When we see groups of people practicing Qigong or Tai Chi in public parts we are actually only seeing part of the exercise, and not the most important part. There are three essential aspects to the movement arts and movement is only one. Before we can achieve maximum benefit from our movement routines we must first focus our attention and regulate our breathing so that our breaths are in harmony with our movements and we have very few, if any, distractions.
The best way to learn sets is by either attending a class or paying a private instructor. Unfortunately many people have little time to attend classes that might not be necessary. Online video instruction is also available for learning sets but does not allow for feedback from the instructor, which is vital to prevent bad habits from developing so early in the training stages. An excellent way to get started however is by using a free Qigong course to learn the first two steps in the process, breathing and focus, thereby laying a firm foundation when you begin learning movement sets.

A free Qigong course will allow students to develop the following skills:
• Meditation, including sitting, standing and walking meditation.
• Proper posture
• The principles of standing
• Proper breathing
The practices taught in the free Qigong course are the same as the practices taught in classes. The first thing that will be covered is proper standing and posture. If you are not standing correctly your breathing will be impaired, reducing the ability of your chi to move through the meridians around your body.
Next proper breathing and focus are taught. It is the breath that moves the chi throughout the body, distributing it evenly among the body's meridians. The direction of travel is determined by our focus and our intention. When practicing Qigong meditation techniques our breath is given substance. We visualize our breathing moving into our body, bringing life giving energy with it and then expelling the negative forces that have built up over time.