Italian Bagua Boy is a Smooth Dude

[Andy_S]

Like the way this guy moves - smooth as seal-shite - but some of the apps are tactically dodgy, if you ask me. BTW, what is "Ho Bagua?" (Anyone making comments about tarts will be slapped)

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=AtxsJT29y ... re=related

[C.J.Wang]

He is turning and spinning rather than "coiling."　

[somatai]

looks very nice to me

[ashe]

a little to floaty for me..

why is the clip on korean youtube, and why is this clip in the related section?

[qiphlow]

he's also a karate man: http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=Z79Yv1IEPfU

i agree with ashe that the bagua looked "floaty"

[Royal Dragon]

He is turning and spinning rather than "coiling."　

Reply]
Can you explain in a bit more detail? I don't do Bagua but I'd like to see a clip of what you mean for comparison.

[Coach DAi]

Yeah it is floaty. But I do still like his approach very much.

[C.J.Wang]

He is turning and spinning rather than "coiling."　

Reply]
Can you explain in a bit more detail? I don't do Bagua but I'd like to see a clip of what you mean for comparison.

The difference between good Bagua that develops strong coiling power and fancy Wushu-ish Bagua that only teaches you how to spin pretty like a ballerina is the level of "tautness" - or how much the tendon/fascia is being strectched and coiled.

When done correctly, one should feel a complex, interwoven network of force vectors extending in six directions ('six harmony power' - liu he li) internally. Externally, besides the obvious spinning around the body's central axis, every body part should all twist (coil) around the joint either inward or outward to the extreme, creating strong opposing power that stablizes the body structure.

There's alot of mediocre Bagua players who, in order to emphasize the circularity and evasiveness of the art, like to circle-walk quickly and perform all sorts of crazy spins with flaccid body and zero structure. Those are the kind of guys who would walk circles around the opponent in a fight and crumble like cookies when heavy contact is made.

The Italian teacher in the clip actually isn't that bad. I have seen far worse.

[Muad'dib]

Look at his shoulders. No unity.

[Brady]

What's wrong with being floaty? Looks like he can compress when he needs to.

[BajiFan]

I wasn't a big fan of the fancy application demonstration section. It seemed very smoke and mirrors. Lots of fancy impressive complex technique designed more to impress viewers than get the job done. I guess I didn't really get the exaggerated sticking partner routine, or the 360 spins.

[Muad'dib]

Actually, nothing is wrong with being floaty in my mind. In some ways he looks a lot like one of my favorite bagua guys looks floaty, if we use these definitions, but he does not violate the basic principles of bagua. (The guy is Ji Jinshan, or something like that, from the Shanghai Chingwoo. He was on one of the china's living treasures tapes.)

[Dai Zhi Qiang]

Actually, nothing is wrong with being floaty in my mind. In some ways he looks a lot like one of my favorite bagua guys looks floaty, if we use these definitions, but he does not violate the basic principles of bagua. (The guy is Ji Jinshan, or something like that, from the Shanghai Chingwoo. He was on one of the china's living treasures tapes.)

Ji Jin Shan is one of my Shiye's (I studied his Bei Shaolin Quan and friends of mine did his Ba Gua). Personally I think the clip you are referring to (on China's living treasures) is the best examples of Ba Gua Zhang I have seen (Ren Wen Zhu's being number 2).

I also don't think this guys Ba Gua looks nothing like master Ji's

Jon.

[Muad'dib]

Actually, I agree Jon. BTW, he is also my shiye. I studied liu feng chun bagua from one of his disciples. But, to an untrained observer, its easy to make the mistake. BTW the #2 bagua for me is a fellow student of mine. Still really haven't seen anyone who comes close to him, though most of the other people are in video, so its hard to say truly.

[Dai Zhi Qiang]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCCzJrcrKnY (Here is grand master Ji Jin Shan, the freaking man in my opinion, China lost someone very, very great when he passed away)

P.S at the start of this video he performs the 1st movement of "Wu Xing Qi Gong" (5 elements Qi Gong)

Jon.