Does Tai Chi and Bagua Really Help the Flow of Lymphatic Fluid?

Does Tai Chi, Xingyi and Bagua Really Help the Flow of Lymphatic Fluid? The Real Science Behind Internal Movement and Your Body's Natural Plumbing

health and recovery Nov 02, 2025

Sometimes, I read articles or books about Taiji, Bagua and Xingyi, and health claims are made that sound scientific, but if you look a bit deeper, you find the claims aren't supported by medical science or physiology. Sometimes, there is some truth to the claim, but the wording is misleading.

One of those claims that might misdirect you a bit is this one: the movements of the internal arts "stimulate the flow of lymphatic fluid" (or "drainage of lymphatic fluid").

If you know me, you know that I am a critical thinker who is open to evidence, but when a martial artist makes medical statements, I want them grounded in good science and accurate wording.

Let's look at this claim -- that if you do the internal arts you are stimulating the flow of lymphatic fluid.

The lymphatic system collects excess fluid from tissues and returns it to the bloodstream. Lymph nodes act as filters to stop pathogens, debris, and abnormal cells, while the liver and kidneys handle most of the chemical detoxification. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system.

There is no "central pump" (like the heart) for lymphatic fluid. It moves through:

** Muscle contraction (especially in the legs and torso),

** Breathing pressure changes (inhaling and exhaling)

** Body movement and gravity.

So, in reality, any movement that alternately compresses and releases muscles, or deepens breathing, will aid lymph circulation. That includes walking, gardening, dancing, or even mopping the men's restroom floor at a gas station.

Taiji, Bagua and Xingyi share some of the qualities that helps lymph circulation, including:

** Moderate, rhythmic, full-body muscle engagement that is not overly intense,

** Coordinated breathing,

** Weight shifting and gentle pressure changes.

In doing the internal arts, you are not really supercharging your lymph like some internal firehose, you're simply keeping it from stagnating, the same way walking or swimming would.

If you have an accident or a serious illness and are confined to a bed for a week or more, the lack of movement can create stagnation in the lymphatic system. The same thing can happen when you are a senior citizen who sits a lot. Lymph movement helps with fluid balance, prevents swelling, and carries immune cells through lymph nodes where bacteria and debris get trapped and dealt with.

If you are confined to bed for a long period of time, as I was at this time sixteen years ago in Cleveland Clinic, you could see swelling in the ankles, feet and hands, as I did. You could feel heaviness or fatigue. Your body might have a buildup of waste and fluid that isn't being eliminated, and less circulation means a weaker immune response.

As soon as I was able, I began practicing again.

It is movement itself -- not a unique property of the internal arts -- that helps your lymphatic flow.

But other claims are often linked with Taiji and internal movement.

Here are some things internal movement does not do:

** It does not flush toxins from the body,

** It does not detox your liver, detox your organs, or squeeze toxins out of your fascia.

** It does not wring out your lymph nodes like sponges.

Those phrases sound impressive, as if the teacher really knows something, but they’re marketing cosplay, no different than the teacher putting on a doctor's scrubs from "The Pitt."

Since I veered into detoxification, here's some truth:

** Your liver chemically breaks down most biologically active junk.
** Your kidneys filter waste and get rid of it in urine.
** Your lungs exhale CO₂ and volatile byproducts.
** Your GI tract eliminates what can’t be digested.

Movement supports health, but the organs do the detox. Period.

When people say “this posture detoxes your spleen,” they’re not talking physiology anymore, they’re spouting mythology with a straight face. When they say, "If you do Pao Quan wrong you'll injure your heart," that is a clear sign they've drunk the Kool-Aid.

So why do I care about this? Why does medical or scientific accuracy matter? Because when teachers make claims such as "Tai Chi detoxes you," or if they pretend there are unique health benefits:

** Students start believing mystical-sounding nonsense instead of understanding their actual bodies.

** The art begins to look like snake oil to anyone who can read a ninth-grade biology textbook.

But getting back to the benefits of internal movements -- you could slow down the movements of playing softball, and have people go through the motions of fielding and batting, bending and crouching and stretching and twisting and pretending to swing a bat -- and they would see the same benefits from a lymphatic perspective.

And also -- this is another reason why activities such as Tai Chi are good for older people. It keeps them moving. But so does swimming, walking, and washing your car (wax on, wax off, Grasshopper) -- anything beyond Bingo or watching TV.

However, if you are going to describe the benefits to these arts, it is best to include the phrase, "like other activities involving movement and moderate exercise....." Because as we know, many activities help the flow of your lymphatic system.

There are physical and health benefits from the internal arts, but there is really no "lymphatic enhancement" that has been proven to be specific to these arts. The lymphatic system doesn't know gongfu. It just needs you to move.

--by Ken Gullette

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Does Tai Chi, Xingyi and Bagua Really Help the Flow of Lymphatic Fluid? The Real Science Behind Internal Movement and Your Body's Natural Plumbing

Try Two Weeks Free and Get Step-by-Step Training in Taiji, Xingyi and Bagua from Basic to Advanced Skills with No Mystical Mumbo-Jumbo

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