What forms are in your Shaolin regimen now?

[GeneChing]

Here are the Shaolin forms that I am currently practicing on a regular basis (at least once a week, hopefully more). Since this is the Shaolin forum, I'm restricting my list to Shaolin forms. Currently I'm only doing Songshan Shaolin forms.

baduanjin
xiaohongquan
dahongquan
qixingquan
changhu xinyimen
taizu changquan
tongbi luohan
qixing tanglang
qiang (Taguo version)
dao (Taguo version)

I've shown you mine. Let me see yours. ;)

[B-Rad]

I started practicing a mizong quan form I learned several years ago. I don't know how it is Shaolin related (if at all) but a Taiwanese teacher used to refer to it as Shaolin when seeing us practice. I'm not sure what it's called, but it looks very similiar to some versions of the praying mantis form "xiao hu yan".

[Shaolin]

The curriculum I teach from white to black is:


Level 1
Wu Bu Quan - five step (Shifu Yan Ming version)
Xiao Lohan Quan - small arhat

Level 2
Xiao Hong Quan - small frame
Da Hong Quan - large frame
Chang Quan - long fist
Ba Duan Jin - 8 section brocade

Level 3
Xiao Pao Quan - small cannon
Da Pao Quan - big cannon
Wu Xing Ba Fa - 5 animal, 8 method
Yi Jin Jing - muscle/tendon changes
Qi Xing Quan - seven star

[Sal Canzonieri]

Right now I teach and practice mostly these Shaolin sets:

Ba Dun Jin
Liu He Gong
Chan Yuan Gong and Chan Yuan Quan
Luohan 13 Gong and Luohan 13 Quan
Wubu Quan
Xiao Lian Huan Quan
Dan Shi
Jingang Bashi
Wuxing LianHuan Quan
Taizu Chang Quan 32 postures
Xiao Hong Quan (Lao and standard versions)
Xiao Hong quan Er Lu
Da Hong Quan yi Lu
Lao Hong Quan 1-4 Lu
Luohan 18 Shou 1-8 Lu
Rou Quan Yi Lu
Ru Quan Er Lu
Rou Quan 108 postures
Ru Xing Chui
Yuan Hou Quan (monkey ape)
Parts of Xin Yi Ba

[Eugene]

I practice daily from 11:00 to 13:00 outside :

little jogging
Stretching
Baduanjin with abdominal breathing
10 Stance Training ( to to hold the positions each time a bit longer )
Wu Bu Quan

Xiao Hong Quan and Mei Hua Quan,

Peace out Eugene :)

[Lucas]

i only practice xiaohongquan and dahongquan anymore for empty hand sets, ive pretty much stopped all my other form practice, but i just love these 2 for some reason... my dahongquan is kind of personal though. i was taught a couple different versions, which i used to practice seperately, a couple of years ago i combined them and only practice that version now.

im weird i know

[Sal Canzonieri]

i only practice xiaohongquan and dahongquan anymore for empty hand sets, ive pretty much stopped all my other form practice, but i just love these 2 for some reason... my dahongquan is kind of personal though. i was taught a couple different versions, which i used to practice seperately, a couple of years ago i combined them and only practice that version now.

im weird i know

No, every monk who learned these routines throughout history did the exact same thing.

That's what keeps them alive and not static zombie "monkey see, monkey do" KF.

[GeneChing]

I've always loved xiaohong and dahong. Like you, I was taught a few different versions. With dahong, I'm currently doing the version that my Shifu Yan Fei propounds, since I'm training under him. His is closer to the Taguo version, abbreviated from the version I learned from Shi Decheng. I'm a little concerned about the next time I see Decheng, since it will be hard to revert, however, I think he'll understand. He's pretty laid back that way. My xiaohong stays true to his version. I've never learned Yan Fei's xiaohong. I've only picked up a few things from Shi Guolin, Shi Xinghao and Shi Sugang (and those versions are pretty similar).

[Lucas]

my xiaohong ive kept almost the same way that my sifu taught me, ive updated a couple of things based on what ive seen other people do (shaolin vids ive bought), very minor changes though that doesnt really effect the form. however i do have a septerate version of it that ive developed for myself. lol i call it my 'street' version (for lack of a better name). everything is still in there, but ive just raised up the stances and closed up my guard, and switched a lot to fists(personally im more comfortable using fists then palms in sparring/fightin). its a TON of fun to mess around with.

its just for me

i see it as a different thing than the traditional xiaohong set that i do.

lol you'll get a kick out of this, ive been working on developing a nunchaku set, (again just for myself and because its fun) based around these two sets as well as traditional japanese nunchaku methods and techniques. this is for just a single set of nunchaku so there is still empty hand work in it. its not flashy at all. mainly a colleciton of nunchaku techniques im good at, but i needed a way to put it together in a sequence i can maintain, so i chose to use those two sets to draw from

all this stuff is just me having fun with my kungfu though. :D

[sha0lin1]

O.K. here are some of mine.

Wu Bu Quan
Lian Huan Quan
Xiao Hong Quan 24 & 54
Tong Bi Quan
Da Hong Quan
Chao Yang Quan
Ba Duan Jin
Liu He Quan
Lo Han Quan
Hu Quan Yi Liu & Er Liu
Qi Xing Quan
Gong Fu Quan
Tai Tzu Chang Quan
Shaolin Tai Chi

I practice these most often cause they are in our curriculum up to level 5

[Sal Canzonieri]

my xiaohong ive kept almost the same way that my sifu taught me, ive updated a couple of things based on what ive seen other people do (shaolin vids ive bought), very minor changes though that doesnt really effect the form. however i do have a septerate version of it that ive developed for myself. lol i call it my 'street' version (for lack of a better name). everything is still in there, but ive just raised up the stances and closed up my guard, and switched a lot to fists(personally im more comfortable using fists then palms in sparring/fightin). its a TON of fun to mess around with.

its just for me

i see it as a different thing than the traditional xiaohong set that i do.

lol you'll get a kick out of this, ive been working on developing a nunchaku set, (again just for myself and because its fun) based around these two sets as well as traditional japanese nunchaku methods and techniques. this is for just a single set of nunchaku so there is still empty hand work in it. its not flashy at all. mainly a colleciton of nunchaku techniques im good at, but i needed a way to put it together in a sequence i can maintain, so i chose to use those two sets to draw from

all this stuff is just me having fun with my kungfu though. :D

A really good workout is to do all your Shaolin forms with a staff (but don't change any of the movements), and then do them with a spear, and then double knives (dao) and then double sword (jian).
You will vastly improve your martial art skills and your understanding of why the postures and movements are done that way in the particular form you are working on.

[Chines]

Hi shaolin, is this xiao bao quan you train from the gong li quan style?

Do you know any videos of xiao bao quan?

Tks

[wenshu]

in no particular order;

Da Tong Bei
Xiao Hong Quan
Da Hong Quan Yi Lu
Chang Hu Xin Yi Men (Yi Lu with the ending from San Lu tacked on for performance purposes)
Damo Jian
Ba Duan Jin
Qi Xing Tang Lang

Currently learning Qi Xing Quan (man that Qi Xing Bu is rough on the right quadriceps)

Two staff styles: Xiao Hou Gun (I have also seen it called Shaolin Short Stick; the staff should only come to the armpit of the practitioner and is held almost like a sword, three palm lengths from the bottom. Wonder if anyone else is familiar with this?)

Another that elsewhere is usually called "Yin Shou Gun" but as I understand it yin shou gun is the name of a class of staff forms derived from the hand positions used to grip the weapon and not necessarily the name of the form itself. I have been told that this form is actually a modern amalgamation of methods used as an introduction into staff and spear and is not a traditional form.

Lately I've been focusing on Da Hong (this version:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1h8pyH7Q3Y)
and the staff methods about 5 days a week. But I try and practice each of the above mentioned forms at least once a week.

