Peter Kwok's Pa Kua Teacher was Gun Yuen Tung. I don’t know what he taught Peter. I suspect that Peter only taught 3 static palms, 8 palm changes, and the Pa Kua Long form. At any rate that is what he taught Sifu. My teacher thought it inadequate, so he added back the 5 remaining static palms, 4 of Erle Montaigue’s Wooden Man roads, and Mike Patterson’s 8 pole exercises. For the sake of completeness, I’ve added the remaining 4 of the Montaigue Wooden Man set and Sifu Patterson’s direction changing methods and Serving Tea exercises. I was comparing straight sword styles, so I also brought in Jiang Jian Ye’s double edge sword form.

Beware! I was in a mixed crowd and offered to show my Wooden Man to one female guest. When the laughter finally died down, I apologized and she politely declined.

Shaolin is mostly long fist and is the foundation for the Peter Kwok legacy. Chin-Na is grappling. Tai Chi is long fist and it trains the waist.. Hsing Yi is all short fist and trains the hands. Pa Kua trains the feet and is a mixture of short and long fist with a lot of trickery thrown in.

Creation myth

A neer-do-well left his village and went into the mountains to kill himself. While in the mountains, he saw two fairies practicing an unusual dance. He asked them to instruct him and, over the course of the following two months, they did.

When he returned to his village to demonstrate the change that had occurred in him and to display his new skill, he found that all of the villagers of his generation were dead. The only person who recognized him had been a small child when he had banished himself to the wilds.

Given the unusual nature of the system, it is easy to believe that it was not invented by mortals!

Two masters fought for 3 days. The outcome was inconclusive. One master was more vocal and convinced the audience that he was the clear winner. The other master didn't convince them to the opposite, so to the self-proclaimed victor went the spoils. He took over his opponent's students, married, and enjoyed the good life. However, he was challenged to meet again in 10 years to conclude the duel.

The other master banished himself to the wilderness to practice his arts in bitterness and hatred of his rival. He was shamed and stripped of his livelihood.

The winner set up shop, taught and enjoyed his success until the appointment to continue the duel neared. Realizing that he had devoted his time to teaching and not to training, he devised a strategy to preserve his life, if not his honor. He and his wife filled a coffin with rocks. They arranged a rendezvous after his wife convinced his rival of his death. At that point, they would move on, change their identities and live on their accumulated wealth.

The wife wheeled the coffin to the appointed spot and awaited the coming of the rival master. When he arrived and saw the coffin and the grieving widow, he honored all the social conventions. He asked only that he be allowed to approach the coffin and to pass his hand over it.

Knowing that he would never dare desecrate the funeral, the wife agreed. The master approached the coffin and passed his hand over it, bowed, and left.

The wife wheeled the coffin to the graveyard, where she met her husband. When she reported the strange behavior of the embittered master, her husband opened the coffin to find that all of the rocks had been pulverized!

Elementary Exercises

Standing

Use the Tai Chi Checklist

Lift the Crown Chakra

Eyes gaze into the distance

Ears listen inwards

Tongue to the roof of the mouth

Head as if balanced on a pin

Neck and back straight

Sink the chest, raise the back

Diaphrammatic breathing

Drop the pelvis

Sink the chest, raise the back is a little bit of an oversimplification. Here’s the detailed story. Move Gall Bladder 20 outward by rotating the humerus internally. Move that little knob on the inside of your elbow toward your center. Sink the Lung 1 points towards each other. Lift Conception Vessel 14 updards (pick pu the xyphoid process on the lower tip of the sternum) . Sink the Liver 14 points on the margin of the ribs towards each other. Sink the Gall Bladder 24 points on the waist towards each other. Of all these points, the keys are to lift the sternum and internally rotate the humerus.

The Tai Chi checklist ends at Drop the Pelvis . There's a little more to it than that simple phrase. It needs to be experienced, but for a quick description just bow. That's right. Bow. Thank Rick Taracks for that little statement. Here’s what it means. Stand with your feet apart and bow. Feel how the greater trochanter rotates outward. Gall Bladder 30 moves forward. Also, Liver 12 in the inguinal fold sinks inward. This opens the space to drop the pelvis. You immediately notice the lengthening of the spine. But wait, there’s more. Bend your knees so that Bladder 54 behind the knees aligns with Kidney 1 on the bottom of the foot. The net effect is that your legs corkscrew into the ground. The right leg spirals counterclockwise and the left leg spirals clockwise. Now don’t let your knees buckle inward and you’ve got the full effect of dropping the pelvis. If you need more, see Jou Tsung Hua’s Tai Chi book

Stepping

Walking the circle in Pa Kua has always been somewhat mysterious to me. You have to understand what you’re doing before it becomes effective. So start with the walking. It’s not heel-toe, around the circle we go. First off, hit the Wu Chi posture. Now as soon as you step off, you notice that you’re out of alignment. That’s why Pa Kua developed the stepping method that it uses. From the Wu Chi posture, and assuming a clockwise circle, slide the right foot out on the little toe edge. Notice that your posture is deep as you maintain your dropped pelvis. Feel how the foot locks into the ground and spirals in a counterclockwise direction. Wu Chi is reestablished. (In actuality, it was never lost.)

Now step out left, sliding along the big toe edge, maintaining the knee bend. It locks into position at the natural full extension. Some people liken this to the gait of a camel.

Changing directions

1. A hooking step towards the center of the circle is called an inside change.

2. A hooking step away from the center of the circle is called an outside change.

3. A hooking step to the outside that ends in a lotus stance heading in the opposite direction is called an outside crossing change.

4. A hooking step to the inside that ends in a lotus stance heading in the opposite direction is called an inside crossing change.

5. Stand in a right equatorial stance. If you turn to the center of the circle into a right flat footed empty stance, this is an inside turn.

