Sinew Changing – Yi Jin Jing – 易筋经

Yi Jin Jing is often approached as a collection of exercises, yet in its authentic context it describes a method by which the body and its channel system are fundamentally transformed. ‘Sinew changing’ refers to the reorganisation of the connective tissues that bind the body into a single, integrated structure. As the sinews are trained to become elastic, continuous and responsive, the channels are reshaped alongside them, allowing Qi to move through the body effectively. Seen in this light, the Yi Jin Jing is not a standalone practice but a set of underlying principles that inform all effective internal arts. The academy arts are based in Daoist practice and yet, in order to transform the body, the sinew-changing principles inform the entire of the way in which we teach.

(Click on the image to watch a video on this subject by Sifu Greg)

Qi Gong Training

Qi Gong within the Academy is taught as a method for changing the body and mobilising Qi rather than as a collection of gentle exercises. The training is introduced in a clear and structured manner so that each practice serves a specific function within the overall process of internal development. Students are guided step by step, beginning with exercises that reshape the physical body and open the tissues so that Qi is able to move freely rather than becoming trapped or stagnant.

As the work progresses, the exercises are used to encourage Qi to circulate in a mobile and responsive way. Rather than aiming for relaxation alone, the practices actively transform the body so that it can support internal change.

Approached in this way, Qi Gong becomes a practical tool for conditioning the body and regulating internal movement. It lays the groundwork for deeper Nei Gong practice and ensures that internal cultivation is supported by a body that has been systematically trained to change, adapt and respond.

Alchemical Methods

Nei Dan alchemy within the Nei Gong program is taught as a precise and progressive method. The training is introduced only once the body and Qi have been prepared so that the conditions required for alchemical work are already in place. Students are guided into the internal processes that allow the lower field to stabilise and function as the basis for further alchemical change.

As the work develops, attention is directed toward the refinement of internal processes that transform Jing to Qi into Shen. This stage concerns the correct use of mind and internal pressure so that the system begins to reorganise itself from within.

The Alchemy of the Northern Dragon Gate sect (Long Men Pai) is taught within the Nei Gong program once students have established a solid foundation in earlier Nei Gong methods. It is the seamless integration of mental work and energetic-based practice and so the main form of cultivation taught by Sifu Greg at later stages of development. 

"Release precedes movement"

One of the most important principles within classical Qi Gong is that ‘release precedes movement’.

In traditional training this is expressed through the cultivation of Song, a state of deep and active release within the body. Song does not mean collapse or softness but the systematic removal of unnecessary tension so that the tissues can respond and adapt. When the body is released in this way, Qi is no longer forced to move. Instead it begins to circulate naturally through the areas that have been opened.

From this perspective, effort is not used to push energy through the system. The role of practice is to remove obstruction so that movement can arise by itself. This is why classical Qi Gong places such importance on posture and internal listening.

When the body is correctly organised and the mind is settled, Qi follows the path of least resistance. Through repeated practice, this principle trains the practitioner to create change through Wu Wei. It is this understanding that separates classical Qi Gong from methods that rely on exertion or imagination alone.