Other Internal Kung Fu Styles

Bagua Zhang

(Eight Diagrams Palm)

Bagua Zhang explores the eight directions surrounding a central point. Imagine yourself at the center of a circle — Bagua employs techniques and movements passing through the circle's interior and exterior, enabling offense and defense from all eight surrounding directions.

Our Bagua instruction follows traditional internal principles passed down through the Wudang Dragon Gate Sect. Training builds from three stepping patterns known as "mud stepping," producing smooth, flowing steps that range from large circular progressions to staccato bursts of change and back again.

The Eight Trigrams Concept: Bagua Zhang uses eight basic patterns progressing to 64 palms, stressing seamless energy and technique transformation. By changing height, angle, and direction, Bagua enables defense or attack at any range with hand and leg techniques, separately or simultaneously.

Perpetual Motion: Most importantly, these techniques are performed while in constant movement. Bagua Zhang rarely stops moving.

This art develops:

• Grace, balance, and flexibility

• Power and unpredictability

• Ability to "let go" and flow

• Mental adaptability

Curriculum includes: Theory, principles, training methods, forms, weapons, push hands, and self-defense applications.

Historical Legend

Legend tells of a Taoist master contemplating by a stream who observed a turtle rising from water to walk on land. The markings on its back depicted progression from simple to complex, from few to many — explaining how myriad opposing angles and directions could evolve from one starting point. These patterns became the I-Ching trigram configurations, forming 64 hexagrams used for divination and understanding probability.

Xing-I Chuan

(Form-Intent Boxing)

Xing-I Chuan embodies directness and efficiency. The goal: reach your opponent quickly and drive powerfully through them in a single burst. Its linear nature reflects military origins and spear technique influence.

Power Generation

Xing-I delivers coordinated power (Jin 劲) by using the body as a single unit while intensely focusing intent (Yi 意). Explosive power expression is called 'Fa Jin' (发劲)—the same term used across traditional Chinese martial arts.

Fighting Philosophy

Simultaneous Attack and Defense: Efficiency and economy of movement define Xing-I styles. Its direct philosophy advocates simultaneous offense and defense with few kicks (mostly low and mid-level) to avoid imbalance hazards. Techniques are valued for adherence to key principles rather than aesthetic appeal.

Foundation Training: San Ti Shi

"Three Bodies Power" Stance: This fighting stance aligns head, torso, and feet along the same vertical plane. Though held shorter and higher in actual combat, training typically uses middle to low heights for conditioning.

Internal Development

Despite its hard, angular appearance, cultivating "soft" internal strength is essential for Xing-I power. Advanced practitioners understand that apparently linear movements contain tight spirals—direct motions are actually circular on a very small scale.

Training Progression

Like other internal arts, Xing-I training initially emphasizes slow-motion practice for all movements, eventually progressing to explosive execution.

Foundation Elements:

• Five Elements practice (foundation training)

• Zhan Zhuang (standing post meditation)

• 12 Animals forms

• Traditional theory and principles

• Conditioning and energy work

• Weapons training

• Push hands and self-defense