Bagua Zhang Ten Minute Primer - Foundational Basic Skills (Part 1)

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Mushin Martial Culture Patreon supporters receive additional notes for these primer videos as well as other benefits. Your support through Patreon enables me to continue to produce these primers and other content. I appreciate any and all support. Mushin martial Culture Patereon: www.patreon.com/mushinmartialculture

[@madhusudan]

Real deal and the best I've seen on YT. I have the aspiration to learn Baguazhang but there are no teachers in my area, so these videos will allow me to build some foundation on my own until circumstances arise. Thank you!

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@DarrenLeung]

Came here after listening to a 2hr podcast that would have been impossible to sit through if it were anyone else speaking. I truly appreciate the level of analytical thought and concise, yet comprehensive overview that you were able to bring to it, and I try to do the same myself. I only wish that every topic could be as well presented and equally absent fluff, flash, and hyperbole.

[@jackfroste]

Sent by SerpentZA. Very interesting info. Thank you.

[@robertschlesinger1342]

Nice introduction to Bagua Zhang, Eight Trigram Palm. I look forward to the sequel videos.

[@vonclap]

Professionally produced and useful for students of all levels

[@foil209]

Omg the foot step training advice help alot. It make a world of difference in pratice and understanding bagua training

[@Downhaven]

You are a phenomenal teacher and ambassador. Thank you for sharing

[@taiwanisacountry]

Came from SerpentZA. I have always wanted to learn 八卦掌 ^^ I am very excited.

[@klaudiokucelin2548]

Nice job Byron! I see some details I need to work on. Thanks for making this possible and looking forward for more material in the future.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Nice to hear from you. Hope you are keeping well

[@neilellison3356]

This is excellent Byron, many thanks.

[@maltekelpin2781]

First, thank you for this great, informative and rather high-quality video. I'm sure you have more important things to do, but I'd like to ask you a couple of questions, if you don't mind. 1. About the bazibu I have a background in Karate, so I'm curious whether certain principles apply here, as well. Many styles of Karate employ a similar stance. In that stance, the toes grip the floor, while you're supposed to create a tension that feels as if the feet want to return to their original, i.e. parallel position. In a manner of speaking, you're trying to tear apart an imagined carpet below your feet. That pushes your tailbone forward and engages your lower abdomen. When you cautioned against an anterior pelvic tilt, were you talking about that? 2. About the piercing palms I noticed, that, after each strike, you sank a little, while your front hand palm turned slightly upwards. Then, when performing the next strike, you again rose a little. Are my obsrvations correct and do they matter? Thank you in advance and best wishes from South Korea!

[@maltekelpin2781]

One more question, if I may. The hand shape held during the piercing palms is rather foreign to me. I was thinking, I might try and jab my hands into a box filled with sand, rice or the like, not necessarily to toughen them, but to aid proper alignment of the fingers. Bad idea?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Hi! Thanks for the remarks! With regards to the ba zi bu, the version here is a very basic version which aims to help you develop physical abilities for further specific Bagua stepping methods and techniques. These techniques and methods later each have differing aspects, however, drawing in the tail bone and wrapping the knees are in general a basic requirement for all of them. 2. You noticed correct, this too is a more advanced aspect of the body mechanics which incorporate coiling and uncoiling as well as rising and falling. You are noticing good things!

[@markomancikas]

This reminds me of Wing Tsun, where your primary stance is somewhat similar as well as the strikes discused here. Sent by Serpentza btw :) I liked wing tsun a lot, should enjoy this

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Thanks for watching!

[@AODRHINO]

I am glad you included elements of Fa Jing in your demo. No one ever stresses it's importance in EACH strike.

[@ioan_jivan]

Awesome :D waiting for part 2

[@Yamabushi_Miko]

Very detailed👍 The most interesting is the rotation of the front palm before the next stroke. It's a protective action, isn't it?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Among other functions yes

[@shirtlessviking9225]

i don't know if i am standing wrong, but the toes in stance feels very akward... I can't find out how it will stretch my hips i think you said, but only my calves.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Have a degree of bend in the knees and then try to urge the knees both inwards towards one another as well as slightly down towards the ground

[@hhputube]

I wonder if Bil Jee form was born from this?

