There has been a great deal of confusion about contrasting movement arts such as Qigong and Z-Health. Some people, especially those interested in beginning some form of movement based exercise program, are asking which form is "better". This is a difficult question to answer, since they are both used for different purposes, comparing their quality is nearly impossible. We first need a simple description of the two forms:

• Qigong is an ancient Chinese martial art that teaches students to focus the bodies energies to specific points, creating a balance, by harmonizing the breathing, movements and attention.
• Z-Heath often starts with the practice of directing conscious attention to specific joints and sensing weak points and then targeting those points with exercises designed to improve them.

So, Z-Health versus Qigong: While both practices may look similar on the surface, as you go deeper into the practice, the methods do diverge. Qigong practice is designed to upgrade your energy system, sometimes through movement, but also the breath and the attention as well. Z-Health on the other hand, often begins with a focus on the joints, but then you will go into more sophisticated movement patterns and work directly with your other postural systems, like your eyes and your ears.

In Z-Health, we will constantly ask, "what is your sport?" or to put it another way, "what are you trying to get better at?" because the context for upgrading your system matters for how you train.

While you can approach qigong this was as well, most people practice to cultivate a general sense of well-being.

This means that each practice is good in its place and can mean that using them in conjunction with each other can give practitioners additional benefits and more tools to improve their health. An example of how these might be combined follows:

• Stand in the basic qigong position, feet shoulder width apart, feet and face forward, shoulders relaxed.
• Very slowly begin to feel down through your body, starting at the crown of the head.
• Notice any stuck spots or discomfort.
• Don't move into pain, but rather, see if you can move the joint around the frozen area.

There is a more sophisticated diagnostic process you can go through, but the common ground here is developing awareness and sensitivity to subtle movement to correct old movement patterns and create new ones.

Simple cross-training like this can mean a huge difference in the results you will get if you are currently having problems. The original question of which is better can now be answered. Z-Health is a great diagnostic tool and will eventually help to repair damaged areas. While qigong can be completely effective without Z-Health, adding input from a qualified Z-Health trainer will accelerate your progress and help you get more from your practice.