Warfox Bagua 錦園八卦掌

In bagua it is most important to understand how to use steps to manipulate your opponent. By stepping toward the attack we can jam it before it reaches its most powerful position. We can step back to let him waste energy by missing. We can also step in an angular trajectory allowing us to gain a favorable distance while the attack glances past us. This makes it so crucial for us to practice Kou and Bai bu which is almost like the steering wheel in a car. The problem with learning to think with our feet is that initially it is unnatural. When we flinch, our hands come up and cover our face instinctively. Bagua means that you have to retrain mind so that we flinch with our feet instead. The next problem is that the step must be rooted and weight sunken in order to prevent stepping into a trap. If we are in mid step as the opponent attacks our weight must be lowered so that we are able to better roll off the projected energy. It is only arrogance to assume that we will always be a...

These are notes for my the spring semester class I'm teaching at WSU. Just some more information on our basic principles. The eight sides of the Bagua in our lineage (Gao style Bagua or Soft Body Repeating Hands Bagua) are represented by 8 different energies: heaven, water, mountain, wind, thunder, fire, earth and lake.   Each of the sections contain eight movements with at least 6 variations. Each section also contains counter attacks, two person practice and a strengthening technique from the circle.   These strengthening techniques are often known as Preheaven. The 64 applications of the techniques are called Post heaven. Gao Bagua is unique because it contains Preheaven and Post heaven practice. Here are a few bits of information about each section. In this semester you will learn the complete Heaven section. I will still write out the philosophies of each section in order to give you a sense of direction for your training. Heaven-   The heaven...

 This is not really a post, but a list of numbers that can me accessed by students curious of our Xin Zhu Bagua Association. Keep in mind that I have only written out the movements that I have learned. I know there is still much more Bagua gooey goodness to learn. Pre Heaven ( Circle) 10 Second Circle 10 9 Palaces 1 Post heaven 64 Post heaven Counters 64 Post heaven two person practice 64 Unlimited (Formless) Fist 28 Seven Stars 42  Seven Stars (Set 2) 33 Footwork Steps 25 Qing Ping Sword 60 Qin Ping Sword (Set 2) 60 Baji 68 6 Connecting Kicks 27 Guan Dao 40 Tai Chi 96 Strange Spear 26 Bagua Staff 128 Bagua Spear 126 Stealth Tiger Saber 40 6 Harmony Saber 40 Push Hands 9 Wudang Fist 56 Hooks 12 Three Principle Fist 30 12 Steps of Power 12 Five Elements (5)  (12)  Sometimes you have to lay it all out so you can see it.   Thank you Master Wu Guo Zheng for 10 lifetimes of kung fu. 

Winter training is never as enjoyable as the spring or even scorching hot summer time, but it offers many advantages. As I bundle myself into extra layers of clothing, I add weight to every movement. There is also additional weight in my mind as I look out into my now frosted natural dojo of trees. Daily I spend hours with the same trees and watch as they change clothing for the increasingly brisk winter days. In the night time they appear to be a rustic, metallic color. Yet in the morning the fog passes through its bark that shines like smooth glass. My art also changes as I move between the trees, never daring to slow down for fear that the cold will catch up to me. I can feel my movements ever so gradually improving as I attempt to see beyond the white of my breath. After a few hours pass, my Qi reaches its limits and my fingers and toes are fully aware of the brutal cold. I sit in a lotus position on top of the sleeping grass and the earth greets me with a sharp chill. The ...