The 20th anniversary year for the Taiji Bailong Ball Federation is also the year in which one of the pioneers of our sport in Europe, Fritjof Nelting, has published a book in which BailongBall plays a valuable role.
Fritjof Nelting at one of his workshops
If you follow our posts regularly, you may remember Fritjof's name from one of his posts (e.g., about BailongBall and burnout, or BailongBall training—what exactly is it?). Just like Thomas, who took us on a journey through time in our last post, Fritjof Nelting is one of our BailongBall pioneers. He was not only one of the first certified instructors in Europe, but also BailongBall European Champion.
At the same time, Fritjof is also an experienced therapist in clinical psycho-neuro-immunology and an integrative life and business coach. In April, he published his latest book, in which he describes BailongBall as a tool for self-discovery, among other things. Read on to find out more about the book and the role BailongBall can play in finding physical strength and mental clarity...
In his book, Fritjof embarks on a "journey to serenity in harmony with our body's biochemistry." He shows readers a practical yet profound way to achieve greater inner peace and meaning in a highly individualized Western society.
Not only do community and the perspective of something greater play a role here, but also an understanding of our biochemistry and, as a result, a thematic approach to controlling physical processes in order to find greater serenity.
Instead of constantly striving for optimization, the book encourages readers to adopt an attitude of "lack of intentionality with trust and curiosity." This openness enables new insights and a deeper experience of everyday life.
In Fritjof's words: "This book is an invitation to leave the beaten track and explore a new, stress-free way of life, leading to physical and mental health without pressure or compulsive perfectionism."
Fritjof's latest book
BailongBall can help you find this new serenity and ultimately this lack of intention. The physical expansion that characterizes the sport's movements opens up the chest and lungs, facilitating deep breathing and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. The resulting relaxation allows us to keep our arms stretched out wide during the typical circular movements. 
Conscious stretching not only builds physical strength, but also mental clarity. Anyone who plays BailongBall knows what "flow" feels like!
In Chinese culture, stretching your arms wide is seen as a symbol of openness, trust, and inner expansiveness. And as Fritjof explains in his book, this is a building block for understanding personal development in the context of community and the greater whole. You see—here too, BailongBall "comes full circle"...
You can discover this and more in Fritjof's book. It is a worthwhile read for anyone looking for new ways to cope with stress, achieve greater satisfaction, and practice mindfulness.
If you are interested in these topics and Fritjof's insights, then keep an eye on our upcoming blogs. We can already reveal this much: at our 20th anniversary event, Fritjof shared many more insights into the physical and psychological aspects of our sport, which we would like to share with you.
Mike Ritz
BailongBall Instructor