Bagua/Pakua Training methods

[godzillakungfu]

Hello everyone,

I'm curious has anyone heard of the Hung Fist Iron rings being used for specific Bagua training. I know they are weighted and can be used with any training. Yet, I'm wondering if anyone has heard of them being associated with historical Bagua?

[Ray Pina]

"Historical" Ba Gua could bring up alot of things depending on who's searching the archives, what archives, etc. I've seen Mr. Painter walking the circle with weights and I guess you could but to me, that's missing the main point of Ba Gua .... sort of like investing in a good printer when you have a crappy computer that doesn't have enough memory to even host the pictures to want to print.

To me, the great thing about Ba Gua, what makes it unique, what it adds to martial arts development, is two fold:

1) Twisting and coiling: How to coil and uncoil the limbs for additional torque power. Traditional karate's reverse punch uses similiar technology, same as the shooto. But Ba Gua has devloped this to a different level, allowing for multiple shots without withdrawing the hand. It's very powerful and also allows one to take a shot, making the arm somewhat like a cable, everything wrapped up and over lapped.

2) Walking methods: From utilizing the coiling of the hip for additional power to how to load and get a pushing angle from a front leg.

To me, that is the core value. To walk in a circle with heavy object will build strenght. So will chin ups. But I'd look for what's unique to Ba Gua to really get something out of it. Just like Hsing-I has something to offer, Taiji too.

[RAF]

Yes, I use them in for a particular version of our 8 mother palm while walking the circle and for stationary arm/palm coiling/wrapping/palm striking exercise.

[godzillakungfu]

Yes, that makes sense.

Is it something you do on your own or was a practice that it is part of the curriculum.

I didn't want to jade any answers but, the reason I'm asking, is it suddenly beacme part of the curriculum. Not as a strenth building, balance, training issue but, as a "the old masters.........".

[RAF]

Ita always been a part of the curriculum but we really haven't taught bagua publicly until very recently and its not a centerpiece of our public domain. The trick is that you must not start with heavy rings or your defeat the purpose of the training.