How do you use all those circles in Bagua? So much Bagua application that I see depends on fanciful interpretations of forms. Perhaps you’ve seen them. Lots of spinning around a static (sleeping?) opponent. But Bagua application can be very simple and direct (in a circular way of course).
In the little video above I give a few examples of the circles you find in Bagua applied at different ranges. I show ways to use the circles that break grips, become locks, or throws or strikes. Anyone can pick up these techniques easily enough, and they are not exclusive to Bagua. The techniques work well when combined with the body methods of Bagua – in fact they are simple expressions of the body method.
This video is an off-the-cuff demo. There is a lot more to play with in terms of stepping, angle, intention and so on. Also it does not touch on to how to develop skills in less cooperative situations.
For the philosophically inclined what I show fits the frame of the yin-yang and the Yijing. In this case, yin and yang are the directions of the circles. While the use fits the structure of the yijing, it is also genuinely applicable and not just words and fancy theory. Genuine philosophy can be used in real life. The mysterious has its place, but at least with martial arts, I find it wiser to start with the simple.
That’s one reason I like Bagua. It goes from simple to complex and the different pieces support each other – upper and lower, inside and outside, philosophy and use.
If what I show makes sense and you’d like to learn more take a look at the Yizong Gao style Bagua course.
You can also just start immediately.
One response to “Bagua application – circles you can really use”
[…] simple movements that can be applied in many ways/techniques. I talk about and demonstratethis here Bagua applications-circles you can really use. As such forms/exercises were meant to be practiced both fast and slow, smoothly as well as […]