BAGUAZHANG
EMEI BAGUAZHANG - DVD

Baguazhang, being one of the three major internal martial arts, is well worth the visit for taijiquan practitioners.    Hsing-I, Baguazhang and Taijiquan are the three major internal martial arts.    The Sun style of Taijiquan, created by Sun Lu Tang, combined qualities of Hsing-I, Baguazhang and Taijiquan.    This DVD is the result of a collaboration between Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming and Liang, Shou-Yu, both of who previously worked together to produce an excellent book on Hsing-I.

This DVD combines parts one, two and three of the Baguazhang series previously released on VHS by YMAA PRODUCTIONS.    While reviewing this DVD I had watched such a voluminous amount of material that I thought I had missed the heading for Part two of the video.    The first section of this video has so much material that a viewer might think they have seen all three parts.

The first section presents an explanation of the history and meaning of Baguazhang.   Some of the philosophy is presented, such as "use movement against stillness" and "moving is the foundation, variation is the technique."

The video then gives an explanation and demonstrates the basic palms and leg postures in Baguazhang.

BASIC PALMS (Each palm is shown and then demonstrated using a sample technique)

1. Upward Palm

2. Downward Palm

3. Upright Palm

4. Embracing Palm

5. Chopping Palm

6. Scooping Palm

7. Picking Palm

8. Screwing Palm

BASIC LEG POSTURES

1. Arc Stepping

2. Swing Stepping

3. Bow Stance

4. High False Stance

5. Half Horse Stance

6.  Single Squat Down Stance

At this point in the video an excellent Baguazhang Qigong set is taught.

BAGUA TURNING SPINNING QIGONG SET

This set mixes the internal with the external, using turning and spinning movements to stimulate the chi centers of the body.  The video advises to learn each of the 8 postures separately, and then once the movements become natural, combine them into the set.

1. Preparation Posture

2. Nourish Elixir Posture

3. Push Mill Posture

4. Rotate Palm Posture

5. Spiral & Rotate Posture

6. Twist Turning Posture

7. Bore and Turn Posture

8. Closing Gong Posture

Besides demonstrating these postures/movements, oral secrets are presented for each of the movements.    These are instructions that were originally passed from teacher to student orally, sometimes using a poem format.

Dr. Yang demonstrates the whole form continuously following the presentation of each of the postures separately.  This Qigong set assists the student in learning the correct ways to move in line with Baguazhang principles.  

BODY CONDITIONING TRAINING

The video then offers instruction in Body Conditioning Training.    A couple of Bagua Post Training exercises are demonstrated, following which is a series called "Two person Body Conditioning Matching".   This series of two man training routines is demonstrated by Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming and Liang, Shou-Yu.    This is an excellent series of two person drills and it is quite a treat to see Dr. Yang and Liang, Shou-Yu being used as the demonstrators.

Basically the drills encompass the following routines:

• Low and high strikes and blocks

• Wrist grabs

• Chest slamming and circle stepping

• Hip strikes following the circling footwork

• Kicks to the side of the ribcage

• Kicks to inside of the thighs

• Block punch and slam forearm to chest

• Inside pluck block against punch with slap to top of the head

• Wrist blocks then spin around and bump hips

The next section is:

THE BASIC 8 PALMS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

1. FIRST PALM             SINGLE CHANGING PALM

2. SECOND PALM        DOUBLE CHANGING PALM

3. THIRD PALM            FOLLOWING THROUGH PALM

4. FOURTH PALM        REVERSING BODY PALM

5. FIFTH PALM            TURNING BODY PALM

6. SIXTH PALM            DOUBLE EMBRACING PALM

7. SEVENTH PALM     GRINDING BODY PALM

8. EIGHTH PALM         ROTATING BODY PALM

The complete sequence is demonstrated.   Then each posture section is demonstrated two times slowly, then two times at regular speed.    Then the application for each part of the palm sequence is demonstrated, first the application movement is shown solo, then with a second person while applying the technique.

At this point the whole form is demonstrated at a slow speed, and then again at regular speed.

BASIC 8 PALMS MATCHING SET

This two person fighting set for Baguazhang is first demonstrated at regular speed.   The set is then broken down into eight sections called interchanges.   Each interchange consists of a series of movements that represent the usage and application of the different palms.    Following the teaching of the eight different interchanges, the whole set is then demonstrated at slow speed, followed by regular speed.    It is an extremely fluid set and demonstrates the superior footwork that Baguazhang utilizes.

This concludes part one of the three parts of this video.

EMEI BAGUAZHANG PART TWO

SWIMMING BODY BAGUAZHANG

The following palms make up this set:

1. Swimming Body Palm

2. Revolving Body Palm

3. Swaying Body Palm

4. Dodging Body Palm

5. Boring and Chopping Palm

6. Turning Body Palm

7. Leading and Carrying palm

8. Dragon Shape Palm

For each of the eight palms, the following are presented

• Demo of the palm movements

• Repeat of the palm slow speed

• Regular speed demo

• Repeat of regular speed

• Application demo solo

• Application demo with partner

Each palm has many movements, consequently when the applications are demonstrated, there are quite a few applications shown to cover the many movements that make up each palm.

The whole set is then demonstrated at slow and then regular speeds.

EMEI BAGUAZHANG PART THREE

BAGUA DEER HOOK SWORD AND APPLICATIONS

The third part of this video uses the many abilities and skills of Ramel Rones to demonstrate the form.    Some of you might be familiar with Ramel Rones from his video Sunrise Tai Chi, a review of which can be found on this website.     Mr. Rones impressed me with his knowledge and skill when I first watched the Sunrise Tai Chi DVD.    He does a wonderful job of demonstrating this unusual form, Bagua Deer Hook Sword.

The tape has the following sections for part three:

• Demonstration of the whole form by Ramel Rones

• Fifteen basic routines are taught in sequence, which help train the student in the proper movements that are utilized in this form

• Complete sequence at regular speed is again demonstrated

• Section 1 - 4 breakdown and teaching of the movements

• 19 applications from the form

The applications section is interesting in that Ramel Rones and his assistant basically throw each other around with various techniques from the form.    I enjoy seeing a little bit of rough housing when watching demonstrations of martial arts techniques and applications.   When applications are demonstrated using unlikely set ups and very slow speeds with almost no response or counter measure from the person the technique is being demonstrated on, then I tend to lose interest and the move tends to be less credible.     Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming and Liang, Shou-Yu are known for their realistic demonstrations of applications.    Ramel Rones, who I believe is one of Dr. Yang's senior students, carries on this tradition of realistic demonstrations in a very capable manner.

The production of the video is top notch.   Having purchased many low production tapes over the years, it is a joy to watch these videos from YMAA that utilize correct lighting, logical order of presentation, excellent angles of the techniques and forms, accessibility to the various sections of the video, with material to match the quality of the presentation.    One seller of martial arts videos strangely enough advertises the lack of production quality on his tapes as being something desirable.   I understand his point in that some tapes might have high production quality but low material quality.    If I had to have one or the other, I would take the quality of the material anytime.   But with these videos from YMAA, they offer that rare combination of quality material and production.    Bravo!!!!!

Watching this video has encouraged me to restart up my Baguazhang studies.  

Copyright 2007 Patrick H. Dickson • All Rights Reserved