi Gong practice is founded. Qi Gong Masters use these skills to heal and strengthen the immune system, and to improve the functioning of the various organs and systems within the body.
WS: Do you have to be there at every game or competition?
MH: Not necessarily. I can teach the athletes and/or trainers to help themselves or help others with sports injuries. There is a long history of Internal Qi training in China. All the great teachers were Qi Gong Masters, who understood medical (physiology, psychology, and spirituality), and developed these abilities. Throughout their training they gained a lot of experience with sports injuries. The types of healing one sees in martial arts movies, and reads in martial arts (gungfu) books is low-level compared to Qi Gong Energy Work. True Grand Masters use this training to heal themselves.
WS: Can Qi Gong improve an athlete's training and performance?
MH: Yes, indeed. An athlete's overall performance is greatly influenced through their training. The game/event is the fruit of the hard work done previously. Qi Gong training for athletes is comprehensive and effective. It addresses how to improve an athlete's power, strength, speed, acceleration, endurance, agility, competitive spirit, and psychological training for training and completion. The training addresses each of these aspects individually and as a group. Qi Gong training for athletes focuses on the spirit, breathing, and the body. But there are different ways of breathing for power, endurance, and speed. This training can be implemented in an athletes normal training program and does not require a lot of time.
WS: I would imagine that fatigue during the competition and between competitions is a major issue. Are there Qi Gong exercises to overcome fatigue?
MH: Yes. There are specific Qi Gong exercises to effectively overcome fatigue. Based on research that has been done in the past, fatigue produces byproducts. The exercises rid the body of these by-products. For example, in the blood, lactic acid will be lowered, the red-blood cells will increase, haemochrome and blood oxygen will increase, and the overall blood circulatory system is improved. This directly accelerates the recovery process.
WS: Is this part of the comprehensive program you referred to before?
MH: Yes. I used this program in China. It could be used here for professional athletes.
WS: Thank you, Master Hong. I think our readers will find this quite interesting. Any final thoughts?
MH: Yes. There are many aspects of Qi Gong Energy Work that cannot properly be addressed in an interview format. I encourage your readers, who are interested in Qi Gong Energy Work, to refer to my organization's website @ www.qimaster.com. Also, I am thinking about writing a book on sports. I may call it the Tao of Sports.
