1. STIMULATING THE CHI THRU GRAVITATIONAL WELLNESS
David T. Burke, MD MA

2. Process to arrive here Background: Martial artist 35 years
-review of chi in martial arts, motion analysis lab at Harvard
Physician
-with Chi located, use for sports medicine
- stimulating the chi for treating patients

3. THE CHI Many descriptions of the Chi
Taoist and Buddhist teachers instruct students to center the mind in the navel or lower Dantian, to aid control of thoughts and emotions
The location of the lower Dantian is in the lower belly, 1½ thumb widths below the navel, 2 to 3 thumb widths inward.
In many Chinese and Japanese martial arts, the practitioner keeps his attention at this Dantian to more easily move his energy, and generate energy from the center.

4. CHI Lower Dantian Center of power
Center of force generation for martial arts?

5. EXPLORING THE FORCES OF MARTIAL ARTS
Motion analysis laboratory at Harvard used to assess kinetics and kinematics of common kicks
Sought to assess power of different kicks, and to better understand how these develop

8. THE PHYSICS OF THE CHI
The power was closely correlated with the times at which maximum lower body kinetic energy was achieved
The area described as the lower Dantian was crucial in this power development
Coordinated striking movement with this area was crucial
The physics pointed to the location of the Chi

9. Question
Can this area be stimulated externally?

10. LOCATION OF THE CHI
Anatoly Samodoumov, a Russian physiologist, thought to stimulate this area with a short arc high load technique
He also noted that this area was an area with high stem cell production
Technique brought to the US

11. GRAVITATIONAL WELLNESS
10 week program
30 minutes per session (total of 5 hours)
Short arcs with high weights
Four stations, with initial station to stimulate the chi

12. Chi Stimulation BELT LIFT
Belt connected to free weights
Hip extension and knee extension
Average of 10 lifts per session

13. HAND LIFT Axial loading Hip and knee extension
Free weights with special gloves
Average 10 lifts per session

14. CHEST LIFT Similar to bench press
Shoulder, chest, triceps and wrist loading
Short arc
Average 10 lifts per session

15. LEG LIFT Hip and knee extension Ankle plantarflexion
Ankle proprioception
Average 10 lifts per session

16. *WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS AND RISK OF INJURIES
71 consecutive patients
18 to 69 years of age
Mean age of 48.6 years/median 50 years
59% presented with health issues to resolve
41 presented for health enhancement
Phone questionnaires; about progression of health issues/overall health
Phone questionnaires ;about injuries during weightlifting
Burke DT, Bell R, Al-Adawi S, Alexandroni A, Dorvlo A, Burke DP. Rate of Injury and Subjective Benefits of Gravitational Wellness Weightlifting. Open Access J Sports Med. 2014; 5: doi: /OAJSM.S64078.

17. HEALTH BENEFITS AND INJURIES
Average (mean) ending weights
Belt lift: pounds (505.7 kilograms)
Hand lift: pounds(181 kilograms)
Chest lift: 306 pounds (138.8 kilograms)
Leg press: 861 pounds (390.5 kilograms)
No injuries reported

18. HEALTH OUTCOMES Modal complaint: chronic neck and back pain
Improvement of neck and back pain, as measured by a Likert scale 4.13/5
Improvement of all presenting complaints as measured by a Likert scale 4.2/5
Overall well-being: mean gain of the group as measured by Likert scale 4.27/5

19. *RESEARCH: AGE AND GENDER
161 consecutive participants
Ages 17 to 74
100 males/ 74 females
All completed at least 10 sessions
Burke DT, Tran D, Fox J, Al-Adawi S. Age and Gender Differences with Gravitational Wellness Weightlifting. J Rehabil Med Suppl. 2015; Suppl 54: 349.

20. BELT LIFT Women: Men: Mean initial lift 462.5 pounds (209.8 kilograms)
Mean final lift pounds (430 kilograms)
Men:
Mean initial lift pounds (296.6)
Mean final lift pounds (606.3)
Significant gains at each session (p<0.001) for all ages and both genders

21. CHEST LIFT Women Men Mean initial lift 164.1 pounds (74.4 kilograms)
Mean final lift pounds (106.7 kilograms)
Men
Mean initial lift pounds (128 kilograms)
Mean final lift pounds (189.7 kilograms)
Significant gains at each session (p<0.001) for all ages and both genders.

22. HAND LIFT Women Men Mean initial lift 134.1 pounds (60.82)
Mean final lift pounds (145.6 kilograms)
Men
Mean initial of pounds (134.8 kilograms)
Mean final lift pounds (238.4 kilograms)
Significant gains at each session (p<0.001) for all ages and both genders.

23. LEG LIFT Women Men Mean initial lift 461 pounds (209 kilograms)
Mean final lift 750 pounds (340 kilograms)
Men
Mean initial lift pounds (275 kilograms)
mean final lift pounds (456.5 kilograms)
Significant gains at each session (p<0.001) for all ages and both genders.

24. *HEALTH BENEFITS Bone mineral density
Stafford CD, Bowers R, Berner J, Burke DT. Osteoporosis Reduction in Pre and Postmenopausal Women Using a High Intensity Exercise Program. Int J Med Pharm Case Reports. 2015; 5(1): 1-6. DOI : /IJMPCR/2015/19244

25. BONE MINERAL DENSITY: CASE SERIES
Four women, average age 50 years
Diagnosed with low bone mineral density prior to participation
All participated in a Gravitational Wellness
Bone mineral density repeated after at least 10 weeks of participation

26. BONE MINERAL DENSITY
60-year-old: increase of 6 .7% in lumbar spine, 26% and femoral neck
29-year-old: 11% increase in lumbar spine, 8.1% in femoral neck
57-year-old:lumbar spine decline arrested, femoral neck improved by 11.8%
54-year-old: lumbar spine increased by 6.7% and total hip by 4.2%

27. *ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE-BASEBALL
Atlanta College – Georgia Tech
Training during the baseball off-season, with no other changes in training
A change in their batting performance was calculated as positive or negative in each of four categories including runs batted in, home runs, batting average, and power
Compared to the change from season to season of all players who had played in two consecutive seasons for the previous eight years
For the historic control, a total of 39 players had completed two consecutive years
For the intervention group, 11 players participated, with nine of these completing at least 10 sessions
Burke DT. Baseball Batting Performance after Gravitational Wellness Lifting. 8th World Congress of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. Cancun, Mexico: June 1-5, 2014.

28. BATTING AVERAGE
As a team, the intervention group averaged 17% improvement in batting average as compared to 0% improvement for control group.
As individuals, the average intervention player realized a 39% improvement in batting average, compared to 13% improvement between successive years for the historic control

29. HOME RUNS
As a group, the intervention players improved the number of home runs per at bats by more than 115%, the controls worsened by 3%
As individuals the intervention group improved by 77%, with the controls by 19%.

30. RUNS BATTED IN AND SLUGGING
The intervention group on average experienced a 50% improvement , with 0% improvement in the control group
Average intervention player enjoyed a 77% improvement slugging percentage 0% improvement in the control group

31. SUMMARY Eastern medicine technique focusing on stimulation of the Chi
Once, 30 minutes per week
Easily added to any schedule
High weekly gains with little risk of injury
Improved musculoskeletal pain, well being, bone density, athletic performance