AMONG the traditional Chinese exercises, those for the foot occupy an important place. Without feet man cannot stand, walk, run or jump, and the movements of the feet show whether a man is healthy. So medical experts down through the ages have summed up many effective exercises to keep the feet fit. Rubbing the arch of the foot is one of them. It is simple and easy to practice.

Su Dongpo (1037-1101) of the Song Dynasty was not only a great scholar but also a researcher on ways to keep fit. He told his contemporaries that one measure for keeping fit was rubbing the arches of the feet. He said, "I have paid great at¬tention to methods of keeping fit. I choose easy ones to prac¬tice and do them regularly. Since I am now idle, I use the time to do research, and have realized that attaining longevity is not unfounded. In the beginning I could not see the result. After three months of practice, however, I found its effect was a hundred times better than taking medicine. Its miraculous ef¬fect I cannot describe in languages. "

The key spot to be rubbed is the yongquan point at the center of the arch at the bottom of the foot. This point is on the kidney channel, which starts from the little toe, crosses the center of the arch to the ankle, through the legs to the spinal cord, then from the abdomen to the chest, finally ending at the throat and tongue. Regular rubbing of yongquan point stimulates the circulation of the blood and qi, and causes the muscles and joints to relax. When the qi and blood flourish, they nourish the whole body, making the legs and waist strong, strengthening the kidneys, raising resistance to diseases and postponing the aging process. Rubbing the arch of the foot can also treat yin deficiency (insufficiency of body fluid, with irri¬tability, thirst, constipation as symptoms), relieve internal heat and soothe nerves. It is also effective in ailments of the head, eyes, throat, digestive organs, and for relieving the symptoms of fever, vomiting, dysentery and neurasthenia.

This exercise is easy to do, Chen Zhi of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) wrote a book entitled Keeping Fit in Old Age. One chapter described the exercise in detail: " The yongquan point is located at the center of the arch, from which dampness in¬trudes. In the daytime or at night, I often rub the arches of my feet alternately. Use one hand to hold the toes, and the other to rub. After a while I feel the arch warm, then turn my toes a bit. If I feel tired, I rest for a moment. Asking someone else to rub is all right. But self-rubbing is much better." Chen Zhi did this exercise regularly, "often rubbing thousands of tims."
Proceed as follows:

1. Dry rubbing. Put the two feet opposite, sole upward.

Use one hand to hold the toes, and the thumb of the other to rub the yongquan point 90 times without interruption. Moving back and forth is counted as one time. Count the number of rubbings precisely. At the beginning, rub 30 times. After a time, increase to 60, then 90. The finger can be used to press the yongquan point to increase the effect. Persistence in foot rubbing reinforces the brain, benefits the kidneys, and strengthens the legs and entire body. Points to remember: Don't use so much force that you feel pain and discomfort. Do it morning and evening.

2, Wet rubbing.

Fill a basin with warm water (about 38° C.), put the feet into the basin and soak ankle-deep for a while. When the feet become red, use the left hand to hold the left foot and the right hand to hold the right foot, the two arches opposite each other. Use the thumbs to rub the yongquan points 90 times without interruption. This soothes the nerves, invigorates the circulation of the blood, and is effective in treating insomnia, and dream-disturbed sleep.

To treat indigestion, jaded appetite, constipation, diar¬rhea and abdominal distension, enlarge the sphere of rubbing. Adults can help children massage the arches.
This exercise is not limited by environment or location, and can be done in morning and evening. Persistence will yield good results. This is the reason it has been handed down from generation to generation.