[Lucas]

A really good workout is to do all your Shaolin forms with a staff (but don't change any of the movements), and then do them with a spear, and then double knives (dao) and then double sword (jian).
You will vastly improve your martial art skills and your understanding of why the postures and movements are done that way in the particular form you are working on.

im going to start that tonight. :D thanks

[xcakid]

Since I teach, I pretty much touch on everyone one of these forms at least once a week.

Lien Huan
Lohan Shi Ba Shou
Lien Bu Quan
Gung Li Quan
San Tien Quan
Jing Long Quan
Hong Quan
Ba Duan Jin (I just learned it)
Chao Yang Quan (This is actually not in my current kwoons curriculum, but I use it for competitions, so I practice it every once in a while)
Wu Bu Quan (Also not in our curriculum but I like the form so I practice it every once in a while as well)
And of course the 4 Primary weapons. Long Fist - Spear/Staff/Broadsword/Straight Sword

Also currently learning a Southern panther form. Just throwing that one in there.

I do have a couple of forms from the past that I would love to re-learn.
Xiao Hu Yan and Xiao Hong Quan. I remember bits and pieces only.

[uki]

A really good workout is to do all your Shaolin forms with a staff (but don't change any of the movements), and then do them with a spear, and then double knives (dao) and then double sword (jian).
You will vastly improve your martial art skills and your understanding of why the postures and movements are done that way in the particular form you are working on.my order of learning was broadsword, jian, double broadsword/jian, staff, juggle club, barstool, iron balls, hula hoops, pitch forks, spade shovels, block hammers, sledge hammers, double sledge hammers, cinder blocks, fha's, wheelbarrows, 5 gallon buckets, kitchen knives, cutting boards, skateboards, gravel rakes, trowels, garbage cans, belts, tire irons, car jacks, crowbars, pens, pencils, saftey pins, seashells, credit cards, claw hammers, chainsaws, brooms, mops, deckbrushes, cd cases, ironing boards, extension cords, beach balls, tote bags, dumbells, stucco stones, joint strikers, shopping carts, canned soup, shotguns, glass bongs, bamboo foot bongs, boat oars, fishing poles, teacups, plungers, and silverware... LOL

[Lucas]

i did that last night with my staff, it was a lot of fun. tonight, to try it out, im going to do double broadswords....well a broadsword and a machete...lol

[David Jamieson]

I have sets that will not accommodate weapons use within them without a lot of modification to the set which would kind of ...well, wreck it. lol

[Lucas]

I have sets that will not accommodate weapons use within them without a lot of modification to the set which would kind of ...well, wreck it. lol

i could see that happening. i did xiaohong with a staff, and it was suprisingly straight forward. only had to slightly tweek a few spots to have it make sense from an application stand point with a staff in my hands. really though i just used a half staff. like a jo staff because i was doing it in my living room...

i wonder how this would go with a two handed sword

[Shaolin]

Hi shaolin, is this xiao bao quan you train from the gong li quan style?

Do you know any videos of xiao bao quan?

Tks

Xiao Bao Quan? Either my chinese really stinks (which it does) or I don't know that set. Do you mean Xiao Pao Quan/Small Cannon? To answer your question I do not train in the Gong Li "style".

[uki]

gong li is the second form after tan tui in my old school...

[David Jamieson]

i could see that happening. i did xiaohong with a staff, and it was suprisingly straight forward. only had to slightly tweek a few spots to have it make sense from an application stand point with a staff in my hands. really though i just used a half staff. like a jo staff because i was doing it in my living room...

i wonder how this would go with a two handed sword

Sets that are hard qigongs don't accomadate weapons to well.

"fighting" sets (sets that contain just stringed together combos) can be adapted for it though with a tweak here and there.

[kfson]

Yi Jin Jing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV1cEXHROSs

[Chines]

Ups... sorry, my bad, read it wrong...

Is this the xiao pao quan you practice?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmn5x3fYVuo

I know gong li quan is teached as a single form in the chin woo curriculum
But what about the style?

[Shaolin]

Yes & no. I don't practice it exactly the way De Yang does. If I recall he teaches it in two routines where I teach one longer routine.

Personally I don't know much about the Gong Li style of boxing. Check the archives, ask Gene Ching or Sal Canzonieri (those two are a bottomless pit of knowledge), look into Chin Woo Athletic Association and Master Hua Yuanjia. It might lead you to some answers.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Ups... sorry, my bad, read it wrong...

Is this the xiao pao quan you practice?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmn5x3fYVuo

I know gong li quan is teached as a single form in the chin woo curriculum
But what about the style?

The Gong Li Quan set is not related to the style called Gong Li.
Gong Li from Chin Woo Association is a training routine, to teach you to develop strength.

The Gong Li style is from Northwest China and I really doubt you are going to find a master of this in the US, as far as I know, they are only in China.
If you are a newbie, I wouldn't worry about the Gong Li style, it is very advanced and difficult to master. There are enough things to learn before you need to go that far, if at all.

[GeneChing]

All I know about gong li is what I've gleaned from Dr. Yang Jwing Ming's work.

There. You've seen my bottom. Happy now?

May all beings be happy.

bottomless pit of knowledge indeed. :p

[David Jamieson]

Gong Li is also a hot actress wimminses from the chinas!

see here

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-05/23/xin_48050323091817906231.jpg

[Chines]

No no, I am only researching about stuff, I have enough trouble practicing one style, i wouldnt have the energy practicing another:P

LOL, thats one hot chick...

[David Jamieson]

No no, I am only researching about stuff, I have enough trouble practicing one style, i wouldnt have the energy practicing another:P

LOL, thats one hot chick...

why not? as long as they compliment.

I learned a southern and northern style together in the same timeline.

Now I learn 2 more southern styles + more modern stuff and practice in the same timeline!

Maybe I have an abundance of perspicacity? :p

[uki]

Maybe I have an abundance of perspicacity?most dragons do. :)

[Chines]

lol:P

Well, it is just that I prefer to go deeper into one style instead of having many at the same time.
As i said, if i cant get one done right i will not bother searching for something else

[GeneChing]

We've picked up another Shaolin monk at O-Mei Kung Fu Academy (http://www.usaomei.com/). Joining Yan Fei is Yantuo. Yantuo is more into conditioning, so we've been doing more push ups, sit ups, medicine ball work, that sort of stuff. That's been reducing my form rotation, which isn't quite as much fun, but better for me in the long run. We haven't been working lohan much lately. I still do baduanjin and xiaohong on my own. We've also swapped out the weapons forms. Both the sisanqiang and meihuadao are quite different than the versions I initially learned from Decheng in the late '90s, but that's just as well as I forgot those.

baduanjin
xiaohongquan
dahongquan
qixingquan
changhu xinyimen
taizu changquan
qixing tanglang
yinshougun
sisanqiang
meihuadao

Yanchen was by last night for a visit from Chicago. He came over for the 2009 Shaolin Temple Day (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53389). He was just visiting his kung fu brothers. I joked with Yantuo that I could barely take training under two monks. A third one would kill me.

[Royal Dragon]

I generally do

1. Wu Bu Quan - although it's various sub sections of Cha Fist number 5 done in a different order and not actually a Shaolin set.

2. 32 posture Tai Tzu Chang Chuan.

3. Lao Hong quan 4 roads.

4. A very short Hou Quan related to Lao Hong Quan.

I am also playing with Guandong's form as well. Not deeply mind you, just roughing out the basic pattern for now.

[monkeyfoot]

I'm going to be heading to Shaolin U.K soon, though im kinda worried that they only teach Wu Bu Quan and Xiao Hong Quan.

Gene, when you mentioned Qixing TangLang as a form, were you referring to this form?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH6QW6bDLzM&feature=fvsr

[GeneChing]

That form begins similarly to our qixing tanglang and echoes it until a few moves after the first turn, but it's very very different from the version we do. That's par for the course - there's a lot of variation.

