by lilman » Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:03 am
balloo, I hope you don't mind if I make a suggestion, I am currently a practitioner of taijiquan and zuiquan because I like the theory behind them, and my understanding. Makes it work. Based on your last post, this is what I would suggest. Combat xinyi and bagua, and/or sun style taiji complete with sun xinyi. And bagua.
The reason I would suggest this,
Xinyi, xinyi is the straight line. Every movement is meant to kill. In fact, in the old days, a practitioner wouldn't consider a fight a victory, even in sparring matches, unless they killed their opponent. It uses a number of different strikes based on energy patterns and the 5 element theory. To understand xinyi you must understand the 5 element theory and the paths of mutual relation and destruction. It also makes the theory a lot more clear through ziyi practice. I
Bagua, bagua is the circle. All though at first glance it looks like your just walking in circles, its applications are isaislly brutal. It has a lot of wrestling, takedowns and chin na, but it also has strikes. Bagua bruteslizes and uses the oponents attack against them, and you never stop moving. An example of the effectiveness of the style, one master. Named snake eyes, was up against several Japanese guards when japan invaded Taiwan. The guards had guns and he was unarmed. They fired at him, and hit him several times, but he killed all the guards. The Japanese released to the press snake eyes died, but he showed up several times later in history. The reason this happened was if a bullet hit him in his left shoulder for example, he would turn his waist to the right, and walk the circle in the opposite direction. So the bullets connected but missed all his internal organs. Bagua is based on the circular arrangement of the 8 trigrams around the yin yang symboluxung unlimited change.
Once a xinyi master and a bagua master fought. They fought for 3 days straight, so the story goes. Finally the bagua master one, and they started training together. They come to the eralization that the 2 styles compliment. Each other perfectly. They are both based off of theories from daoist thought, and where ones weakness lies, the other. Compliments with a strength. So since you would practice both, you would be questioning one styles movements, and find the answer in the other. Make sense?
And if you decide to add taijiquan to the equation, you can neutralise the straight line, follow or stop the circle, all while making your offense your dedense and vice versa, and eliminating the use of muscle strength.
Hung ga purposely leaves itself open at times, it practices iron wire and has no fear of getting hit. It always moves forward and practices trades, meaning you hit me face, but I hit your throat and you die. Fair exchange.
I would first suggest, if you haven't already reading the Tao Te ching, the I ching, and reading up on the 5 element theory. If you can grasp them and like or agree with them, then maybe follow what I suggest. If you don't, no point in pursuing any soft styles.