Bagua: 8 Postures 8 Techniques

This lesson covers the third posture, Yin Yang Fish, and the associated techniques of the Pressing Palm and the Spearing Palm.

This reference video allows you to review the Bear, Crab and Yin Yang Fish Postures as well as preview the remaining posture and technique.

Use this video to practice the first four Postures at a typical speed, paying attention to footwork as well as hand technique. Follow along with the remaining postures & techniques to familiarize yourself with the material.

This lesson covers the Fourth Posture, Spearing Heaven & Earth and the associated techniques of the Slicing Palm and the Reaching Palm.

This reference video allows you to review the 1st four Postures and Techniques as well as preview the remaining Postures.

Use this video to practice the first four Postures at a typical speed, paying attention to footwork as well as hand technique.

This lesson covers the fifth posture, the Eagle and the associated techniques of Bracing and Catching.

This reference video allows you to review the postures from one to five and their techniques as well as preview the rest of the course material.

Use this video to practice the Eagle Posture at a typical speed, paying attention to footwork as well as hand technique. Follow along with the remaining postures & techniques to familiarize yourself with the material.

This lesson covers the Sixth Posture, Lion and the associated Tossing technique. Pay attention to the additional stepping used with this technique

This reference video allows you to review the Eagle and Lion Postures and their associated techniques and to preview the rest of the course material.

Use this video to practice the Fifth and Sixth Postures at a typical speed, paying attention to footwork as well as hand technique. Follow along with the remaining postures & techniques to familiarize yourself with the material.

This lesson covers the Seventh Posture, Presenting the Spear and the associated Dragging Palm technique.

This reference video allows you to review the Postures covered so far with their associated techniques and to preview the last posture..

Use this video to practice at a typical speed, paying attention to footwork as well as hand techniques for the Eagle, Lion and Presenting the Spear Postures. Follow along with the remaining posture & technique to familiarize yourself with the material.

This lesson covers the Eighth Posture, the Dragon Posture and its associated technique, the Pushing Palm.

This reference video allows you to review the 1st four Postures and Techniques.

Use this video to practice the first four Postures at a typical speed, paying attention to footwork as well as hand technique. The next video provides an overview of the remaining four Postures and Techniques. Use these two videos together to review all of the course material.

Optional Assignment: Submit video for feed back

Make a recording of yourself performing the circle walking in the 3rd to Eighth Postures. Start with a full circle (or more) in Yin Yang Fish. Turn around with the Pressing Palm and Spearing Palm techniques. Then walk a half circle and turn again. Switch to the 4th Posture (Spearing Heaven & Earth) and again walk a full circle and turn performing the Slicing Palm and Reaching Palm. Walk a half circle and turn performing a second turn. Continue in this manner for the remaining postures.

Upload the video as an unlisted/private video on youtube.com, vimeo.com, Google Drive, or another free service. Please ensure the video can be streamed! File transfers requiring download will not be accepted.

Send me the streamable link via email: james@eastmountain.ca. I will respond with detailed feedback as soon as I’m able.

Tips for recording video:

• Cell phones are a convenient way to record video. Consider having someone film for you or use a stand. Here’s a video on how to make a phone tripod with just a paper towel roll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCF-uPQ4zzo

• If you have an option for setting the video quality, avoid high quality (makes the file size too large). Medium or low quality settings are typically fine.

• Don’t have bright windows or other bright lights behind you. This will turn you into a silhouette. Try to position yourself so that the camera is between you and main light sources.

• Try to ensure you start with hands and feet in the frame of the recording. While to walk the circle you will likely walk out of the frame, which is fine as long as you perform the techniques where the camera can capture them.

• Ideal is to position the camera so all of you, from head to feet, is recorded. But if you don’t have enough room, then please ensure that your feet, legs, torso and arms are in the picture.

• Review the video before you send it. It doesn’t need to be perfect in terms of recording or performance. Just an accurate reflection of your practice to date.

Recording your practice is an excellent way to see your progress objectively. Often students immediately see details they want to correct. It also serves as a reference point that you can return to, letting you see your improvements over time.

A final talk on continuing your practice to build Gong Fu (Deep Skill) and on the Five Stages of Training:

Hui: knowing what to do,

Dui: doing it correctly,

Hao: doing it well,

Miao: doing it with subtlety, &

Jue: returning to the origin