Qigong Courses
19 courses · 19 instructors · 8 schools
Qigong
Qigong online spans gentle health practice to medical qigong and instructor certification. Compare styles — Baduanjin, medical, Taoist — see what each covers, and start where it feels right.
Online qigong courses: from your first flow to instructor certification
If you are drawn to qigong, the hard part is rarely finding a course — it is choosing between styles, lineages, and levels that all work with breath, movement, and energy in their own way. Qigong is a wide field, and the same search returns a gentle beginner flow, a medical qigong practitioner training, and a full instructor certification side by side. This page is here to help you choose well.
It helps to know that the field spans three things: practicing qigong for your own health, deepening a style, and training to teach or to work therapeutically. Almost every style below exists both as a qigong course you can take for yourself and as a teacher training if you decide to guide others.
Every course listed here comes from an independent school or teacher. The directory’s job is to gather qigong courses online in one place so you can compare styles, levels, teachers, and reviews at a glance, then enroll directly on the school’s own site.
The main styles of qigong
Most courses are built around one style or form. Each has its own purpose and feel.
They share a common ground — coordinating breath, slow movement, and intention to cultivate qi — but differ in whether the aim is health, healing, spirit, or power. Qigong is also the close cousin of tai chi, and the two are often taught together.
What you actually learn
Underneath the styles sit the skills every qigong practitioner develops — and that every certification is built on.
Qi and the meridians
Qi, Yin and Yang, and Five Element theory — how energy moves through the body.
Breath & movement
Coordinating slow movement, breath, and posture — the heart of every flow.
Therapeutic qigong
How medical qigong applies the practice to health, recovery, and balance.
Teaching a class
Sequencing a one-hour class and guiding a group safely and clearly.
The path: from your first form to certifying
Most journeys follow the same shape — and you rarely need to plan all of it up front.
Learn a form
Start with Baduanjin, the Eight Brocades — the classic beginner set.
Deepen practice and theory
Add more forms and the Chinese-medicine theory of qi behind them.
Instructor certification
Complete a qigong teacher training — often a 200-hour instructor certification.
Specialize
Go further with a medical qigong certification to work therapeutically.
Certification and lineage
Qigong is unregulated, so lineage and the teacher behind a course matter most. A qigong instructor certification (commonly a 200-hour qigong teacher training) qualifies you to lead classes; a medical qigong certification — often a 300-hour practitioner program taught by doctors of Chinese medicine — goes deeper into therapeutic work. Whether you want to learn qigong online for your own health or train to teach, look for a clear tradition, real practice time, and a teacher whose lineage you can trace.
Who online qigong courses are for
Online qigong suits far more people than the masters in the marketing photos — the beginner easing stress and stiffness, the yoga or tai chi practitioner adding energy work, and the aspiring teacher or therapist ready to certify. Qigong is gentle and low-impact, so almost anyone can begin — no flexibility or fitness required.
How to choose a qigong course or program
Every course promises energy and calm, so it helps to look past the pitch — especially for a certification, where the bar is higher.
Five things worth checking before you enroll
Self-paced or live online — which fits you
Because every course here is online, the real choice is between self-paced and live. Self-paced study is excellent for learning forms and theory at your own rhythm, replaying movements until they flow. A live cohort adds feedback on your posture and breath, and the accountability of practicing with others. For a plain, neutral overview of the practice and its history, the encyclopedic entry on qigong is a useful starting point. Whichever you pick, consistent practice matters more than the format.
Wherever you are — easing stress with your first flow, deepening a lifelong practice, or training to teach — the right course is the one that meets you where you stand today. Compare the programs below and begin where it feels right.
Newcomers usually start by searching for qigong for beginners, then weigh qigong vs tai chi before committing — the two share roots but differ in form and pace. Whichever you choose, the daily core is the same: gentle qigong exercises paired with quiet qigong meditation.
Frequently asked questions about qigong courses
What is qigong?
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that coordinates slow movement, breath, and intention to cultivate and balance qi — the body’s life energy — for health and calm.
What is the difference between qigong and tai chi?
Both cultivate qi through mindful movement. Qigong is usually simpler, repetitive sequences focused on health and energy; tai chi is a longer, martial-arts-derived flowing form. They are close cousins and often taught together.
What is medical qigong?
Medical qigong applies qigong therapeutically within Traditional Chinese Medicine. Practitioner trainings are deeper, longer programs, often led by doctors of Chinese medicine.
Can you really learn qigong online?
Yes. The gentle, repetitive forms suit video and live classes well. A live teacher helps most with refining your posture and breath.
What is Baduanjin?
Baduanjin, the “Eight Brocades,” is one of the most popular qigong forms — eight simple movements ideal for beginners and a common starting point in courses.
Do you need a certification to teach qigong?
Qigong is unregulated, so it is not legally required — but a qigong instructor certification builds trust, teaches you to lead safely, and is expected by studios and clients.
Is qigong good for beginners and older adults?
Very much so. It is gentle, low-impact, and adaptable, which makes it popular for balance, mobility, and stress relief at any age.
Is training self-paced or live?
Both are offered online. Self-paced suits learning forms; live cohorts add feedback and community. Many trainings blend the two.