My master Shi Decheng's qixing tanglang is in our current issue (2010 July/August) (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=902) - see Shaolin Seven Praying Mantis By Scott Jeffrey. I never learned that form from him. I practice a version I learned from Yan Fei. Yan Fei was from Shandong originally, so he has some root mantis in him, plus he's really long and tall, like so many Shandongers. Our new addition, Yantuo, does a qixing tanglang too. I've seen little bits of it as we use a lot of those lines for our jibengong practice, and his is quite different too. Nevertheless, you can see the root is the same. Unlike some of the more core forms of Songshan Shaolin, qixing tanglang seems to have more variation than the others. They all have variation.

I'm told we're keeping Yanchen on our staff at O-Mei Kung Fu (http://www.usaomei.com/). Three monks, baby, THREE! Plus they're all traditionalists. I saw his guai form last night and I'm thinking I should dust off my old tamo zhang and learn his version. Shaolin life is very good at O-Mei now. :cool:

[monkeyfoot]

Thanks for the info Gene.

I'm a Qixing TangLang player, so when I saw the Shaolin U.K guys doing a form called Qixing TangLang, I thought 'is this a form from the 7 star mantis style, or is it a shaolin thing', as I've never heard of a form within the 7 star mantis curriculum thats actually called 7 star mantis...

I'm a bit lost with history of it, does the current issue explain this?


C

[wenshu]

'is this a form from the 7 star mantis style, or is it a shaolin thing', as I've never heard of a form within the 7 star mantis curriculum thats actually called 7 star mantis...

It is the Shaolin variant of Beng Bu.

[GeneChing]

Shaolin's relationship with mantis in recent years may well have come out of the 1982 movie Shaolin Temple (http://www.martialartsmart.com/dvd-40021.html). Yu Hai, who played the big monk, was from Shandong and brought a lot of mantis forms with him. That might not be the exact origin of qixing tanglang at Shaolin, but it's certainly possible. Read our 2007 January/February (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=687) cover story The Big Monk of Shaolin Temple: Mantis Grandmaster Yu Hai (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=688).

[wenshu]

Yu Hai, who played the big monk, was from Shandong and brought a lot of mantis forms with him. That might not be the exact origin of qixing tanglang at Shaolin, but it's certainly possible.

Yu Hai is pretty 厉害。
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVuiTzJDENs

In the above clip it looks like it might in fact be Beng Bu he is demonstrating. The sequence from 0:19 to 0:21 is distinctly similar to the version we practice.

Our version doesn't utilize the Tang Lang Gou nearly as much as many expect (atleast compared to the wushu biaoyan wuseng mantis stylings).

Would Yu Hai account for the practice of Mei Hua Tang Lang? That seems to be the next step in the Songshan mantis curriculum.

[GeneChing]

That's the form that is discussed in my cover story above. It's a fusion form, something Yu Hai created. Although he says in the article "The form is not Seven Star or Plum Flower", you can see influences. After all, that was his foundation. That form is showcased in the Shaolin Temple films. Yu Hai was there in the early '80s filming that trilogy. He left the form there and it spread. In the mid '90s, it was still popular, but qixing tanglang was on the rise then too. I'm not clear on the exact origin of qixing tanglang, but I'm willing to bet that it was laterally influenced by Yu Hai's presence, along with so many Shandong people that came to Shaolin. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have like 40 Shaolin wuseng, and several of them are from Shandong, including my current coach Yan Fei. He's taught that Yu Hai form to some students. He's also the one that taught me the present version of qixing tanglang that I'm practicing. Yantou has a different take on it and I'm trying to pick up his variations.

Many, many years ago, I tried to learn the Yu Hai form a BWT member in a few hours once. It was a silly seminar because the coach (wish I could remember her name) was a wushu superstar and we were all traditional practitioners. Ultimately, it was just a really good workout, as there was nothing I could retain. I learned a bengbu from Wing Lam, who had it as a loose set. Then I learned another version in Jinan.

I have a lot of respect for Yu Hai. I was a little starstruck when I interviewed him, which seldom happens to me. He was so charismatic and open, very charming and friendly. And he still had the juice. I could have talked to him for days.

One of my dearly departed kung fu brothers, Eric Ishii, was a mantis guy (we weren't kung fu brothers under the same master; we were kung fu brothers because we went to China together and stayed good friends). He claimed he had like 50 different versions of bengbu. He was really into that form.

[wenshu]

Thanks for the info Gene. I've admired Yu Hai since I first saw Shaolin Temple. I've always felt that his was the best performance from the scene where Jet sneaks a glimpse of the wuseng practicing.

There is a lot of good stuff in that article.

I especially like the comment from his instructor "if others can be heroes in the sky why can't you be a good man on the ground?".

Furthermore the stuff about 精气神; I think it is one of the main indicators of real Gong Fu. It is something that radiates from true masters when they are practicing that is unmistakable and inimitable.

While anathema to some vocal proponents of the traditional arts, Shaolin not only encourages cross training in various disciplines, it is built upon it. The synthesis of Shaolin Gong Fu was partly a process integration of seemingly disparate disciplines.

Within our temple we have four monks. So we have four different ways to do each form as they all had different masters with Shaolin. I have to alter my practice a little bit depending on who I am demonstrating for each time. When I practice for myself, I'll use whichever method I prefer sometimes mixing these slight variations.

[ShaolinDan]

"Shaolin" is a pretty broad term in modern KF. Just curious what my Shaolin brothers and sisters are training.

My school is "Shaolin," but it's not a strictly 'traditional' program. We train a mix of traditional and modern wushu shaolin/longfist, as well as some san da/shuai jiao and a fair amount of Eagle Claw (traditional version).

I know there are some other 'Shaolin' schools like us, and I know a little bit about the bak si lum curriculum, but that's all really.

What does your Shaolin curriculum entail?

[ShaolinDan]

Oh, my bad. Thanks for the relocation.
I was curious about training outside of forms as well (conditioning, drills, etc.), but this is a great start anyway.
Seems your Shaolin curriculums are more Shaolin than mine. :D Nice to see there's a common knowledge base out there.

[GeneChing]

I try to keep things neat and tidy here, as much as possible for a forum, so I'll merge when I can. So what forms are you working?

As for my training, sadly, Yanchen returned to Shaolin, so now I'm down to only two wuseng, Yantuo and Yanfei. I was just starting to get into Yanchen's vibe too. He had these really subtle applications, really obscure stuff that I couldn't see until shown (and I've got a decent eye for such things). Yantuo has been working us more with medicine ball conditioning drills and preparations for qimeigun. I'm looking forward to that as I've never studied qimeigun. Otherwise, my regimen is pretty much the same, save for the addition of tongbi luohan, and some preliminary meihuazhang drills on weight plates.

[ShaolinDan]

Well, right now I'm working mostly on an Eagle Claw form and the Chen Taiji 18 movement form, but the first few forms we learn at my school are (please forgive my bad spelling):

Basic Stance Form (don't know what to call it to tell you which one...pretty common though, old form with a few more modern additions on the end)
Yi Lu chuan
Shaolin babu luan han chuan
A version of Lohan 18? maybe? That I've never found anywhere on youtube.
plum flower (I think the BSL version?)
San tzu

[ShaolinDan]

Just checked out the luohan quan thread. Looks like the unidentified form is a version of this one

Luohan Shi Ba Shou (originally from Shandong Hua Quan style before entering Shaolin):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raSvF3CiLx4 Posted by Sal Canzonieri

Thanks guys, great stuff!

[SanHeChuan]

Wu Bu Quan
Chang Chuan Yi Duan
Chang Chuan Er Duan
Chang Chuan San Duan
Chang Chuan Tan Tui
20 Methods of Attach and defense
Ru Ma
Staff
Tiger-Tail Broadsword
Striaght sword
Spear

Lien Bu
Gong Li
Tou Zhan

Chin Woo Tan Tui

I need to practice more. :o

[wenshu]

Da Tong Bei
Xiao Hong Quan
Da Hong Quan Yi Lu
Chang Hu Xin Yi Men (Yi Lu with the ending from San Lu tacked on for performance purposes)
Damo Jian
Ba Duan Jin
Qi Xing Tang Lang
Xiao Huo Gun
Yin Shou Gun
Qi Xing Quan


Thought I would update this.

