BA GUA FOOTWORK--can it be integrated into other kung fu styles?

[LaterthanNever]

I study 8 step mantis and the original monkey footwork was replaced with Ba Gua stepping patterns and shifting. There's a small ammount of vestigial monkey footwork in some forms such as the monkey hop, but all in all..not as much monkey as one would see in 7 star or tai ji mantis arts.

I'm aware there is also a Fut Sao Wing Chun which supposedly has Ba Gua footwork(Fut Sao Wing Chun).

This is not to malign the footwork in other arts, not at all.

I'm curious to know if any of you who have studied Ba Gua in depth as well as another art in depth..to what extent do you think Ba Gua footwork can be integrated into your art? Thanks!

Happy New Year!
LTN

[GeneChing]

I practice Sun Taijiquan which has a strong influence of Bagua on its footwork.

Here are some resources:
Sun-Family-Taiji (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54816-Sun-Family-Taiji)
A Setting Sun (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/index.php?p=article&article=416)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t31396BL84

[Chris Blaze]

Bagua footwork isn't different than other Chinese Boxing System's footwork, in my opinion, as someone who has studied bagua and other styles.. it's the Mud Walking which makes the difference, is the foundation of bagua

[Royal Dragon Pi]

One has to understand that when you start incorporating parts of one art, into your original, its no longer that original art anymore. You are creating a hybred. Thats not bad, so long as you explain what and why you did it.

That said, Bagua has some footwork to it that can be a serious benefit to your tool box. I dont mean just the footwork itself either. I mean the training methods to develop it as well.

I am kind of at a point where I dont study a specific style anymore. I still practice my Shaolin Tai tzu Chang Quan and all, but I approach my study on a "Subject" basis, rather than a "Style" basis now.

What does that mean?

Well, in this case, the "Subject" is "Footwork". So when I circle around to the study of "Footwork" I no longer limit myself to the footwork I have specifically learned for one style. I look at all footwork techniques available to me. So I may be simultaneously looking at footwork from Boxing, Silat, Long fist, Muay Thai and Bagua.

I am looking for the tool that best solves the problem I have at the moment. Where it comes from is no longer relevant to me.