Bagua & Taiji Footwork

[ppscat]

Hi to all,

I have a big confusion with Bagua's footwork, so help me please to understand it. Sometimes it is referred generally as steps while actually being presented stances/postures, transitions between postures, general walking method either for the style or the strategic shen fa chosen for a specific fight, or even a feet sequence for an application.

I made a little clip with Liang Style footwork, where 10 steps are presented:

1. toe-in step
2. toe-out step
3. sitting step
4. resting step
5. balance step
6. single-leg step
7. crouch step
8. bow step
9. horse-riding step
10. empty step



While toe-in and toe-out step seems to be the main kind of steps in Bagua, the list include some general CMA steps like bow, horse-riding and empty steps. The remaining ones seem to be specific of the style. Which ones are specific for Cheng, Yin, Gao, Fu and other styles? Are Yin's 9 standing postures related to 9 different steps?

Then, there's the stepping method. As far as I could research Cheng practice mud step (only?), while Yin does not. But does it have a specific one? In Liang style, which is mentioned as a mix of Cheng and Yin, I haven't found a stepping method other that heel-to-toe, which is called as lion step I think. But it is also mentioned snake, crane stepping in other styles. Then, there are "animals" which seem to are strategic body methods suited for individuals or for dealing with a specific opponent. Does they have a stepping method and/or steps/postures and/or footwork on there own? Do they overlap each other?

Finally, comparing Bagua and Taiji footwork the difference seems to be only in the stepping method, at least as far as Liang style shows. There, the balance step is the only one not found in Taji's barehands forms but included in sword forms. In Taijiquan there are some steps I couldn't find in Bagua: "closing gap changing step", "circular changing step", "pendular changing step", etc (don't know the real names) as seen in Yang's Two-Man Fighting Set, "jumping step" in Chen Taiji and "approaching step" in Hao and Sun Styles (this are the ones I remember, may be there are more), probably because Bagua walks out and in of an attack in a circular path while Taiji tries to be always at the center.

Please help me undestand the particularities of Bagua footwork.

[Ian]

If I may...

Get a two friends to strike at you with sticks, each at least a meter long. They should try to hit you at a moderate to fast pace, and not pull their strikes. Keep your hands behind your back and concentrate on footwork i.e. getting out of the way.

That might help you with your confusion.

[shawnsegler]

Different stepping styles are done both for certain energies and different ones are appropriate for different times in your training. After awhile it shouldn't matter how you step, they are all gunned for whatever...kicking, stepping whatever. The big thing is putting the mind in the legs through the training...after that it becomes pretty easy.

S

[ppscat]

Get a two friends to strike at you with sticks, each at least a meter long. They should try to hit you at a moderate to fast pace, and not pull their strikes. Keep your hands behind your back and concentrate on footwork i.e. getting out of the way. That might help you with your confusion.

Hi Ian, if I cannot use my arms to deflect then I should do longer steps and so disconnecting. Though effective, I would use that as a last resource if training IMA. Thanks!

[ppscat]

Different stepping styles are done both for certain energies and different ones are appropriate for different times in your training. After awhile it shouldn't matter how you step, they are all gunned for whatever...kicking, stepping whatever. The big thing is putting the mind in the legs through the training...after that it becomes pretty easy.

S

Good! Thanks Shawn. Maybe an example of what you are saying is seen in Cheng's Sun Zhi Jun in 0:58 where if not extending like mud step first then the heel-to-toe step done next wouldn't be able to twist 360º:

[shawnsegler]

Maybe. Look at his extremities and how deep the twist is. If you can see how he's twisting from deep inside his body then you can see pretty graphically the shape of the shape he's trying to hit...and then the spiral should be obvious.

What I'm talking about is when you're sung enough that you can feel the wave motion of the relaxed musculature of your structure.

if you aren't yet down with your skeletal structure, then talking about the soft part is really pretty meaningless.'


S- just sayin.

[Ian]

Get a two friends to strike at you with sticks, each at least a meter long. They should try to hit you at a moderate to fast pace, and not pull their strikes. Keep your hands behind your back and concentrate on footwork i.e. getting out of the way. That might help you with your confusion.

Hi Ian, if I cannot use my arms to deflect then I should do longer steps and so disconnecting. Though effective, I would use that as a last resource if training IMA. Thanks!

Disconnecting what from what?

[edededed]

Tangnibu is practiced in Liang, Cheng, and many Yin styles.

[fisherman]

Tangnibu is practiced in Liang, Cheng, and many Yin styles.

And Gao also...

[JAB]

Mud stepping is in all versions of Bagua as I understand it.
Jake

[ppscat]

What I'm talking about is when you're sung enough that you can feel the wave motion of the relaxed musculature of your structure. if you aren't yet down with your skeletal structure, then talking about the soft part is really pretty meaningless.' S- just sayin.

Whatever you think my skills are.

[shawnsegler]

Whatever you think my skills are.

I have no idea about that or what you mean by it.

I was just commenting on what you said and how you said it.

Anyhoo...just trying to help out.

Best,
S

[ppscat]

Whatever you think my skills are.

I have no idea about that or what you mean by it.

I was just commenting on what you said and how you said it.

Anyhoo...just trying to help out.

Best,
S

Sorry I misunderstood your phrasing, thanks!