Have since added
Ba Bu Lian Huan Quan
Rou Quan Yi Lu
Shi San Qiang
Xiao LuoHan Quan

Currently learning traditional Guan Dao
Hope to start Qi Mei Gun soon.

Some have been seriously neglected; Da Tong Bei, Damo Jian.

I 打坐 regularly however my nei gong practice is lacking. Shall be rectified directly.

[Badbuddha]

1-6 kata
1-5 pinan
stature of the crane (shaolin)
2 man fist set
hansuki
swift tiger
circle of the tiger
shaolin nengle north (northern province)
shaolin nengle south (southern province)

[bawang]

heian shodan.

[Lucas]

shotokan shaolin karate-do?

[bawang]

i also play the beast form and wubuquan once a month when the moon is aligned.

[Lucas]

Like altered beast?!?!?!

[ShaolinDan]

And I was worried about having all that modern longfist in my curriculum. :)
Thanks for that BB. (I studied some Villari's Shaolin Kempo Karate long long ago in a galaxy far far way once upon a time :) ). Very convenient, same forms as the karate and tkd schools...(at least for kid beginners)

Speaking of modern forms, right now I'm learning the Nan Quan compulsory. :) I like it, actually, it feels more natural to me than a lot of what I've learned (I think it's the lack of pubu).

[GeneChing]

Sadly, Yantuo left our school (http://www.usaomei.com/). He's now with Shaolin Shaolin Martial Arts (http://www.shaolinshaolin.org/One/Welcome.html) with Yanqiang and Yankuan. Yan Fei is back leading our class.

I'm still doing baduanjin daily. At practice, I'm doing xiaohongquan, dahongquan, qixingquan and taizu changquan fairly regularly. Sometimes I'll still do changhu xinyimen, qixing tanglang, yinshougun, sisanqiang and meihuadao. I've recently learned qimeigun and damo meihua guai. I may let qimeigun go. I'm trying to focus upon damo meihua guai for reasons that will soon become apparent.

[B.Tunks]

Shi Dejun (tudi of Suxi) teaches authentic Shandong Qixing Tanglang. This Tanglang was brought to Shaolin Si in the early 80's by Li Zhanyuan, with whom he studied. Li was Suxi's brother and he was a chief coach of the Shaolin Wuguan, Vice Chairman of the Shaolin Temple Association and Consultant Research Association of Shaolin Temple Boxing. He was one of many consultants (mainly folk masters) brought in around that time to help rebuild the curriculum.

Unfortunately, apart from a few monks from the current generation such as Dejun, it has largely been replaced by the Shaolin interpretation of Yu Hai's sport version and the Shaolin version of the standard Yantai Beng Bu. Dejun's version also has a heavy Shaolin flavour, though this was encouraged by Li Zhanyuan.

BT

[RenDaHai]

@ Tunks

Its true that the vast majority of mantis in the schools is a cheap version of Yu Hais form (which is actually a great form, as Yuhai genuinly knows a lot of mantis).

But even Dejuns Mantis forms (and I'm not knocking him) are not strictly shaolin. Shaolin did absorb 2 simple Mantis forms around the time the style was created. These are harder to find and have diverged a lot between the different sects. They are very strange and less characteristically mantis than Dejuns forms. And they favour various types of claw technique above the mantis hand, ranging from drunken like fist to a kind of eagle claw, with the mantis hand appearing very rarely.

Shaolin is not the place to learn mantis, its the place to learn shaolin. And so if your going to learn mantis at shaolin you should go for shaolins traditional mantis. Its still shaolin, just borrows some concepts from mantis.

[GeneChing]

He's from Shandong originally, so he has the Yu Hai form, which he teaches to the wushu kids if they are interested, as well as the Songshan qixing mantis form, which is a regular part of our Shaolin regimen. Yan Fei's Shaolin has a heavy Shandong influence, which fits his body frame. He has that classic long and tall Shandong physique, perfect for mantis.

When I was younger, I regretted not pursuing mantis more seriously. I went to Shandong and learned a beng bu, and Wing Lam had three mantis sets, which he just kept for fun. I learned two of them and the style fit me well, back when I had much faster hands. Beyond that and Shaolin qixing mantis, I never studied it. That being said, if you're just going to study mantis, a master that just focuses on mantis is surely best. But if your going to study Shaolin, you'll get a little taste of everything.

[GeneChing]

I just noticed that it's Ericsepishii's b-day today. That's the kung fu brother I mentioned earlier on this thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1029235#post1029235). Sep was short for seppuku. Eric lurked here - never posted. He passed away a decade ago. It's strangely comforting to know that our forum will observe his b-day every year...

[sha0lin1]

He's from Shandong originally, so he has the Yu Hai form, which he teaches to the wushu kids if they are interested, as well as the Songshan qixing mantis form, which is a regular part of our Shaolin regimen. Yan Fei's Shaolin has a heavy Shandong influence, which fits his body frame. He has that classic long and tall Shandong physique, perfect for mantis.

When I was younger, I regretted not pursuing mantis more seriously. I went to Shandong and learned a beng bu, and Wing Lam had three mantis sets, which he just kept for fun. I learned two of them and the style fit me well, back when I had much faster hands. Beyond that and Shaolin qixing mantis, I never studied it. That being said, if you're just going to study mantis, a master that just focuses on mantis is surely best. But if your going to study Shaolin, you'll get a little taste of everything.

I just finished Shaolin Tie Bi Tang Lang

[B.Tunks]

RDH,

> Its true that the vast majority of mantis in the schools is a cheap version of Yu Hais form (which is actually a great form, as Yuhai genuinly knows a lot of mantis).

Yes, you can see some of his real Tanglang briefly in the courtyard training scene where Li Lianjie peaks over the wall in the original Shaolin Si. Of course he finishes it off with a bit of his characteristic mantis shaking.

> But even Dejuns Mantis forms (and I'm not knocking him) are not strictly shaolin.

Yes, his Tanglang forms are definitely born in Qingdao.

> Shaolin did absorb 2 simple Mantis forms around the time the style was created.

It's debatable though. Most likely Tanglang is an indigenous Shandong system, born out of Luohan, Taizu Quan, Tongbei that later retrospectively attributed it's founding to Shaolin.

> These are harder to find and have diverged a lot between the different sects. They are very strange and less characteristically mantis than Dejuns forms. And they favour various types of claw technique above the mantis hand, ranging from drunken like fist to a kind of eagle claw, with the mantis hand appearing very rarely.

Classic TLQ doesn't use the hook much at all and also uses raking claws etc, as mentioned above. A hint on the dodginess of TLQ is the amount of hooks used, and also the applications of these hooks. Majority of finger poke applications are bogus. They are there but they are used in the standard 'point the way' or 'twin dragons searching for pearls' straight fwd finger thrust type usage or the fanning, swiping cut across the eyes. The gou shou in Tanglang is a deflect and grab and only in rare instances is it for fingering the eyes, usually then only to the rear or side. And as far as using the finger tips in gou shou to strike pressure points, pretty much non-existant in authentic Tanglang. Actually if you look at Dejun's forms there is not too much hooking at all, and in some taolu such as Cha Chui, pretty much none. Where it does appear its in it's classical usage - shuang feng shou and as the destabilising hand in hook sweep/kicks.

> Shaolin is not the place to learn mantis, its the place to learn shaolin.

I agree. However for me, Dejun is an interesting missing link in my own family because he's a snapshot of a time when TLQ was making an apparent reconnection with Shaolin (even if they were only ever connected by lore). Also, Li Zhanyuan taught slightly different material in Henan then in Qingdao so its an interesting variant. I think Dejun teaches in Anhui these days anyway so even less reason for one to search it out there. I went to Shaolin in 93 looking for roots and found only a couple of monks who knew elements of Shandong Tanglang and the rest only knew Yu Hai's version or the strange snake tongue fingered shaolin version of it with the stances that were almost splits.

