BaGua Help

[JustBHappy]

I think in no time you will be rockin out all kinds of moves and conditioning with that bad boy on.

[BaguaKicksAss]

Yes, it's all a mind game, really...very simple but we make it all so complicated.

 

One things that concerns me about the vest is losing form...so I guess minimal increments in weight really. Probably 7.5kg is a bit too much to start with, so 4kg is a wiser load.

 

Has anyone here played with lower basin walking? This kind of practice is what has allowed me to really stretch the tendons of the lower legs, knees and open the kua. But it is damn hard work, initially then you get used to it and it is a lot more bearable. But I don't do it every day anymore, maybe every second day or so. Not aiming for an hour as I find it overkill, to my needs and ability.

 

My legs, ankles, achilles, et. al are crying daily! I'm only at middle.... and not for anywhere near an hour! That whole hour long circle walking thing, I could do it at upper basin lol.

 

Stuff like a weight vest (or kettlebells) I just stick with ta-jong palm and focus on sinking.

Edited March 28, 2013 by BaguaKicksAss

[Gerard]

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Edited August 22, 2013 by Gerard

[BaguaKicksAss]

Yeah things like hiking up mountains and running, nothing in comparison, heh. I've only been doing bagua a couple of years though, so my body is still being formed. Well that and my health sucked when I started (since birth actually), so still breaking it in so to speak.

 

Yes sitting and standing work as well; I have a teacher fortunately . I'm always amazed by the folks who can learn from books and vids. I did this once for a couple of months just to force myself to learn something a different way, and wow, it is difficult!

[Gerard]

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Edited September 16, 2013 by Gerard

[joeblast]

lacrosse ball

[BaguaKicksAss]

Golf ball? Yikes lol. Too hard, too ouchy heh. I don't get pain there from Bagua, just good ol leg muscle pain. I've also just lowered my training by a lot (for me), so legs are catching up. Now when I was running half marathons, I definitely ended up with some IT band pain. I think it is the same area. I just love these to get rid of it

Though you have reminded me to do some of that fist pummeling of my legs stuff after practice each day!

Edited March 29, 2013 by BaguaKicksAss

[mYTHmAKER]

tennis ball

[Gerard]

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Edited August 22, 2013 by Gerard

[Gerard]

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Edited August 22, 2013 by Gerard

[Gerard]

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Edited August 22, 2013 by Gerard

[SmallFrameGrandUltimateFist]

Yes, the essence of good Bagua. The lower the better. Lower basin work is extremely demanding but oh boy! the benefits...

 

The following video gives you an idea of what true lower basin walk involves.

 

 

A couple of videos of young Chinese practitioners:

 

1. Boy

 

2. Girl

Thats a very nice video you posted, it's good to see authentic arts, I myself have found it to be most discouraging to see so little of true Gong Fu. Particularly in my own study of Chen Style, so many people practicing high stance yang style and so forth with chen even, it can be somewhat discouraging to find so little to align with.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Hey, speaking of low stance, what do you all recommend to keep the knees in good condition when practicing low stance?

 

Thanks.

[ChiDragon]

If you can stay low, your legs are in good condition already. BTW It is not easy to do low stance. The simplest way to accomplish low stance is from the practice of Zhan Zhuang. The hardest way is from Tai Ji Chuan or go slow on other styles.

Edited April 14, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Yes, they are not too bad right now, but I'd like them to at least stay that way or get better

[ChiDragon]

Yes, they are not too bad right now, but I'd like them to at least stay that way or get better

 

You just have to go lower than what it is right now progressively; but no more than 90 degrees in your ZZ practice. This is the only thing I could think of.

Edited April 14, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Thanks for your input CD.

[mYTHmAKER]

Hey, speaking of low stance, what do you all recommend to keep the knees in good condition when practicing low stance?

 

Thanks.

Keep them in proper alignment.

Lower your stance gradually

Relax down - don't tense or force

[JustBHappy]

Proper alignment is of course the most important thing. I would highly recommend following the diagrams I posted before. Knees are not meant to have weight applied to them when the foot is torqued in a different direction than the qua. Keep the qua and the feet pointing the same direction. Straight line walking, or big circles are also a good idea while building strength in the knees and areas that support the knees.

Practice only a little. We often have a tendency to overdo. This is when injuries happen. There is no rush, it is not a race. Keep in mind that Tai Chi, Bagua, da cheng, and other internal arts all have great masters with an abundance of internal power that operate from a higher stance. At the lower levels, we need to go down in order to generate power, it is more physical and less internal. Gradually through the years we should be shifting towards using less and less physical strength and relying on low stances for power generation. So there is no reason to rush it, or over-train. Give the muscles, and more importantly the tendons and ligaments time to slowly stretch and strengthen. It takes more time to develop the 'jin' than it does the muscles, but we often forget this point and are impatient in our development.

[Sifu ReL]

36 songs states all of this and more

[zerostao]

36 songs should be pondered upon during and understood by 3-4 years imo

then go to 48 songs, 48 songs is useful for when you encounter another bgz player

or any other ima

Edited April 22, 2013 by zerostao

[Gerard]

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Edited August 22, 2013 by Gerard

[JustBHappy]

While searching online about Ge Guo Liang I came across this great quote:

“Your form should be beautiful. It should look unhurried, graceful, easy and effortless. It should not be painful to watch, putting observers into distress. If you put people in distress, you are not doing Bagua.”
-Master Ge Guoliang

 

 

[zerostao]

 

While searching online about Ge Guo Liang I came across this great quote:

 

“Your form should be beautiful. It should look unhurried, graceful, easy and effortless. It should not be painful to watch, putting observers into distress. If you put people in distress, you are not doing Bagua.”

-Master Ge Guoliang

 

 

for any Taoist IMA, especially baguazhang, it is the graceful dance. if onlookers are mesmerized that is cool imo

 

[mYTHmAKER]

for any Taoist IMA, especially baguazhang, it is the graceful dance. if onlookers are mesmerized that is cool imo

 

Dance has the connotation used for not being connected internally.

I should know as when my second teacher saw my form he referred to it as dance LOL