MaartenSFS wrote:If the surface is uneven, then there will be less friction, but that doesn't change the structure significantly. The friction does indeed add power and just because Sun Lutang did or didn't do something doesn't mean that something is or isn't effective. Everyone fights differently.
I can tell you that after I learned Xingyi footwork (Mocabu, which is pretty much identical to Tangnibu) together with Piquan my power improved drasticly and I haven't looked back since. Then again my power is explosive and different people may prefer different methods.
It's not only Sun that doesn't use it. It's not standard in Yin style which is the most complete and complex of Bagua styles. What Cheng Tinghua did is not the standard footwork for Bagua generally speaking. Cheng style just happen to be the most popular style.
If you can move freely while moving and at the same time control posture and structure, your power generation will be much more "free". You will be less depended on a certain stance. Mud stepping can help you with this. This freedom of walking and not being dependent on a certain posture is what many CMA stylists lack regardless if you look at Tai Chi, Wing Chun and many other styles, both northern and southern styles. I don't believe that Bagua helped me with being able to punch someone harder in the face, but it certainly helped my body to find more freedom, which helped me improve my Tai Chi.
I love Tai Chi very, very much, but sometimes I feel that all rules and regulations of body movement and body use are more harmful than useful to the practitioner. Spontaneity and creativity are often forgotten.