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View Full Version : Chan Quan, Baji Quan ?



TzuChan
02-23-2003, 04:06 AM
Yes, I was wondering what the difference in effectiveness is between these two, I can take both at my wushu school, but I'd like to hear what you guys know about these two styles (modern and traditionel)

WanderingMonk
02-23-2003, 10:38 AM
Chan Quan - Long Fist KF, typically associated with Northern China. Long stride, long strikes, qin-na (joint-locks). At early stages of training, it helps if you are tall. As a novice, fighting long range give you more time to react and it is this style's speciality. As you become more experience, you can use it even if you are small. But, being tall will always be an advantage in this style. In traditional style, a lot techniques have hidden joint-locks. The joint locks are its weapons for short-range fights.

Baji Quan - short-strikes, short-range fighting. Fighting against your opponent very close. As novice, lesser time to react to opponent's moves because you might be fighting too close. Considered very effective and Taiwan President's personal body guards had been trainned in this style for the last forty years (not sure about the last three years). It helps if you are tall and solid build (lots of muscle) as a novice. There's a lot of internal/extrnal training which will help you develop short-strike and shock power (so, if you stick with it long enough, you'll be fine even if you are small). But, since this style has some moves that's like hockey tackles, you will have a big advantage being big and strong. Baji Quan is not known to have too many techniques, so you can learn the forms fast. The key is the time you spend mastering the basic on how the striking power is generated and delivered.

Master Han Qing Tang was a famous Taiwan Long Fist Instructors. He graduated first in his class from Nanjing National Martial Art Academy. I brought this up because he incorporated some Baji Quan into his curriculum to make up for lack of short-strike power for short-range fights (so, I had read from articles by some of his 2nd generation pupils).

A Baji Master in Southern Taiwan is advertising that his student(s) had won Thai Boxing Championship six (if I remember correctly) consecutive years in Heavy Weight, Cruiser weight divison, etc. I broght this up because Thai Boxing is full-contact fighting. If his students win these fights against good Thai Fighter in Thailand, it means Baji is certainly effective and can be adapated to fight in sport arena.

Both arts in its traditional forms are effective for fighting. The key is how you are trained. Traditional chinese training is just like most other physical training a lot of hard work. The only difference is chinese focus in on breathing exercises to help build power in addition to weights and impact training. Form training alone won't cut it, your teacher must focus on sparring if you want to be able to protect yourself in a real fight. I can't say too many good things about these arts' modern wushu cousins. You'll need to know if the school is teaching arts that had been "modernized". The "modernize" wushu had the fighting applications taken out. It focus on grace and athleticism. If that's what you want, then that's okay. If you learn "modern wushu," it will be hard for you to add fighting application back in if you are a novice. Plus, it means you'll be doing more work. Although it is always good for you to think about whether the techniques are effective and if you can get it to work for YOU!!!

good luck

wm