>And so if your going to learn mantis at shaolin you should go for shaolins traditional mantis. Its still shaolin, just borrows some concepts from mantis.

I would say if you're looking for TLQ don't go to Shaolin at all. There's already enough valuable stuff to learn in Shaolin curriculum without bothering with their newer creations or imported material. But yes, if you want to learn Shaolin's TLQ, learn the one that at least resembles classical Shandong mantis boxing.

Cheers,

BT

[GeneChing]

If you go to Shaolin and are doing serious research, you hunt down the master, not the style. A lot of great masters pass through Shaolin, leaving bits of their legacy. I'm impressed that B.Tunks found a link to his lineage through Dejun.

To disregard Shaolin for the 30,000 modern wushu players is folly. There's still 10,000 traditionalists. ;)

[B.Tunks]

Good point. Unfortunately most people in the West dismiss Shaolin largely as a joke. Of course there is some truth in this perception but the remaining gems (of which there are many) are overlooked. A lot of time and money has been spent on a physical facelift for the temple and surrounds in the last 10 years or so. Something of a martial facelift may now be due.

[ShaolinDan]

TTT

Been working for a few months mostly on the Eagle Claw version of babu luan han chuan...wish I could find a vid of it I like. It's the same form as the Shaolin version, but re-worked into an Eagle claw form (with heavy Shaolin flavor). Have found it very interesting to compare the two forms move by move.

[Fa Xing]

If I practice any forms these days, it's Xiaohongquan. When I was a teen I used to love doing:

Wubuquan
Lohanshibashou
Lianquan (i think)
Xiaohongquan
dahongquan
Tongbiquan
Damojian
dao
jiang
staff

I mostly learned from the Taguo books, and Shi Decheng's 3 VHS set that I got from Wing Lam in the 90's. That VHS is priceless to me, unfortunately I no longer have a VHS player. I was thinking about getting them transferred to digital.

[lee jiaolian]

Lian Huan Quan
Wu Shing Ba Fa
Lohan Qi Basho
Shao Pao Quan
Shao Hung Quan
Ton Bei
Qi Qing Quan
Shao Lohan
Chao Yun Quan

Da Mo Cane
Ying Shao Gun
as well as a monk spade and broadsword form and a few other staff forms im not sure if they are shaolin or not; plum flower, wind & fire etc.

[rett]

Here's my list. Not so long, but more than plenty to keep me busy :)

Wugulun Pai style:

Pan Gen I, II

Ba Duan Jin

Xiao Hong Quan

Long Xing Qigong I

Qi Mei Gun

[LFJ]

Yes & no. I don't practice it exactly the way De Yang does. If I recall he teaches it in two routines where I teach one longer routine.

If you're talking about what he calls Dapaoquan, the longer one, no... it's taught and trained as one long set.

It's split up into two roads on his instructional DVDs, but don't pay attention to them. Most of the video versions are wrong. Not his legit student versions. Basically every teacher who makes such DVDs does this.

[LFJ]

I had a cold the other night and after reading this thread, I listed all my sets out, and then decided to do them one after the other until after 2am. About 4 or 5 of them have become fuzzy in places and need more attention. But I don't have a cold anymore.

Including all bare-hand, weapon, and neigong sets, not including modern sets and only including Songshan, I know 40 some, almost 50. Some other sets from previous masters I have lost, vaguely remember but don't care to regain.

Since they are all Songshan Shaolin and share the same basics, with a lot of overlap, it's not that difficult. I also practice Hongquan, Paoquan, and Tongbiquan sets together. For example, I always do three roads of Dahongquan or Xiaotongbiquan as one set. So it's easier to retain.

Around 30 of those are bare-hand which I focus on more than weapons. Then it's almost even between weapon and neigong, weapons being a bit more, and mainly staff sets.

A couple years ago I was told to choose 1 or 2 specialty sets to train and make really good. Everyone in Shaolin must do this at some point. Think:

Taizu Changquan = Liang Yiquan
Qixingquan/Changhuxinyimenquan = Liu Baoshan
Dahongquan = Shi Deyang

The main one I've been working on is Xiaoluohanquan which best fits my stature.

[sha0lin1]

I have gone back to practicing Tan Tui. Which I had not done in quite some time.

[pazman]

It's been a while since I've participated in a thread like this. After reading LFJ's post, I decided to list all the taolu I'm acquainted with ...just over 50.:confused::eek: Too many!

Here are the one's that I practice at least a few times a week:

Pangen (everyday!)
Tongchunquan
Xiaohongquan (everyday!)
Paoquan
Yangjia Dahongquan
Baduanjin
Yijinjing
Bengbu
Baji Xiaojia
Sanzhan

The last three aren't Shaolin but I like doing them and they seem to fit. :)

[Sima Rong]

For me:
Some line exercises.
Wu Bu Quan
Lianhuan Quan
Xiao Hong Quan
Oh, and I'm about halfway through learning Yinshou Gun at the moment.

I train in all these daily, when I can.

[Shaolindynasty]

My shaolin forms have fallen out of practice since the last time I went to the temple in 2010. I just started brushing up on them last week. I've been training

Xiao Hong Quan
Da Hong Quan
Taizu Quan
Qixing Quan
Lian Huan Quan
Lian Huan Babu Quan

here is some video I shot Sunday of my forms practice this is only the second training session after a 2 year lapse so they are a little rusty

http://youtu.be/P-hDDRvZ69w

[ShaolinDan]

So, after years of studying Shaolin family gong fu but not strictly the modern curriculum of Songshan Shaolin, I'm finally studying 'proper' Songshan Shaolin at the Kunming Shaolin Temple.

My teacher there started me on Shaolin Tongbi Quan, which I guess is a typical starter form. So I think this is my first official "Songshan" form. It doesn't feel like anything new though (which is a good thing), frankly it's all the same **** I've been doing for years...so that feels good. All you guys studying 'official' Shaolin forms were making me a little self-conscious, but it's clear to me now without a doubt that I was already learning 'real' Shaolin gong fu, just with different taolu.

Anyway, cool form, and it's definitely 'scenic' to do my training in an ancient Buddhist Temple with a Shaolin monk for a teacher. :)

[Orion Paximus]

So, after years of studying Shaolin family gong fu but not strictly the modern curriculum of Songshan Shaolin, I'm finally studying 'proper' Songshan Shaolin at the Kunming Shaolin Temple.

My teacher there started me on Shaolin Tongbi Quan, which I guess is a typical starter form. So I think this is my first official "Songshan" form. It doesn't feel like anything new though (which is a good thing), frankly it's all the same **** I've been doing for years...so that feels good. All you guys studying 'official' Shaolin forms were making me a little self-conscious, but it's clear to me now without a doubt that I was already learning 'real' Shaolin gong fu, just with different taolu.

Anyway, cool form, and it's definitely 'scenic' to do my training in an ancient Buddhist Temple with a Shaolin monk for a teacher. :)

the stuff that feels the most "different" to me than anything else I had done, are the Wugulun sets. They're deceptively tiring too.

[GeneChing]

As you'll read about in my Publisher's note in our upcoming Nov+Dec 2013 issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66586), the O-Mei Kung Fu Academy (http://www.usaomei.com/wu/) where I was previously training closed. Master Tony Chen (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=453) sold the facility to Wing Martial & Cultural Arts Academy (http://www.wingeducare.com/web/index.php). My coach, Yan Fei, has decided to take a break from teaching and support his fiancee (remember, he formally disrobed a long time ago) in her bakery business Moos Cakes (https://www.facebook.com/MoosCakes?ref=br_tf). Seriously, he's a Shaolin baker now.

Wing Academy has hired on Shi Yantuo, who worked at O-Mei for a spell in 2010, but then moved on to another school. He eventually left there and has since been a freelance monk, teaching mostly privates. We've kept close over the last few years, working on some articles and even developing a DVD on Tamo Cane (http://www.martialartsmart.com/dvdk-ca117c.html). So I'm back under Yantuo, mostly taking privates because he has yet to build up much of an adult student body at this new location for him. If you're in the area, join us. The teacher/student ratio is awesome. Here's Yantuo's website: ShaolinTradition.com (http://www.shaolintradition.com/).

