These five gates are keys to adjusting the Qi in your body. Medical qigong practitioners train with the two gates in the palms so that they can increase their effectiveness in adjusting their patients' Qi. Martial artists trains these two gates so that they can lead Qi to the hands more efficiently and energise their muscles. This also increases their ability to sense their opponent's energy, which is called "skin listening" in the internal martial styles. They also train the gates in the feet so that they can jump high, run fast, and kick powerfully. You can see from these examples that governing the Qi in the five gates is a serious concern in every style of Chinese qigong.

In order to govern the Qi in the gates you must learn to exchange the Qi in the body for the Qi in the environment by special breathing techniques. Generally, abdominal breathing is the easiest way. When you inhale you draw Qi from your limbs into the centre of your body. When you are doing this image that you are absorbing Qi from the environment. When you exhale, lead the Qi to the gates and release it into the air. With training it will become natural when you breathe these five gates will also be "breathing". Regulate your breathing until you no longer need to do it consciously.