Basic Training - Bagua

[FLoating_Lotus]

Hi guys. I've browsed the boards before and seems like this is the best place for IMA discussion.
I just started doing IMA again. Studied taiji for a couple year and just got very off track, and well my teacher has stopped teaching in the area. So I found a bagua teacher, even better The thing is, the class is mostly well 10ys older than me and they mostly do qigong and very little bagua, but my teacher is willing to teach me....so i just have a few questions/recommendations on what I should start out by practicing first.

1: Circle walking - a must
2: Palm positions
3: Static stances

What else should I be looking into at the beginning of my practice.

Thanks guys

[fisherman]

Ask about the basic training methods that best suit that particular branch of bagua. What are you going to be doing?
With Gao style, I'd start people with the single palm change, circle walking and some of the basic hand methods. Probably some tien gan also.

[meeks]

I'd ask for 'fu zhu gong fa' - supplementary exercises aimed at developing the 'gong fu' of the body. Then it doesn't matter WHAT you're learning.

[Haoran]

Meeks, can you go a little deeper into what is fu zhu (gong fa I know)... ? Any simple examples of what you're talking about?

Thanks,

[SPJ]

as pointed out depending on your teacher and school

usually, we start with fixed stance standing practice.

there may be 8 basic posture. each school is different.

such as

1. wu Ji

2. tai Ji

3. 3 cai

4. 4 xiang

5. 5 xing

6. 6 harmony

7. 7 star

8. 8 bagua

etc.

then moving in a straight line with a basic palm posture such as green dragon extending claws in (cheng style)

moving in a cross line or S curve

moving in a big circle from 8 to 12 or more steps to complete a circle

moving in random circles.

these would take a long time to practice

as they said, we learn and practice one posture at a time

we advance a step at a time, too.

in short, we practice to be good at one thing, before we move on to the next

--

have fun.

[yusuf]

hi

i think Ven Fish talked about two basic 'gong fu' exercises which were blogged by somebody in Taiwan .. err sorry cant remember who.. the feet on the same line and the back against the wall if i remembr

cheers

yusuf

[bigphatwong]

Rise-Drill-Overturn-Fall

Single Palm Change with mud stepping


and lots of stake standing (but you already knew that )

[mrtoes]

I think this is what you're refering to yusuf? There was a thread on here about it as well.

http://formosaneijia.com/2009/dr-ken-fi ... g-disease/

[Chris McKinley]

I don't see anybody so far mentioning the importance of knowing what your training objectives are first. This will provide the single most useful set of guidelines for determining what you will want to practice, regardless of which style of Baguazhang you are presented with.

[yusuf]

i thought you had TM on that insight

[Chris McKinley]

Everybody's gotta decide for themselves. All I personally care about is that they are intellectually honest about it, whatever their choice.

[somatai]

I think Meeks nailed it and not just for bagua, but gong fu in general, this is in fact what makes it the deal....you can be very clear on your objectives, but if you don't have the vehicle it doesn't much matter, build the vehicle and then strategies are yours to explore

[meeks]

most good schools have a variety of conditioning exercises that are not necessarily martial art oriented but are aimed to develop how your body should move correctly. this could be as simply as crawling along the floor on your back or stomach without using your hands, 'butt walking', banging your torso (or head) against a wall or partner, getting rolled up in a carpet and wriggling out...the list goes on. unfortunately, most modern CMA teachers know a shitload of forms and a few push hands 'stupid master tricks' and open a school.

[edededed]

Palm positions are already a part of circle walking, but yes, #1 and #2 are very important in baguazhang - the basic training (jibengong) of the style.

#3 (static stances) are actually considered "fuzhugongfa" in many baguazhang lines, along with other methods, many of which are quite nice and useful (iron arm, finger training, etc.); still, they are "supplementary" (as per the name).

As long as your teacher has the goods, just follow what he says.

[Haoran]

hmmm.... Interesting. I didn't know that many actually consider static positions for bagua training.

Ok, Fuzhu is :

辅助【fǔzhù】 assist; supplementary; auxiliary; subsidiary.

?

Or

扶助【fúzhù】 help; assist; support.

Thanks