[@davidstanton5587]

This is similar to the character of wing chun wich is very simple but complex in higher practice

[@gaa2468]

Thank you

[@GFD472]

What is the traditional recommendation for standing times in the character eight stance?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

There isn't a set time per se, but remember in general that the body only starts to make physical changes when something is held for a minimum of thirty seconds at a time. So aim for that and work up as you can from there

[@yry5012]

Is it advised to do some 'non martial' physical exercises like push ups, squats, jogging and jumping rope? I'm not talking about getting bulky and going to the gym for weight lifting and the looks. Just half an hour or even less of work out stuff for the muscles to get some basic stamina and strength. Or should one stick to 'just' the neigong and forms because anything else interferes with the internal alchemy? It's just when I have only time for training half an hour I feel that a bit of neigong doesn't do the trick and I feel weaker every year I age, haha. What is your take on that? I mean it's some sort of often discussed topic especially in the Neijia community, right? I practice Liang Style and Hebei Xing Yi Quan but very rudimentary I have to admit but enough that I can work with the books by your teacher Di Guoyong/Andrea Falk. I really enjoy and admire your work. Keep it up. PS. How important is Zhan Zhuang (do you practice it often?) and what's your take on Yiquan? Too many questions I know but I really wanted to ask an expert like you on them. My teacher which I can't see on a regular basis anymore learned from a disciple of Li Ziming. His focus though is highly on the internal cultivation part (so more neigong than piquan etc. which is fine. But at times I think doing neigong is not enough for battling aging and muscles turning weak etc.)

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Hi. Perfectly fine to add those other exercises to your practice! Remember in the past many of the practitioners also had labor intensive jobs and this did not interfere with their martial development at all. Zhan zhuang I do everyday as well as neigong practice in addition to techniques etc. Usually I start with static practices of zhan zhuang etc and then move on to moving nei Gong and gong fa before moving into full moving practices. That's the general progression for a session. Regarding Yi Quan, I don't practice it as I get so much out of xingyi and bagua as it is, so that's all I'll say about that...

[@yry5012]

@@MuShinMartialCulture Thank you very much! That really helps me a lot! Because some out there just emphasize the (very) soft parts of training even to the extent that combat forms are left out nearly and doing something else like jogging and a bit of push ups is a no go. One last question I forgot to ask: Do you use punching bags or other hitting devices (wooden dummy or poles) too? I just sometimes feel I need to practise something like Xing Yi (pi, pao, beng etc) and bagua techniques (body checking) not just by hitting the air. In most sources on Xingyi and Bagua punching bags etc are not used or maybe just not mentioned. I've seen poles or trees for bagua though were practitioners 'rub' and hit against and not just circle around.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

@@yry5012 kzbin.info/www/bejne/npy3cqlra9WWj6s

[@yry5012]

@@MuShinMartialCulture oh my bad! I thought I had watched all of your videos... no further questions then. Keep up the good work Mr. Jacobs! It's really extraordinary.

[@BenEehayeh]

How to do this step without twisting the knee, which can cause damage?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

When stepping straight, align the tip of the knee over the vertical plane is the foot's instep

[@richardbottslotsandmore5696]

Great videos...new sub here..very interesting in the style....Thanks for the awesome content. I'm looking for a school close to me here in Ohio. Thanks..

[@eaglelight108]

..does this initial standing posture offer specific health benefit?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

All practice has differing benefits on ones health and physical condition, but the primary role is the development of marital skills

[@MrHug-xl1kr]

Sempre quis saber e praticar essa arte marcial por caso da ling xiaoyu de tekken sempre gostei dela

[@SteveMe21685]

Where you get those shoes?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

They used to be available here in China a few years ago but have been discontinued since

[@casperd2100]

Cultural aspects aside, we've all heard this saying again and again and seen it in every youtube comments of "WUSHU WINGCHUN MASTER SHIFU GETS DESTROYED BY MMA MASTER!!!!" videos: "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." I'm not sure where you stand on if this martial art style is practical, but I would like to know :)

[@coderjo6944]

This explains the whole thing. It is the channel's owner answering that very question. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnbOqoulrK5olaM

[@racbirsingh7005]

Thank you. I came from why are kung fu masters getting beaten up )

[@eccentricthought4511]

Sent by serpentza

[@tsclly2377]

Very good interview with serpentza -[Why are Kung Fu masters getting BEATEN UP in China?]{kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnbOqoulrK5olaM}... and so I am here and having a long time ago studied Taekwondo for a couple of years, but what really caught my attention was that you stated that this is a cultural thing. At the time I had bought the 'big book' of Taekwondo (the year was1976) and one could say, or that book did say, that the Korean art was 'revived' after the Korean war. Unfortunately that book seems to have disappeared, like lent to some one and never came back, but I remember quite a bit of it.. It is the cultural meaning that brings me here as culturally China is perhaps the oldest and those that have as a people have had the most pain.

