Tried some circle walking - question

[shaolinboxer]

I am curious is anyone is familiar with "4 count breathing" that was described to me last night when I was learning about bagua circle walking.

Is this a common phrase?

Thanks :).

[xiong]

Don't know but I'll ask Shifu tonight. He has introduced us to Ba Gua at different intervals, I am having a hell of a time getting the muddy stepping down.

[Eight_Triagram_Boxer]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Could you explain it in more detail? Also, what style of Bagua are you learning now? I'm in NYC too and just want to know who you're training with.

[Nexus]

4-count breathing refers to inhaling for 4 counts and exhaling for 4 counts. It is traditionally used as a foundation point in standing meditation to build the practitioner up in their capacity for breathing. The progress tends to go from 4-count to 8-count - etc. It is a means to lengthen and even out the breath as well as promote the ability to concentrate.

- Nexus

[Ray Pina]

A while ago I was playing with some funky breathing I researched. Where you breath in fully, let out 75 percent and then breath in fully again, let out 50, down to like 10 percent and then switch it.

Something like that.

Knowone taight me, just read about it and realized I shouldn't play with soemthing like that. I did feel reactions though. This was when I was looking for an internal teacher.

[HuangKaiVun]

I've done stuff like this, though it wasn't just for 4/8 counts.

This technique in my style I consider a drill that eventually teaches a person to maintain his internal equilibrium in the face of physical onslaught by an opponent.

Nowadays, I breathe in very small breaths during periods of heavy activity. When I need to, I sometimes hold my breath for a split second until the need passes.

I walk the circle forward AND backwards, spinning both into the circle and out of it. Both I've found to be necessary in developing good breath control.

My experience is that simply walking the circle will force a person to develop an excellent measure of the kind of breath control the 4-8 count breathing is trying to achieve.

[Nexus]

Or one might say that 4-8 count breathing will develop an excellent measure of the kind of breath control that walking the circle is trying to achieve.

[xiong]

Sorry my shifu couldn't elaborate anymore than waht has already been said.