There are countless types of Qigong, but they can be roughly divided into five different approaches:  health, medical, religious, martial and folk. 

The most common of these forms is health Qigong. Practiced by young and old people all over the world, health Qigong comes in many forms and varieties and brings general overall health benefits.

The next major type is medical Qigong. With this form, a qualified Qigong practitioner uses a combination of Qi manipulation, acupuncture, acupressure, massage and/or herbal remedies to treat a patient with long-term or acute illnesses.

Religious Qigong can be divided into three smaller categories: Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian. Of all the types of Qigong, religious Qigong is the most difficult to practice and attain. This style of Qigong was limited to monks and priests until the end of the Qing Dynasty (early twentieth century).

The goal for Buddhists is to attain enlightenment and for Daoists they see Qi as a way to increase longevity and extend health. These two groups use deep meditation and manipulation of Qi to free the body of its physical limitations. For Confucionists, the goal is to strive for self-improvement as it relates to the Confucian belief system. 

Monks practicing martial arts in the 6th century AD found that practicing Qigong had beneficial effects on their power and fighting techniques. From that point forward, Qigong was incorporated into many martial arts training. Various types of internal and external martial Qigong were developed, including tai chi, which focuses on internal power rather than external strength.

The least understood of all Qigong forms is folk or peasant Qigong. Each province and region in China has their own version of folk Qigong, with people practicing for health benefits, medicinal value, martial power or to attain divine /religious powers. Folk Qigong is still widely practiced across China today.