So now, Yantuo is starting me all over again and I'm very pleased to go back to the basics, as it's all about those basics. He is currently just working me on two forms: Xiaohongquan and Meihuadao.

In my private practice, I'm still doing Baduanjin and trying to maintain Yan Fei's Qixing Tanglang and Bajiquan. I've also been dabbling in the Simplified 24 Tai Chi since Kung Fu Tai Chi Day 2013 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1101), but I must confess that I'm not taking that very seriously right now.

[Rover]

why not? as long as they compliment.
I learned a southern and northern style together in the same timeline.
Now I learn 2 more southern styles + more modern stuff and practice in the same timeline!

Probably its not but it looked like to me as you building a skyscaper which has no rooms.
I generally do basics,i scare to learn a new technique unless i feel i rearly got former one.So its rearly hard for me to learn a new form. (I see forms as techniques.rar)

[bigopen]

Lian Huan, Xiao Hong, CHXYM, Rou Quan Yi Lu

Xiao Hong is still ugly........

[GeneChing]

Xiao Hong is still ugly........
I love XHQ. It's a brilliant form, the mother form of Songshan Shaolin. It's so dense. I first learned in it '95 and have studied it under maybe half a dozen monks by now, and continue to extract new angles and ideas from it. As Kung Fu forms go, XHQ is a masterpiece.

Or do you mean that your personal rendition of XHQ is ugly? If so, well, even after all those years and all those masters, my XHQ is ugly too. :o

[Sima Rong]

Or maybe it doesn't appeal aesthetically to you?. In comparison to all of the spectacular jumping around that wushu performers do,I guess it doesn't look so flashy. But hey, it's not about being flashy. Neither is CYXYM either.

[bigopen]

I love XHQ. It's a brilliant form, the mother form of Songshan Shaolin. It's so dense. I first learned in it '95 and have studied it under maybe half a dozen monks by now, and continue to extract new angles and ideas from it. As Kung Fu forms go, XHQ is a masterpiece.

Or do you mean that your personal rendition of XHQ is ugly? If so, well, even after all those years and all those masters, my XHQ is ugly too. :o

XHQ is lovely when it's done right, I've had it good for about two months then it got rusty again. When mine is rusty I say it's ugly. Not the form in general.

CHXYM is more my thing. But XHQ is my real struggle, because it hits you on memory, fitness, flexibility, technique, and stances - and that's why it such a good litmus test.

I love it all really.

The Guo Song Xiao Hong on youtube is sublime:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dFKKw9V5zc

[GeneChing]

Once again, I am RONIN. :(

I really enjoyed working under Shi Yantuo. He was an excellent coach. For a while, we were working xiaohong, dahong, qixing, tongbi, taizu, meihuadao, & shisanqiang. I was also keeping up Yan Fei's baji & qixing tanglong and my own baduanjin. Over the summer, I was grappling with some health issues, and Yantuo focused me on two forms only: Tamozhang (http://www.martialartsmart.com/dvd-ca117.html) and Pan Gen. But tomorrow, Yantuo leaves for San Diego, and I won't be going back to the wushuguan formerly known as O-Mei again.

Now I must find a new Shaolin coach. I know there are plenty in the Bay Area, but finding one that fits into my schedule and can work with my special needs may be challenging. Plus the majority of Shaolin disciples here are biaoyanseng, and I'm really hoping to find someone who's more chuantong. We shall see...

[Orion Paximus]

Once again, I am RONIN. :(

I really enjoyed working under Shi Yantuo. He was an excellent coach. For a while, we were working xiaohong, dahong, qixing, tongbi, taizu, meihuadao, & shisanqiang. I was also keeping up Yan Fei's baji & qixing tanglong and my own baduanjin. Over the summer, I was grappling with some health issues, and Yantuo focused me on two forms only: Tamozhang (http://www.martialartsmart.com/dvd-ca117.html) and Pan Gen. But tomorrow, Yantuo leaves for San Diego, and I won't be going back to the wushuguan formerly known as O-Mei again.

Now I must find a new Shaolin coach. I know there are plenty in the Bay Area, but finding one that fits into my schedule and can work with my special needs may be challenging. Plus the majority of Shaolin disciples here are biaoyanseng, and I'm really hoping to find someone who's more chuantong. We shall see...

Geez you're taking this "always a student" thing to end. Time to open your own school. Just think how much money you'll make! In threes years I've made about negative $6,000!

[pazman]

Over the summer, I was grappling with some health issues, and Yantuo focused me on two forms only: Tamozhang (http://www.martialartsmart.com/dvd-ca117.html) and Pan Gen.


I learned two roads of a pan gen years ago. What lineage does this form come from?

[GeneChing]

I've heard it associated with wugulun/xinyiba but to be honest, I don't know much about it beyond the form itself. Yantuo started showing it to me a few months ago, and it was the first time I was exposed to it. It's not a 'demo' set by any means. I really like it - it's got an almost Tai Chi like energy, which is something I should really cultivate in my practice now. I was hoping to get more from Yantuo on this (my usual strategy is to write an article, which forces both me and the master to really dig into researching the topic) but he was too busy with his move. Maybe some future day.

Who did you learn it from pazman and what more do you know about it? Should we start a discussion thread devoted to Pan Gen?

[pazman]

Who did you learn it from pazman and what more do you know about it? Should we start a discussion thread devoted to Pan Gen?

I'm not sure how many people know it on this forum but we can discuss it here. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68108-Pan-Gen-%26%2330424%3B%26%2326681%3B):)

[Djuan]

daily I try to do my top 5 favs at least 10 times each, and when I'm able to I do them weighted.

xiaohong
18 luohan
da luohan
qi xing
changuxinyimen

zhaoyang (recently added)

baduanjin in the morning
and Im working on yijinjing
also I try to do ji ben gong a few times a week for a an hour or so.

forms I want to get to a daily practice yet I dont now them well enough are mi zong quan, and da hong quan. surprisingly I havent had anyone to teach me these since Ive been training for 16 years. as long as Ive studied traditional songshan Shaolin hands, I have not learned da hong in its entirety yet. theres a couple other famous hands I dont know yet would like to learn, like Pao Quan for example

Amituofo

[GeneChing]

Since Shi Yantuo left for San Diego (where his school is thriving (http://www.shaolintemplesd.com/) I hear and I'm so happy for him), I've gone back to Bak Sil Lum (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19371-BSL-Lyrics-Movements-and-names) practicing at The Academy of Martial and Internal Arts (https://www.reelingsilk.com/academy/) with my Sihing, Sifu Ted Mancuso. In a strange bit of synchrony, I'm scheduled to teach Shaolin Temple jibengong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?59678-%26%2322522%3B%26%2326412%3B%26%2321151%3B-Ji-Ben-Gong) there starting tomorrow (it's prep for the potential visit of my master, Shi Decheng (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?44742-Shi-Decheng), next month - I'll let you know if that happens Djuan - you must check it out).

Anyway, my personal Shaolin Temple curriculum is paired down now as I'm rebuilding my BSL. I'm still retaining Pan Gen (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68108-Pan-Gen-%26%2330424%3B%26%2326681%3B), Xiaohongquan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36983-Songshan-Shaolin-Lyrics-Xiaohongquan), and of course, Baduanjin (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56712-Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade)). And I've added Da Luohan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1484) since last year (rebooted actually since I learned it before). Been toying with bringing back Qixing (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54037-Qixing-lyrics) or Tongbi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55525-Shaolin-Tong-Bi-Quan). We'll see. One of the AoM&IA students is learning BSL#5 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?12890-BSL-Lyrics-Shaolin-5-(Martial-Art)) and I'm enjoying refreshing that at the moment.

