Our lineage of Baguazhang (the eight trigrams palm) comes from the famous martial artist Cheng Ting Hua, a specialist in the Dragon Body method which he had learned from the founder of Baguazhang, Dong Hai Chuan.
One of the core exercises of Baguazhang is walking the circle, which develops fast footwork, coiling power and the power of the palm and fingers. The structure and internal power of the body is developed through the circling and mother palm shapes, and the strategy and fighting skills through the eight changes on the circle. There is also a well developed method for training with one or more wooden posts, and many extremely efficient weapons techniques and drills.
Training in Ba Gua Zhang is divided into three levels for the purpose of teaching, the details of each section will be taught to students at the appropriate time.
Curriculum
Beginner Level
Ba Mu Zhang (Eight Mother Palms)
Fixed step
Walking step (circle)
Basic changes between palms
Advanced concepts of changing palms
Basic applications of Mother Palms
More advanced applications of Mother Palms
Applications from fixed position.
Applications from circle
Basic footwork and applications
Introduction into single practice (Dan Lian)
Taking moves from the mother palms and old eight palms and practicing them in a straight line, and introduction into practicing them in a circle.
Introduction of Bagua character transmission
Pole Training
Introduction into pole training, fixed and moving
Lao Ba Zhang (old eight palms)
Basic understanding of the first 3 changes, and how to use them.
Applications in a straight line and introduce the applications in a circle.
Basic Zhang Fa (palm methods)
Xiao, Pian, Fan, Hui, Tiao etc
Standing palm practice
Eight Mother Palms (Ba Mu Zhang)
Standing practice
Circle Walking
Ba Mu Zhang in the circle
Applications of the basic Zhang fa
Applications of the mother palms
Introduction of basic Ba Gua handwork
Ma Shou, Dan Shou, Zai Shou etc
Understanding of basic Ba Gua theory, and different powers.
Ie. Ning, tuo, dai, ling etc.
Intermediate
Eight Mother Palms in a circle.
Be able to change between each palm with reasonably complex changes.
Understanding of all applications of mother palms.
Be able to put all the Zhang Fa into a straight line and circle.
Circle walking
A good understanding of circle walking, combining two circles. Be able to move fluently between both circles with the mother palms and all 8 of the Lao Ba Zhang (Old 8 Palms)
Pole Training
To be able to move between two poles fluently with various strikes.
Old Eight Palms (lao ba zhang)
To have learned all of the 8 palms. To be able to move between each palm along one and two circles, and straight lines.
Introduction into the concepts of the Swimming Dragon.
Weapons
To have a basic understanding of some of the Ba Gua weapons. Some straight line and circle practice.
Power training – understanding long and short power, and how to develop it.
Single Practice (Dan Lian)
To be able to take individual moves out of the various palms to practice them in a circle or a straight line.
Applications
To know at least one application for all the moves from all the 8 Palm Changes. A good understanding of Qin Na and throwing, and striking. Applications of all the Zhang Fa.
Understanding all of the 8 Shou Fa, and a good understanding of Ba Gua theory, and Character Transmission.
Applications – in a straight line and circle.
Advanced
Lao Ba Zhang
To be able to perform all 8 palms fluidly on multiple circles.
To be able to take any move from any change and practice on any circle or straight line.
To be able to demonstrate multiple applications for any given technique including Qin Na, for every move.
To be able to move between any mother palm very freely with complex changes. To be able to do them on a straight line, and multiple circles. To be able to add moves from the Old Eight Palms with ease and to change between any palm with increasing speed.
At this stage a practitioner will be able to move between multiple circles and straight lines with ease.
To have a firm understanding of all Ba Gua theory and concepts, and be able to explain all of the Character Transmissions
Pole Training
To be able to move between any number of poles with ease and perform palm strikes with great fluidity.
Swimming Dragon
You Shen Ba Gua and You Long Ba Gua
To understand be able to perform both of these movements and their applications with ease
An Tui
A good understanding of Ba Gua’s hidden leg techniques.
Weapons
To be able to perform many of the weapon sets, and demonstrate their applications. Weapons include Jian, Dao, Yue, Spear, Needles, Chicken Hooks etc.