🌙 Gentle Qi Gong for Menopause
If you are menopausal and finding that your usual exercise routine often leads to injuries, this routine is for you!
Below is a Qi Gong routine specifically adapted for hip pain and stiffness. It supports bones, joints and the nervous system.
This practice works best when done daily, ideally in the evening
It should leave you feeling calmer, heavier and more settled
If you feel energised or heated afterward, you did too much
Consistency matters more than duration
Nourishing Qi Gong for Hips and Stiffness
12–15 minutes | Seated or Standing (seated recommended at first)
Move slowly and comfortably. Nothing should feel forced. Begin once your breath feels calm and your body feels settled.
1. Settling & Weighting (2 minutes)
Sit with feet flat, hip-width apart
Hands rest on thighs or lower belly
Close your eyes
Inhale gently through the nose
Exhale slowly, letting the pelvis feel heavy (Let the hip joints soften downwards)
2. Kidney & Hip Breathing (3 minutes)
Place one hand on the lower belly
Place one hand on the sacrum or low back
As you inhale, feel the breath softly expand into the hips, low back and pelvis
As you exhale, imagine tension draining downward into the legs and feet
3. Seated Hip Circles (Micro-Movements) (2–3 minutes)
Hands stay on thighs.
Make very small circles with the pelvis (4–6 circles clockwise/ 4–6 circles anticlockwise)
If pain appears, make the circles smaller.
The movement should be:
Slow
Smooth
Barely visible
4. Knee Sway for Hip Release (2 minutes)
Feet stay flat and grounded.
Gently let both knees tip slightly to the right on an exhale.
Return to centre on the inhale.
Then tip slightly left as you exhale.
The movement should be:
Small and relaxed, with no stretch.
5. Spine & Fascia Hydration (2 minutes)
Hands rest on thighs.
On the inhale: feel the spine gently lengthen upward (no arching)
On the exhale: allow the body to soften downward (no rounding)
6. Kidney–Hip Holding (2 minutes)
Place one hand over the lower belly
Place one hand over the outer hip or sacrum (alternate sides daily)
Feel warmth from your hands soaking inward
Let the warmth spread and settle
7. Closing & Integration (1 minute)
Both hands rest on the lower belly.
Take one slow breath.
Before standing:
Pause
Feel your feet
Move slowly when you rise
Remember!
❌ No deep stretching
❌ No forcing range of motion
❌ No ‘working through’ stiffness
✔ Small, daily movements rehydrate joints better than effort
✔ Feeling heavier and looser afterward is success
If stiffness increases after practice, you have done too much.
Why this works:
In menopause:
Joints lose lubrication
Fascia dries and stiffens
Muscles compensate → pain
Pushing through depletion → injury
This routine:
Rehydrates hips energetically
Improves circulation without heat
Supports bones and connective tissue
Gradually restores safe mobility