[Djuan]

Since Shi Yantuo left for San Diego (where his school is thriving (http://www.shaolintemplesd.com/) I hear and I'm so happy for him), I've gone back to Bak Sil Lum (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19371-BSL-Lyrics-Movements-and-names) practicing at The Academy of Martial and Internal Arts (https://www.reelingsilk.com/academy/) with my Sihing, Sifu Ted Mancuso. In a strange bit of synchrony, I'm scheduled to teach Shaolin Temple jibengong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?59678-%26%2322522%3B%26%2326412%3B%26%2321151%3B-Ji-Ben-Gong) there starting tomorrow (it's prep for the potential visit of my master, Shi Decheng (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?44742-Shi-Decheng), next month - I'll let you know if that happens Djuan - you must check it out).

Anyway, my personal Shaolin Temple curriculum is paired down now as I'm rebuilding my BSL. I'm still retaining Pan Gen (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68108-Pan-Gen-%26%2330424%3B%26%2326681%3B), Xiaohongquan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36983-Songshan-Shaolin-Lyrics-Xiaohongquan), and of course, Baduanjin (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56712-Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade)). And I've added Da Luohan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1484) since last year (rebooted actually since I learned it before). Been toying with bringing back Qixing (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54037-Qixing-lyrics) or Tongbi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55525-Shaolin-Tong-Bi-Quan). We'll see. One of the AoM&IA students is learning BSL#5 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?12890-BSL-Lyrics-Shaolin-5-(Martial-Art)) and I'm enjoying refreshing that at the moment.

sounds nice, I'va always been interested in Bak Sil Lum, in fact one of the first books I ordered from WLE , back in like 2001 or 2002 or something, was Moi Fah, the red paperback, and at that time, I dont think I had much understanding of the difference between BSL and Songshan Shaolin, and just my own guessing. Sifu Wing Lam had the beautiful stance on the cover and I judged the book by it's cover lol, it was a good investment still. The fundamentals in the book worked out well, and though I didnt master the form from that book, I did learn a lot from it. My teacher at the time was strict against books and videos with me at least, he said that stuff was for people who already mastered or at least understood the basics. So I went on with my training with him to learn all of wu bu quan (which he taught with application and I thought was such a big deal)
and xiaohong quan a year later.
Now that I've been reading your book, I'm looking back at those days and wondering about Bak Sil Lum again. It was naturally attracted on my own before, and I dont think its coincidence.
Right now, as of this moment, I'm digging vigorously into Qi Xing & Changhuxinyimen Quan more than anything else, in terms of applications.
I run through the other forms for meditation/sport when Im up to it. I really had to narrow it up to the QiXing sect of hands for in depth study though.
Jibengong I have to stay on top of as well, just because Im getting younger ;) lol....Ive been reading and hearing for a while to focus on a handful of skills and work one taolu to "make it my own" , and extract/cultivate the "Ba" and drill it, same for application/variations. and because I dont have the structure of a school to train at right now, I have to discipline myself that way, for the sake of my attention span, and follow up skill.
I'm looking forward to meeting with you , and I would love to be able to experience training with you and Sifu De Cheng. :D

Amituofo

[Songshan]

daily I try to do my top 5 favs at least 10 times each, and when I'm able to I do them weighted.

xiaohong
18 luohan
da luohan
qi xing
changuxinyimen

zhaoyang (recently added)

baduanjin in the morning
and Im working on yijinjing
also I try to do ji ben gong a few times a week for a an hour or so.

forms I want to get to a daily practice yet I dont now them well enough are mi zong quan, and da hong quan. surprisingly I havent had anyone to teach me these since Ive been training for 16 years. as long as Ive studied traditional songshan Shaolin hands, I have not learned da hong in its entirety yet. theres a couple other famous hands I dont know yet would like to learn, like Pao Quan for example

Amituofo

I tried jiu Jitsu for a year, but always found myself coming back to Shaolin. It’s what makes me feel the best and really keeps me in shape. My current regimen under a Shaolin master is this:

Xiao Hong Quan
Tong Bei Quan
Liam Huan Quan
Qi Xing Quan

I always practice Wu Bu Quan as well to keep the basics.

[Djuan]

it's been a harsh road lol and my WuGong always needs more work it seems , no matter how far I go.
anyhow, I've refined my Da Luohan, just need some more guidance on the older version.
and really looking into the applications of Xiao Hong and Da Hong, Xiao Luohan & Da Luohan, Zhao Yang Quan, Changhuxinyimen Quan, Da Tong Bei.

every day I try to practice one or two forms, several times (10 to 50 EA.) with weight added. this is helping me with cardio, like actual fight stamina and agility with the the forms. it takes a long time. Recently I have been rotating the ones listed above.
My strongest performance is with Xiao Hong, Da Luohan, .....weakest is with Xiao Luohan, and Da Hong.

Also, to keep your Shaolin up to par, as annoying as this sounds, you really should just manage a vigorous JiBenGong every day, preferably weighted if you can, and do QiGong/ deep stretching every day. I still do this daily for sure. Even if I miss forms practice, I drill JBG. My fav drills are Wu Guluns style Ma Bu/Pu Bu/Gong Bu (& twisting root)
....... also the Xiao Hong sequence "10. press hand shrink body (yāshǒu suōshēn 压手缩身)
11. upward kick, downward smash (shàngtī xiàzá 上踢下砸)" , because within it you can practice, Ding Bu, Zheng ti tui, Ma bu, Gong Bu xie xing and keep looping it. I'll find some videos to share I know there are some good examples out there.

with body condition its up to the fighter. if you are training for health, you dont really need the weights, or hard qigong, fight stamina, etc, still you will get some of the benefit naturally. if you are training to fight, then you should add weight, do more cardio, like trying to practice the forms at full speed and force as long as you can, when you get tired, add more weight.

[GeneChing]

Let's see now - for Shaolin Temple forms, here's what my regulars are now:
Baduanjin (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56712-Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade))
Pan Gen (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68108-Pan-Gen-%26%2330424%3B%26%2326681%3B)
Xiaohongquan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36983-Songshan-Shaolin-Lyrics-Xiaohongquan)
Da Luohan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1484)

My present training place, The Academy of Martial and Internal Arts (https://www.reelingsilk.com/academy/), is Bak Sil Lum so there's a group of us training those forms.
BSL Lyrics: Lin Bo Kin (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12351)
BSL Lyrics: Tom Toy (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12377)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin #4 (Strike to the heart) (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12789)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin #5 (Martial Art) (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12890)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin #6 (The short strike) (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12952)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin #7 (The plum flower) (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13025)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin #8 (Shuffling) (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13142)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin Staff (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13315)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin Broadsword (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13378)
BSL Lyrics: Lifting-up block, crossing-down block spear (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13823)
BSL Lyrics: Spring Autumn Long Handled Knife (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14055)
BSL Lyrics: Double Dagger (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13584)
BSL Lyrics: Dragon Head Crutch (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13717)

I'm also keeping my 5 Element Xingyiquan (https://www.martialartsmart.com/dvd-lh013.html) and a folk Bajiquan in rotation.

[David Jamieson]

South:
Kung Lek Kuen
Da Kuen
Gwun
Dao
Kwan Dao
Wu dip dao
Gim

+

North:
Lin Bo
Tan Tui
Dun Da
Moi Fah
Mo I
Bot Bo
Chum Sam
+

Various:
Yang TaiChi
Yang sword

Ba Duan Jin
Iron Palm
Iron Shirt
Nei Gong
Chin Na
Various Chi Kungs

Modern:
Boxing / Kick Boxing
Modern tactical
Knives / Guns

So, mostly Shaolin... lol

[Djuan]

Today's regimen was a change of pace, and good to get into a different rhythm.

