What Qigong Is — and What the Research Actually Shows
Qigong is one of the three disciplines behind every SRS program. Here is what it is, in plain terms, and what major medical institutions and peer-reviewed research have found.
Strip away the mystique and qigong is a trainable skill: learning to move, breathe, and pay attention in a way that settles the body under load.
What qigong is
Qigong — pronounced chee-gung — is an old Chinese practice that pairs slow, deliberate movement with paced breathing and focused attention. Harvard Health Publishing describes it simply as “breath work” or “energy work.” It is not a striking art, and it is not a religion. It is closer to a physical literacy that travels well into an office, a locker room, or a leadership offsite.
What the research shows
Harvard Medical School has reported that the practice shows promise for easing conditions such as hypertension and depression. A 2020 systematic review indexed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine examined 28 studies and concluded that qigong produces positive health results across conditions including stress, fatigue, depression, and cardiovascular disease.
The same systematic review was candid about its limits: many underlying trials carried a risk of bias, and researchers want larger, better-blinded studies. That is exactly why we present qigong as a supportive practice — strong signal for stress, mood, and cardiovascular markers, not a cure for anything.
Why it fits the workplace
Three things make qigong unusually practical for teams. It needs no equipment. It is safe for nearly any level of fitness. And it is adaptable: the same principles scale from a two-minute reset at a desk to a full standing form. In SRS terms, qigong is the Regulate pillar.
If you want the physiology behind why slow breathing settles the body, read our companion piece on the vagus nerve at work. For the practical version, see why we teach standing qigong.
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Qigong and breathwork are supportive practices, not treatments for any condition. If you have a medical concern, talk with a qualified clinician before beginning a new practice.
Sources & Further Reading
- Harvard Health Publishing. “The Health Benefits of Tai Chi.” Harvard Medical School. health.harvard.edu
- Harvard Medical School. “The intriguing health benefits of qigong.” HMS News. hms.harvard.edu
- Wang et al. (2020). “Benefits of Qigong as an integrative and complementary practice for health: a systematic review.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, PMC7365612. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
