8 Extremes Boxing - Baji

Holding a position for 8 breaths, that's true power development in Baji. I have also just started applying this method and I have noticed a differnce in Qi flow and stamping power. Baji is wonderful since it is an internal art.

So do you spend a lot of time just doing the moving drills with the breaths?
What sort of 2-man stuff do you work on?

Also, what does your Baji Horse look like? I have seen a couple of different variations of it and only saw one guy up in New York describe it like how I learned it. I believe his name is Maming Ma. Most other Baji Horses I see are wider and higher than the one I was taught.

Also, in your training, does your teacher incorporate any Pigua or Shua Jiao, or is it strictly Baji?

__________________
"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

Once I know my forms is correct, this is what I do. I will move into one position, hold that position for 8 breaths then move onto the next position and hold it for 8 breaths and so on until I have completed the form. This will really wipe you out, but in the long run it will make you much stronger. I also do technique work (individual and combinations), remember you need strong basics. Our 2-man stuff is different. 2 of us will wear protective equipment. If we want to work on a combination this will allow us and especially beginners to work on the combination safely and we progress to free sparring. My Shifu teaches a higher horse stance than I prefer but he is content with me using a slightly lower horse. Shifu also teaches pigua and shuai jiao. Baji and Pigua are actually 2 halves of one art when you really think about it.

Wraith I have some more forms for you mate!!!

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“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”

Hmm. Many moves are the same as in what Adam Hsu teaches, but some, especially initially, are different, or missing.

__________________
"Fawning, but proud!" - (at least sometimes, in rare cases)
"Killing them all didn't make it any better..." - "Are you a freak or something ???" - Max Payne
"Theft is a crime, even in Iraq." - Me.

Yeah, definitely a different flavor from the Adam Hsu and Su Yu Chang. The stepping is also softer, or at least less dramatic.

__________________
"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

In your experience does that necessitate anything? Less power? Less effort for the same results?

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“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”

Mind you my experience is limited...

I know there are soft stomps in Baji, but I haven't seen them (of course since I am not sure of the mechanics I might actually have seen them and not even know). The moves are also smaller, and this might be because I practice things very basically and as such practice everything more pronounced.

Its hard to answer your questions about power though. I like the flavor demonstrated though.

__________________
"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

You need a initial amount of peng jin to "survive" the load issueing so many stomps in a hard manner to the ground, when you do it hard, fajin manner. It's also a good idea to do that on resonating ground not staying immobile when you stomp. Otherwise, you have to be careful, finding only a minimal amount giving a good stimulating feedback. You cannot go like this from the get go.

__________________
"Fawning, but proud!" - (at least sometimes, in rare cases)
"Killing them all didn't make it any better..." - "Are you a freak or something ???" - Max Payne
"Theft is a crime, even in Iraq." - Me.

“	Originally Posted By: Nik You need a initial amount of peng jin to "survive" the load issueing so many stomps in a hard manner to the ground, when you do it hard, fajin manner. It's also a good idea to do that on resonating ground not staying immobile when you stomp. Otherwise, you have to be careful, finding only a minimal amount giving a good stimulating feedback. You cannot go like this from the get go.	”

I was just working on this technique before I got here, how fitting, the oppurtunity to share it...

There is an application for the basic Baji vertical sternum punch in the sidefacing horse stance that some people might not know, that goes like this:

For the sake of illustration, say a dude steps forward with his left foot, into a high forward stance, and throws a left jab. Using your left fist, in Baji's version of the chicken step, roll counter clockwise up from below, over his forearm with your's, near the wrist, and countinue the little circle to knock the punch away, sort of choppily, but forcefully. Immediatly, kick your right foot out, just above the ground grazing the outside of his right ankle. Immediatly punch to the floating ribs with the right vertical fist, continuing obviously, into the stomp/sideard horse stance, but lock the right side of your right shin against the front of his left shin as your foot twists into the ground hugging the back of his heel. As you come to full horse, keep firm contact with the foot ankle and shin, and apply force to start knocking him down, simultaneously punching the bottom of the rib cage. For the sake of demonstrating Baji's fierce power, use the ridge hand, filing down across the fold of the hip, and instead of knocking the punch out of the way, grab his forearm, and pull it up, in front and back with your palm facing out. You know the move.

Try it out really slow.

Peace.