In the morning, I did Big 18 Luhoan Hands and some stretching. Then later in the morning, Xiao Hong Quan only (several reps). The afternoon, just a 25 minute workout mixing Ji ben gong with qi gong, borrowing the structure from Shi Yan Lei's short sessions, for instance, doing 36 push ups, 36 gong bu xie xing, drawing bow from baduanjin, stretch, ma bu dan bian, raising heaven from baduanjin, stretch, different type of push up, 36 Zheng Ti Tui, stretch, big bear turns to side from baduanjin, repeating for as long as you wish. I like this style of training because you can use one part to charge the other, and you dont get tired. this way also forces/trains you to start working with your breath directly as you work with your highest capacity of strength speed and power output. so in a half hour you get a good dose of what you need without exhausting yourself, and this can go on for a few hours without cool down if you pace it right.

On a side note, if you plan on fighting long fights, this is the way to start measuring your breath and energy. before you can responsibly and naturally deal with your chi, you have to get a feel for measuring your breath and energy, directing it as you go. no spooky stuff, just basic, like pitching a ball (in the MLB), that simple exercise requires you to direct force in a single direction as hard as you can, with balance, and without gassing your arm out. possibly for 9 innings.

at night, I did an hour and a half of 13 Luohan Qi Gong.

for perspective, a good week of training might be mixed this way, unless you are honing in on certain Taolu (as I usually am). You can still do 3 days of this, and 4 days of pure Taolu with natural stretching/conditioning and sparring if you can. The past couple months I've been doing more stretching and qigong, with Taolu. Today was the first time I didnt do a bunch of Taolu and hard JBG in a while. and it felt good to balance myself this way.

Amituofo

[Djuan]

been going double time on Xiao Hong Quan, Da Luohan and Zhao Yang Quan.

10783

yesterday I did this ^ mixed drill session, building on the mixed drill format from Shi Yan Lei, and it took about an hour and 15 minutes to do, can bee done faster, as I stopped mid training to change a diapers/make a bottle for my son lol.
also you can subtract/add to the reps, here is listed 36 reps for most of it, that works to get you going, however if you can do more, add more. you can add weight as well.

all the drills are pretty easy to do for most, its pretty much Ji Ben Gong without the flying kicks.
if you try it, let me know how it goes, what letter you get to and how you feel. for example "started sweating and barfing at letter m" lol (dont barf!)


Amituofo!

[Djuan]

for about a year and a half I worked on Xiao Luohan mostly, along with sprinkles of those others above.
Also went back into Da Luohan Quan intensely. Yi Lu, Er Lu, as taught by Shi De Gen , Shi De Yang, Shi De Cheng etc....
observing all variations of shen fa, and there is also some variation in segments and order of certain segments. so I've been looking at
how the transitions and links can be merged in different ways with flow of shen fa.
also exploring more application of Luohan quan,

Amituofo

[Royal Dragon Pi]

I do all the forms associated with the Emperor Zhao Kuang Yin every morning before work.
Yuan Houquan
Linglong Quan
Lao Hong Quan
32 posture Tai Tzu Chang Quan (I have a bunch of versions)
Xiao Tongbi from General Han Tong

There is also the 13 spear of Zhao Kuang yin (which is different than the standard Shaolin 13 spear)

There are some Taoist sets also. These are not Shaolin, but village Long Fist from Shanxi, Saanxi and Wudang Hong Quan.

I generally wake, have some nice energizing Gunpowder tea, and start when it kicks in.

[GeneChing]

Here is my present regimen:
Baduanjin (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56712-Baduanjin-(8-section-brocade)) (daily)

The rest are weekly at least
Pan Gen (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68108-Pan-Gen-%26%2330424%3B%26%2326681%3B)
5 Element Xingyiquan (https://www.martialartsmart.com/dvd-lh013.html)
Xiaohongquan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36983-Songshan-Shaolin-Lyrics-Xiaohongquan)
A folk Baji (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?32627-Baji) form
Tong-Bei (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?41291-Tong-Bei)
Beng-Bu (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?46490-Beng-Bu)

BSL Lyrics: Shaolin Staff (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13315)
Yin-shou-gun (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48637-Yin-shou-gun)
BSL Lyrics: Shaolin Broadsword (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13378)
BSL Lyrics: Spring Autumn Long Handled Knife (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14055)
BSL-Lyrics-Tiger-Head-Double-Hooks (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?14474-BSL-Lyrics-Tiger-Head-Double-Hooks)
BSL Lyrics: Dragon Head Crutch (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13717)
BSL-Lyrics-Shaolin-Straight-Sword (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?13414-BSL-Lyrics-Shaolin-Straight-Sword)
Tai-Yu-sword (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?2258-Wing-Lam-s-Tai-Yu-sword)

Sun-Family-Taiji (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54816-Sun-Family-Taiji)

I've also returned to taking weekly yoga and iaido lessons.

[sirdude]

I'm maybe going to derail this thread a little. Sorry about that.

Watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HU_vZjQ4gI
I get the impression that at the temple traditionally you learn the forms in the order presented in Vol 1 of the books.
Is this your experience Gene and others that have done extended training at the temple?

To get back on track a little...

The system I was trained in has a pretty strange set of forms. It isn't from the shaolin temple but from a temple in hong kong.
1. Yìng Chuí Quán (Hard/tough hammer fist) Kind of a simple Tan-Tui
2. Jī Běn Quán (Basic fundamental fist)
3. Bèng Bù Quán (Bounce/Spring Footstep Fist) Interesting that its translated this way instead of "crushing step"
4. Dòng Quán (Moving fist)
5. Gōng Lì Quán (Work/Power fist)
6. Liù Hé Quán (6 harmoines fist)
7. Tán Tu (12 road variation)
8. unkown name
9. unknown name
10. simplified dahongquan
10b. shaolin temple dahongquan
11. nan quan (yes wushu)
12. qixinquan
13. long quan (Shaolin dragon fist)

We also do the yang short 32 form. I also know xiaohongquan.

I'm currently working on the dragon form, and do it and the two dahongquan, xiaohongquan, qixinquan as well as 2-4 other random forms daily.
I try to do the whole set as well as some weapons forms weekly.

[YinOrYan]

Tai-Yu-sword (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?2258-Wing-Lam-s-Tai-Yu-sword)


Wonder if that Tai-Yu-sword you do is the same as the one that Wing Lam guy has all over YouTube. If so, it sure looks more like a performance form than a traditional form to me. I'm sure it would make a good sword dance if you dug up the music that once went with it...

[GeneChing]

Wing Lam was my first Kung Fu Sifu.

Read Grandmaster Kwong Wing Lam 1947-2018 (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/index.php?p=article&article=1419)

[YinOrYan]

Wing Lam was my first Kung Fu Sifu.

Read Grandmaster Kwong Wing Lam 1947-2018 (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/index.php?p=article&article=1419)

Oh, that's the same Wing Lam. Sorry to hear that. I think I bought a sword from him. Will try to dig up some music for you that goes with that form. It may take a few years...

[Djuan]

these days I've been getting grounded in focus in these "Luohan Courtyard" taolu

Songshan
zhaoyang quan
da luohan quan
xiao luohan quan

Although Songshan and Gulun are of the same root, and I dont necessarily like to make a distinction,
theres some distinction made here for measure


Gulun
luohan chui
pan gen
jin gang chui 1
jin gang chui 2
luohan shibashou
hong quan

where both styles meet
da tong bei quan
liuhe quan

[Djuan]

these days I've been getting grounded in focus in these "Luohan Courtyard" taolu

Songshan
zhaoyang quan
da luohan quan
xiao luohan quan

Although Songshan and Gulun are of the same root, and I dont necessarily like to make a distinction,
theres some distinction made here for measure


Gulun
luohan chui
pan gen
jin gang chui 1
jin gang chui 2
luohan shibashou
hong quan

where both styles meet
da tong bei quan
liuhe quan

The taolu in from Gulun xinyiba usually has "chui" (hammer) where "quan" (fist/boxing) would be . heres an excerpt from June 2005 issue of KFTC magazine, explaining how "white garmet hall", is also called "hammer manual hall" to the fact that the paintings on the wall in that chamber detail the method of chui fa,
11025

Amituofo

[Djuan]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4sid3fFm6Ow