(八卦掌) Baguazhang Circle Walking Practice pt1 of 3 (Postures 1 - 3 of 8)

[Lctoliver]

There is currently a Pa Kua Chang Journal website, that also has a directory of instructors in the U.S.A., and elsewhere. You should check out the website... pakuachangjournal com. I found my teacher in the original Pa Kua Chang Journal Instructors Directory, back in 1996.

[Lctoliver]

Most people over here don't have the attention span and discipline to study this unique martial art of Baguazhang. I used to feel and think the same as you when I first read about Baguazhang, way back when I was in high school in the early 1970s. At that time, that was the case. There were very few if any Baguazhang instructors over here, so I almost put the idea of ever finding a teacher, out of my mind. Then years later, I found the Pa Kua Chang Journal. They had a directory of teachers.

[fanfan33000]

@Lctoliver "Most people over here don't have the attention span and discipline to study this unique martial art of Baguazhang.".. brother this is the understatement of the century right here... I sometimes wonder if the pace of modern life, cell phones, internets etc. is just going to make it harder and harder for people to have sufficient attention span to practice bagua. :(

[B0oR4dl3y]

i feel like it would be hard to find a teacher for this in america, it just doesn't seem like that common of a form of martial arts over here

[Lctoliver]

Raves11,

So the answer is, you never stop circle walking as long as you learn and practice Baguazhang. Baguazhang is not Baguazhang without the circle walking. Almost everything, if not everything about Baguazhang is based on or around circle walking, including applications and use in attacking and defending in self defense... That is what is special and unique about Baguazhang.

[Lctoliver]

Raves11,

Circle walking is the foundation of this martial art, and you first learn to step and circle walk and turn, then after you have finally learned to do that correctly, you learn the single palm change, then double palm change then each individual gua, one at a time (1 through 8). All of this is done while circle walking. You circle walk to begin practice or training, you circle walk while learning each gua (form), you circle walk to practice turning, and you circle walk to end practice.

[raves11]

I will soon be taking bagua. Please tell me, how long do I have to walk in a circle for training. Right now I'm praying for a good answer, even though I know I won't get one.

[jason1251995]

@raves11 3 years. Not even joking. Thats what my master did and my grand master.

[Lctoliver]

@dragob732 This is not Liang Style. My ankles and knees lightly brush as I Tang Ni Bu walk, because I am walking more correctly, and this is regardless of Baguazhang style. The style of Baguazhang that I am learning and practicing since 1996 from my teacher, Jiang Hao-Quan, is Jiang Style Chuan Shi Baguazhang. He learned Chuan Shi Baguazhang as a student at the Nanjing Central Martial Arts Academy. He made modifications to it and now calls it Jiang Style Chuan Shi Baguazhang. He is 94 years old.

[mbutchin]

@Lctoliver Thank you for that information! I have never heard of jiang style; but then there are so many permutations from the "main" styles we all know, that's not surprising. I can ask my shifu about it.

AND-- you are the first person on Youtube I've seen who clearly says that regardless of Bagua style, Tangnibu is Tangnibu!! Bravo!

I have only been practicing with my teacher since 2003; and he's only been teaching me Bagua since 2007. I'm not quite as good as you are yet.

[Lctoliver]

@mbutchin Yeah, my teacher's name is Jiang Hao-Quan, and he put his name on the Chuan Shi Baguazhang that he teaches, because he has made such modifications as to reflect his fighting and martial arts background and mastery. He had 3 famous Baguazhang teachers: Jiang Rong-Qiao; Huang Bo-Nien; Yin Yu-Zhang, all at the Nanjing Central Martial Arts Academy. If you want to know more about him or this Baguazhang, click on the links to his website that appear in the info to the upper right.

[mbutchin]

Very interesting. Your postures look a bit like Yin style, or E-mei; but I see a lot of Cheng style in your transitions.

Also, I admire the fact that your spine is held erect at all times, and your knees and ankles brush as you walk. Alas, that's all too rare on the baguazhang Youtube videos I watch.

[Lctoliver]

@mbutchin I accidently removed this reply by dragob732 Is reply stated "its liang style thats why he brush the ankles,i know this because i have some dvd of liang bagua."