1) Instinctive human and animal movements have often been stylized into exercises. The Triple Heater stretch is quite a bit like the natural stretch many humans make when they come out of a rest. It is taught that this exercise was created during the Sung dynasty by General Yen Fei (although it may come from even older exercises). The Triple Heater stretch comes from the series of exercises General Yen Fei compiled and called the Eight Silken Movements.

The Triple Heater exercise elongates the trunk stretching out the thoracic spine and the rib cage. It is said to help the whole Triple Burner system and the related organs in the upper burner-chest, middle burner-solar plexus, and the lower burner-lower gut; and this has a generally positive effects on the whole body along with strengthening the protective chi around the body.

2) The Triple Heater exercise can be further expanded into the the Scoops. Scooping gives a deeper and more thorough movement of qi, blood, lymph and oxygen than the Triple Heater stretch. Yet, is is more difficult to do for the injured or infirmed. Explore the exercises according to your health and pain levels. Listen to your body and be gentle to begin with. Never push the moves to extremes. If the scoops are too difficult or cause any pain, then do them more gently and with less movement or just stay with the Triple Heater stretch. The Triple Heater stretch or the natural stretch, it is stylized from, are good warm ups for the Scoops.

The Triple Heater and Scoop exercises are great before starting the day, exercising, working or even bed. They can also be done during a break in sitting too long behind a computer, a desk, the tv or during a driving break on a road trip. Experiment and see when you like to do these. Become aware of what these movements feel like and what they do for you.