The ultimate aim of all Chinese martial arts and particularly tai chi chuan is to attain the maximum power with the minimum effort. To achieve this end we align our body with gravity so that every part is supported by the legs and then we move by pushing the legs into the ground. If you can’t transfer weight properly you’re either pushing yourself up away from the ground or, worse […]
Most combat sports and martial arts use punches but they don’t always fully understand how to get the best out of this useful weapon in their armoury. Read on to discover the biomechanics of the punch and find out how, with a few small changes you can dramatically and instantly increase the impact power of your punch. This is the lowdown on the basics of punching. There are many kinds of […]
There are many ways of training the body. Many ways to become ‘fit’ but what are you becoming fit for? A marathon runner, a weight-lifter and a gymnast are all fit but if they tried to swap disciplines they wouldn’t really be any better at each others sports than the average person. Specific kung fu conditioning exercises give you a body that is strong, flexible, able to cope with high […]
Ever since we first learned to stand and walk on two legs humans have used their hands to reach out and connect with the world. Our hands are highly sensitive and very dexterous and it’s important that we look after them. Too many people end up in their old age with hands that can hardly move and lack the power and dexterity of their youth. They do this through unbalanced […]
The single palm change is the most famous movement in baguazhang. It is the signature move of the system. The way you do the single palm change defines you as a bagua stylist. Over time the way you do it will change as your understanding of it deepens. This is true for all the movements you learn but perhaps none more so than with the single palm change. As a […]
Bagua is an internal martial art and a form of moving meditation. It teaches you how to generate and store power in your body and how to express it in different ways. This post and video teach you four new ways of developing power through the bagua circle walking practice. To view this post in full you’ll need an Intermediate Level membership. This will give you access to a huge […]
Although bagua is famous for its circle walking practices it is during the changes of direction that the magic really happens. There are many methods of changing direction. Each develops different skills. Some of them are very simple, others very complicated and challenging. The video below will show several key ones. Practice diligently until the movements are smooth, balanced and effortless and require no thought on your part. To view […]
For thousands of years the Chinese have cultivated silk. Silk is a very delicate material to work with. To draw a silken thread out of a cocoon the action must be very smooth and even with no jerkiness or changes of direction. Otherwise the thread will snap. Too fast and the silk breaks, too slow and it sticks to itself and becomes tangled. The concept of reeling silk has been […]
Fan Chang is an arm movement that takes power from a rotation of the legs and waist and projects it out through the palms. With practice you open up the energy channels and can feel a strong connection of energy all the way up from feet to palms. Rotation is extremely important in baguazhang. Being able to rotate in a way that is balanced, coordinated and integrated is essential for […]
Baguazhang (pronounced bag-wa-jang), or bagua (pakua) for short, is a fascinating practice of moving meditation and self development that became the most sought after martial art in China. This post, and the video at the end of it describes the basic practice of walking the circle. Don’t neglect this as it will add a whole new dimension to all other training you do. Circle walking is the essence of baguazhang. […]
The heaven figure 8 stepping pattern is very useful for tai chi practitioners to learn and essential for students of Jade Dragon Kung Fu. It forms a part of many of our styles and movements. You will find it in our leaping tiger form and discover many ways to use it. Practice the static heaven figure 8 until you have mastered it first before you even attempt to do it […]
In both tai chi and kung fu our aim is for power to flow through the body and out again. Energy usually travels in waves so by creating wave movements we can prevent ourselves tensing up and let the movement flow. The power this can generate is enormous yet effortless. It also teaches you to move your arms in ways that don’t hold tension in your chest, neck, back or […]