[@archonofvoid]

your upper body is detailed and correct, but your lower body work and explanation isn't. This is not wing chun it's bagua, beware.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

The lower body is in line with the teachings of my shifu, Di Guoyong, and Liang style as handed down by the 3rd generation master Li Ziming. No one is doing wing chun.

[@davidm9618]

This isn't martial arts, put the "master" in the ring with Xu Xiaodong.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

It is in fact martial arts, and I have known Xu Xiaodong personally for a long time kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHSbZ2p_pr9jbLM

[@jonathanbaker7854]

That was great. Very true and correct. Beautifully done. The additional road to finger strength is a lot of finger tip push ups.ℹ️💯✅❤️👌🏿👍🏿✝️🙏🏿📖🗡🥷☯️😎

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Thanks

[@Papecy_23]

Who came here after finding out they are attributed to air

[@dianasmakeupworld]

Excellent primer - was looking for something like this to practice at home between classes! Looking forward to the next part!

[@coderjo6944]

Been a fan of Serpentza for a long time and was totally surprised when I watched your splitting fist. You remind me of a younger version of James McNeil...... You're probably a nicer person than him though. Right now I study Bagua and Hsing-i from Tom Bisio(new york)....a former student of Vince Black(tusconAZ). Looking forward to getting to know more about you Mr Jacobs... God bless you!

[@vwd6116]

Wow! Thanks for the explanation. Got here through that martial arts exposé with @serpentza. This was very helpful and enlightening. I always thought the stance was exclusive to wing chun after watching the films and reading about its "legendary" creation. But then again, upon re-watching that scene in "Ip Man 2" - I realized that the stance was very much there and it was just beautifully disguised by the palm movements and body rotations. Any chance, you'll feature and talk about bajiquan?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Thanks for the comment! I don't practice baji Quan myself, but I did restore an episode of jing cheng wushu which features some baji.

[@vwd6116]

@@MuShinMartialCulture Thanks! Will check that out next.

[@le13dan]

Love Bagua Zhang, of all the Chinese martial arts I find it to be one of the most interesting and effective especially when adapted into modern kickboxing/Muay Thai. Its a great way to complement a harder style, much Love from Aus.

[@viniciuspaiva3889]

Yes. Besides looking more hard than taiji, bagua's principles are easier to understand and apply then taiji's. The circular motion itself is very powerful.

[@crypticnomad]

two years later and I'm looking at pretty much the same spot. I had a muay thai coach show me some basic movements and teach some basic concepts like circling away from their power hand and whatnot. He ended up moving before I had learned beyond some really basic exercises and their applications so I wouldn't say i have "real bagua experience" but do have practical experience using the concepts against skilled maximally resisting opponents and it works well assuming the context is right of course. Using these foot movements and circular motion concepts in the clinch, just as an example, basically allows me to "man handle" my opponent from the clinch. I can often just make them go whereever I want, create distance when I want(i.e opening the door for knees/elbows/strikes in general and sweeps), etc.

[@riversidetaichi150]

Nice Channel. I remember the South African team when I was competing in USAWKF hosted by Jeff Bolt in the 1990"s.

[@TheSibler]

WoW thats really good content , serpentza just advertise good stuff it seems. Thx 2 both of you

[@dazzybizzle]

brought here by the serpent, was an amazing interview, also quick question where you based in CH, and if some foreigners like myself want to get in contact and learn and support how can we do this? Appreciate your work

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Hi, nice to meet you. I live in Beijing. I have a Patreon set up for support of my projects, which I highly appreciate at: www.patreon.com/mushinmartialculture I am reachable through that.

[@junliitoo4042]

Serpentza sent me here! Thank you for sharing!

[@ClintAndrie]

Anyone here practicing airbending?

[@jadenng7569]

Hello @Mu Shin Martial Culture, would you happen to know any teachers of Ma Gui's lineage of Bagua Zhang teaching in Beijing? I know Master Li Baohua is teaching all over the place but I wanted to see if there were any inheritors of Ma Gui's lineage left in the capital.

