Moving is a good thing since it breaks old stale routines and forces you into new ones. After about a week of moving into my new apartment I got a few things set up. Specifically, I converted the Dinning Room into a Kung Fu office to help focus my energies. And last night, I was able to find a good spot to restart my Baji program (this time for real).
Prior to moving I had goofed around with Baji just to get the basic movements and structure down, and in the weeks just before the move had really started researching the training methods. So I set out last night to do it just like I had done it before, but with the specific changes I had read in various articles.
Let me tell you...I did my warm ups, basics (leg intensive), and Qigong just fine. But when it came for the line drills my legs were screaming. I got through 2 out of 8 moving drills before I had to make things easier, and the last 4 I had to do them without the Baji training flavor.
The way the moving drills are practiced in Baji, as I found out (which was mentioned in passing by my old teacher), is to hold each posture for 8 breaths. With each breath you send your chi to each of the extremities in turn. The actual execution of the movement is explosive and powerful, but then you pause for the breath. Each movement emphasizes a different stamping power, ending in a low stance which is held throughout the breaths.
In a way I am grateful my legs couldn't handle this exercise fully, because it gives me a new goal to start working towards when I go out tonight.
__________________
"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
From the foundational training I've started over the past couple of days, I'm really REALLY noticing that my lower body is being emphasized. The stamping footwork is surprisingly intricate, especially when trying to visualize what you are doing.
Meanwhile, the upper body isn't receiving that much work. The movements are very simple, and the most complicated aspect is the short power that is delivered from the back and shoulder.
I'm really seeing how Pigua can compliment this style, and will probably start implimenting the basics in with my Baji. The continuous movements of the swings would be a good change and shift in focus from the stamping to give my legs a breather so I can come back and work them hard.
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"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
Nice to hear you're back on it bro. Good luck. I myself am just returning from about a 4 month absence. I trained only a few times within that period, so it's going to be good times.
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It's all about the nitty gritty.......
Last edited by jawsman; September 6th, 2007 at 02:25 PM.
Originally
Posted By: jawsman
Screaming legs are always fun aren't they?
Nice to hear you're back on it bro. Good luck. I myself am just returning from about a 4month absence. I trained only a few times within that period, so it's going to good times.
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Ha! You know it. But now I am being drawn in 2 different methods for leg training, the Taoist and the Bhuddist. The Bhuddist is the way I did it before. Its mindset of pushing through all pain and discomfort. The Taoist way is to stop when you start to hurt, shake it out, and go back to it. I like the Taoist better because it also coincides with the strength training program I am trying out, which is low reps very frequently everyday (but never to failure).
And yes, I feel your pain about coming back to training after a hiatus. Good times!
__________________
"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
Damn, I guess we do it the Bhuddist way then. While we like to seek that "void", it takes some time to build yourself up physically and mentally to do so. I've seen many people shake and quiver, but as long as they get back in their stance..... I give them props.
Although staying the course once they find out it never gets easier is a different story.
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It's all about the nitty gritty.......
Ugh...so last night I was spotted. I specifically go to the tennis courts in my apartment complex to work out around 9:45pm because its dark and no one is around to bug me. But apparently someone caught of glimpse of me because 2 cars pulled up to the side parking lot beside the courts and they sat there on their hoods for a good 20 minutes before leaving. I heard a few quiet "Waaaaah's".
Anywho, I tried a little bit different method for the Baji portion of my workout and I'm not so sure I like it. My legs were still blitzed at the end, but I'm not sure if I got a better workout.
I did, however, start doing a little Pigua at the end. Yeah, that stuff is pretty intense on the arms. During the drills, you are in constant motion with everything stretching, reaching, and slapping. I think there's a lot of potential for me with this, especially since I have lanky arms.
__________________
"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
Wraith....what kind of postures do you do when you practice baji? By posture do you mean a stance or is it more like a posture in tai chi? I like the idea of holding it for 8 seconds and sending your chi out to all of the extremities. I like that.
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Mark
Liberalism is a mental disorder. -M. Savage
There are 8 basic movements in Baji that coincide with 8 different stamping techniques.
The methodology of the practice is to perform each movement with full force and stamping power, then hold the posture for 8 breaths. During this time, you are making sure you structure is sound while sinking the Dan Ten. In later training you would send the "Chi" to you 8 extremities with each breath. After the final breath you would explode into the next movement and breath, and continue to repeat.
They say this basic training of Baji should take 45minutes to do, and should be done 3 times per day.
__________________
"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 should get something "for the upper body" out of the elbow strikes. My upper back went sore from my day of practicing with Adam Hsu.
__________________ "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.
I think I will once I start adding in the resistance training and pole work.
But were you getting some sort of soreness from the solo practice movements Nik? Maybe there is something I am missing if so.
__________________
"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
There is this initial movement in a form where you stand on one leg after a low kick with your arms stretched out, and from there move into a stomp and elbow punch. Standing on one leg means you need to coil into the elbow punch, using the upper back and spine to power the move. I emphasize it by pulling the shoulders in opposite directions before, "loading" up. If you do that move over and over, and use the spine to power it, you get some aking muscles in the upper back. Funnily, just standing in that "phone call" position made my biceps sore over the day.
Second move:
Also a good display of Xiao Baji. Not as "playful" as I saw some fooling about.
BTW, after watching this movie and the athletic shape of the guy, you know why it drives me crazy when I see people on movies goofing around with the shape of Buster Keaton or Stan Laurel, or a guy who poses on his first tries at jonglage with a soccer ball. If you don't look like this, or the girls on the piercing foot documentation I posted some time ago, then don't bother to call yourself "good", and just continue to train until you do. And quit posing like it's for opera style.
__________________ "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.
Last edited by Nik; September 8th, 2007 at 06:27 AM.
Yep, that's the first posture of Baji you are describing Nik, Elbow to Heart. Now, when you were first practicing it did you do consecutive reps of the movements? If so I can definitely see where you're coming from. Right now at least, my lack of leg strength is limiting the number of reps I do with these drills since I am holding the postures.
__________________
"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
Baji Quan
Vol I, Baji Jia :
Bear Step - Grand Eight Movements - Baji Jia Form - Qi Compiling Dan Tian Neigong - Post Conditioning - Power-Issue Practice - Fighting Usage Applications.
Vol II, Baji Fist :
Tiger Arm - Eight Grand Stampings - Baji Fist Form - Special Baji Percussive Neigong - Crossing Post Training - Advanced Power-Issue Practice - High-Middle-Low & Multiple-Power Delivery Usage.
I have to sign up to see those videos. Are they the Adam Hsu or Su Yu Chang tapes?
__________________
"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
