Modern Self Defense – Principals Of The Circle

[Xu Xiaodong’s coach Mei Huizhi, demonstrates principals of the circle] In any era, self-defense requires standards and context relevant to its environment. Feudal Baguazhang strategies nowadays are often adapted for combat sports, fitness, or holistic routes in training, to cater to the modern man.  For

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Qing Guard Armor – Phoenix Bone Strikes

[The Warlords Film/ Jet Li, and Xie Peiqi] The exotic bone strikes of YSB Phoenix System descends from the era of Cotton Armor in feudal dynasties. The composite armor is cotton lined with iron or hardened leather. The cotton-lined steel sheets protect the torso, the

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Yin Style Bagua Dragon System – Imperial Power

The YSB Dragon System is underappreciated in today’s kungfu culture, partly because Snake symbolism is often attached to Yin Fu’s personal fighting style. The popularity of the Luohan Penetrating Palms styling in most Yin Style branches is the primary reason for the ‘snake’ characteristics- snakes

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Long To Short Range – Bajiquan

Bajiquan is known for its elbow strikes and short-range power. Similar to Muay Thai’s “Eight Limbs”, Bajiquan uses “Eight Weapons” to strike – Feet, Knees, Hips, Body, Shoulders, Elbows, Arms and Head. It is built for close in-fighting, engaging aggressively from a longer range to

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Orthodox Penetrating Palms – Tiger Spear

The Luohan style of Penetrating Palm sets are suitable for the short Tiger Spear… and though adaptable, are not originally designed for sticking the opponent with the tips of the fingers (according to Shaolin treatise, the penetrating/willow leaf palm is meant to grasp). The short

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The Lion System – Baoding Wrestling Connection

[David Chee-Kai Lin/ Combat Shuai Chiao in the pics]  In modern Baguazhang culture- Cheng Ting Hua is often credited for wrestling and Yin Fu is revered for his penetrating palms.  While this may be a half-truth, Imperial Guards (Yin Fu) are skilled in military wrestling

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Yin Style Baguazhang Pudao – Yin Yuzhang Saber Method

Yin Yuzhang, the son of Yin Fu is remembered for his cleaving Saber methods, utilizing an instrument less than half the length of the iconic Giant Baguazhang saber often instructed in contemporary times. Many Chinese scholars link the cleaving saber to the Pudao in feudal

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Chen Fake/ Liu Yun Qiao – 1920s Kungfu Exchange

Liu Yun Qiao and Chen Fake exchanged martial concepts in Beijing during the late 1920s.  Both masters at the time- Chen Fake (Beijing Chen Taijiquan) and Liu Yun Qiao (Bajiquan) agreed there was a great similarity between the systems. Both fighting arts utilize segmentation of

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