[@IlyaasAl-Hanifiyya]

In Sourh Africa it's not easy to find a Bagua Teacher these videos help a lot the Piercing Palms a quite hard for me but it's so relaxing to do these practices

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Thanks. I also have an in depth distance learning program at www.patreon.com/mushinmartialculture The Hua Jin tier is the online learning program

[@lelionnoir4523]

Hello, Mister Jacobs. I'm a long time follower, attracted by the clean quality of your Xing Yi tutorials. I'm a practitioner of Jiang style Xinyibaguazhang and have been using Andrea Falk's translation as a visual support for what my french master has taught me. Thus I'm curious of your affiliation, if any to Ms Andrea Falk. Even though our styles differ, I'm pretty stoked to see what you have in wait for us Bagua practitioners. Good day to you from France.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Good day! Andrea is my big sis as we both study under Di Guoyong. Nice to meet you!

[@lelionnoir4523]

@@MuShinMartialCulture Wow! Then if you can ever transmit my admiration and respect, I would be grateful. There's a picture of her online in a low stance on one leg with her back strait. This is my dream goal. Also, can you tell me if the books you recommended from her have traditional hanzi ? Her Jiang Rongqiao translation has simplified characters, as the original had, but I would only get the dictionary if it had traditional hanzi.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

@@lelionnoir4523 As far as I recall, in the index her dictionary includes both versions. It is a wonderful resource

[@mooyingmantis]

Excellent presentation!

[@marlontrinidad8331]

Thank you for the documentation sir. Helps me too so i dont have to worry i might forget.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

You are welcome

[@daniellu8104]

is there a punching-bag-like tool for practicing the Chuan Zhang striking?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

You could hang a small canvas bag filled with with beans from a tree at about nose height

[@windfall4396]

Thanks! Respect from Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

You are welcome!

[@BeWriterMyFriend]

I have a question 🙋‍♂️ ! How long must we STAY on the basic positions ? The most possible ? Or is there a preferable timing ? Thankkss

[@BeWriterMyFriend]

How long can we hold the positions i mean

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Hi. Work up to five minutes. You can gradually get to that amount over a period of a few weeks if need be

[@lapnguyen3369]

Please post video that show sparring using the Chinese arts so we can have more ideas , instead of many forms, that will help peoples see clearly how it’s works 🙏

[@thiagob.7293]

Hey! Thanks for the great work. One doubt, please: your online program has some chinese lessons applied to the styles? I'm also interested in that aspect. I think it helps if you know some chinese...at least to some degree.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Thanks. The content presented includes the Chinese terms, their pronunciation and translations along with supplementary materials with these

[@thiagob.7293]

@@MuShinMartialCulture Thank you!!

[@TheBuddyShowWorldwide]

I admit I was more interested in Ms. Falk's Ma Gui material as he was said to be in one of the lines I studied years ago.

[@TheBuddyShowWorldwide]

Very nice, after watching the whole thing.

[@eaglelight108]

Where would a very beginner start? Here?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Yes, you may begin with this first primer

[@SantoshSingh-lg9hc]

Please hindi espeach

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Coming soon

[@fhoniemcphonsen8987]

Very nice. Thank you.

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

You are welcome!

[@jasonwu3508]

Just wanna say thank you for the videos, I really appreciate them!

[@wheelcluster2243]

A really good educational video thank you so much

[@ottolehmann8896]

hai keyi

[@octaviustjiantoro554]

very nice indeed! who is the Sifu please?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Thanks. Do you mean who is my teacher? Di Guoyong

[@octaviustjiantoro554]

@@MuShinMartialCulture thank you! Is it Yin style?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

@@octaviustjiantoro554 It is Liang style.

[@UatuEd]

Thank you for sharing your baguazhang!

[@mauriciojavieruribemerlo3093]

Thank you very much!

[@bursuk]

Thank you for this video series. Have you ever tried actually striking with the piercing palm? Is it possible to strike forcefully with the fingertips without injuring or breaking your own fingers?

[@MuShinMartialCulture]

Apart from directly striking, there are many other functions of chuan. That aside, you do need to condition your fingertips in order to use it, in which case, yes you can

[@achainoflife3454]

Very easy and excellent method, it's very nice 🙏

[@achainoflife3454]

Please upload more techniques and excercises of bagua Zhang for our daily routine of practice Sir 🙏

[@polyronin]

Thank you once again. 👍🙏

[@xiaohu1974]

Thank you, Bayron, good video!

[@jbouse64]

Only you I guess

[@mcronrn]

👏👏👏