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八极拳

Bajiquan

八极小架

The Baji Structural Form

Baji Structural Form 八极小架 is the technical base where we build the entire Baji system. Consisting of only 32 movements, it is relatively short but explosive, well known for its simplicity, directness & practicality. So having mastered the 8 basic techniques 金刚八式 we can now progress to the Form. Practicing the Form provides us with ways to link all the individual techniques together to effect combinations, as formulated by the ancients. Keep in mind that the techniques, as well as the ways to combine them are not dead, but fluid, & the student must use his own initiative to use all 8 parts of the body to apply them as the distance changes constantly in a real fight. For example, a technique that uses a palm strike at the maximum range could be changed to a forearm, an elbow, or even a shoulder strike as the range gets closer, without sacrificing power in delivery. Thus a student should learn to adapt each technique & combo to deal with different situations. Also one must remember to strike/stamp down/exhale in one unified movement.

Here are the 32 movements:

1) Beginning Stance 起式-罗汉捧腹 2) Low Push Kick 白马献蹄

3) Center Gate Elbow Strike 顶心肘 4) Side Reverse Punch 盘弓射虎

5) Up Down Palm Thrust 蟒蛇缠身 6) Diagonal Palm Slap 斜拍掌

7) Upper Palm Strike 天王托塔 8) One Legged Stance Single Whip 关公坐帐

9) Inner Forearm Guard 闭裆 10) Diagonal Palm Slap 斜拍掌

11) Half Step Lead Jab 魁星点斗 12) Center Gate Elbow Strike 顶心肘

13) Low Double Punch 栽捶 14) Body Trapping 大缠

15) Outer Forearm Strike 绷捶 16) Reverse Punch 黑虎偷心

17) Arm Trapping 小缠 18) Reverse Punch 冲拳

19) Forward Punch 崩拳 20) Long Uppercut 撩衣

21) Arm Trapping 小缠 22) Reverse Punch 冲拳

23) Outer Double Forearm Strike 问掌 24) Dropped Stance 猛虎落地

25) Reverse Single Whip 单鞭 26) One Legged Stance 金鸡独立

27) Low Back Palm Strike 抖翎 28) Follow-up Back Palm Strike 连环抖翎

29) Reverse Palm Thrust 撑掌 30) Step-back Reverse Palm Thrust 退步撑掌

31) Stationary Rising Elbow Strike 献肘 32) Ending Stance 收式-罗汉捧腹

It is not easy to do this short Form well because it is a perfect mixture of fast & slow, hard & soft, linear & circular movements - revealing both yin & yang principles. Other than what I already mentioned, one must always pay attention to the line of sight. Look carefully at the pictures above, observe where Master Hsu is looking - that is the correct line of sight. Generally you must always look in the direction of where you are hitting. Then there is the proper method of breathing throughout the Form, which cannot be taught except directly from a Teacher. Breathing in deeply in between techniques & exhaling forcefully with a "humph" or "hah" during the strikes is absolutely essential. Proper breathing combined with well timed stamping will give explosive energy to the entire Form. These are all the finer points. So in order to do this Form well please seek the guidance of a good Teacher.

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