6. Stand in a left equatorial stance. If you turn away from the center of the circle to a left flat footed empty stance, this is an outside turn. Colorful Rooster Fighting combines an inside crossing change with an outside turn for a 360 degree turn around.

7. Inside Cross Step

8. Outside Cross Step

Serving Tea Exercises

Serving tea exercises are akin to Tai Chi’s Silk Reeling. Try to get the whole body involved. If one part moves, everything moves. If one part stops, everything stops.

Inside

1. Palm up, fingers facing the body at waist height

2. Palm up, fingers facing away from the body at waist height

3. Palm up, fingers facing the body, hand above the head

Repeat using left hand.

Outside

Stand comfortably, left hand palm out behind your back, right hand palm up at waist. Sweep the right hand away from the waist keeping the palm up. Maneuver the hand through the whole range of motion with the thumb leading the way. There are four checkpoints:

1. Palm up, fingers facing the away from the body at waist height

2. Palm up, fingers facing the body, hand above the head

3. Palm up, fingers facing away from the body at shoulder height

4. Palm up, fingers facing the body at waist height

Repeat using left hand.

2 inside

Perform inside rotations with both hands.

2 outside

Perform inside rotations with both hands

Inside outside opposite hands

Hold both hands at waist height. Start the right hand rotating outwards until it reaches head height. Then, with arms out of phase by half a cycle, start the left hand rotating inwards. Take both hand through the full range of motion.

After a few repetitions, start the left side first and repeat the exercise.

Inside outside 1 hand

Stand comfortably, left hand palm out behind your back, right hand palm up at waist. Sweep the right hand toward the waist keeping the palm up. Maneuver the hand through the whole range of motion with the pinky leading the way. Once the inside cycle is completed and the hand is at the waist, rotate it through the outside cycle. When nearing the end of the rotation, finger thrust with palm up to shoulder

height

Inside outside both hands

This is the most complex variation of the tea serving pattern. While the right hand executes the inside-outside rotation, the left hand is performing an outside-inside rotation. The timing is such that when finger-thusting with the right, the left hand is palm striking with the fingers down.

Walking freestyle

Start walking the circle. Use one of the 8 direction changes as you perform one of the tea cup exercises. Practice until you can do all 7 tea exercises with any of the direction changes.

Static Exercises

Develop Chi and circulate it through the meridians.

Remember to:

· look to the center (vertical pole)

· breathe out with the kick

· walk circle once each way

· turn with hooking step, outside foot

These exercises are performed slowly. You are always breathing and stepping in unison. So, for instance, breathe in stepping left and breathe out stepping right. Occasionally do a hooking step and reverse the breathing synchronization.

Try to keep the body on the same level throughout the exercise. The kick may be performed at the highest level you're capable of. Land the kick softly in an out-step.

Study the way in which energy is transferred to the fingers through the feet, legs, waist, and shoulders.

Wood Floating Palm

Also known as Chicken Palm. Arms slightly bent, hands at waist height, fingers forward, heels of palm down, fingers up on the in-breath. Again, the most important aspect is to sink the chest and raise the back.

Cloud Carrying Palm

Also known as Monkey Palm. Lift the hands overhead, palms up, fingers forward, upper arms 45 degrees forward, arms are almost fully extended. There is a slight bend at the elbow. You should feel chi in the meridian that is active at that time of day, and in its 12 hour opposite. When we were practicing, the active meridian was bladder, so the lung meridian in the arms should have been active. This can be experienced as a vibration along the meridian that pulses in a sine wave. The intensity builds to a peak and then diminishes.

The important thing to remember is to sink the chest and raise the back. Flex the wrists and supinate the furthest extent possible. The humerus is even with the shoulders, but by pushing out the scapula, the chest sinks and the back raises.

Spinning Palm

Also known as Lion Plam. Inside palm down at shoulder height, outside palm out, knuckles near the ear. Separate with the breath. The pinky and the elbow in the raised hand are on the same line. With the extended arm and raised arm, get the feeling of pulling apart.

Rythmic breathing is very important.

Static Palm Sequence

Chicken Palm

Tiger Palm

Pushing

Embracing

Eagle Palm

Monkey Palm

Lion Palm

Unicorn Palm

Temple Block, Palm Strike

Temple Block, Push Behind

Hawk Palm

Dragon Palm

Chicken Palm

Wood floating palm, to change directions, hooking step inside, flower hides, chicken

Tiger Palm

Embracing palms held at shoulder height, palms facing in

Eagle Palm

Like wide pat the horse, to change directions, hooking step outside, flower hides, eagle

Monkey Palm

Cloud carrying palm, like road 5, crossing block, walking while pulling the garments, then in 3 steps, ape monkey steals fruit, ape monkey offers fruit, big eagle spreads wings.

Lion Palm

Spinning palm. To change directions, purple swallow, close door, flower hides, duck flock flies out.

Unicorn Palm

Shoulders face center of circle, Temple block and palm, to change directions, hooking step, close door, flower hides, unicorn.

Hawk Palm

Like Sky horse, to change directions take helmet from back of head, cover body palm, thrust up.

Dragon Palm

Like single change palm, to change directions Purple swallow, close door, flower hiding, duck flock single

Palm Changes

Single Change Palm

Double Change Palm

Return Body Palm

Back Body Palm

Cover Body Palm

Swim Body Palm

Spin Body Palm

Follow Through Palm

Practice them and do them quickly. The smoothness in the execution is strictly a function of leg strength. Develop that through the forms and by doing Horse stances. Sifu said that repeating the names of the form distracts the conscious mind and keeps it occupied while doing the postures. This allows the subconscious mind a chance to be felt when the practice is resumed silently

Pa Kua Chang is closely related to Hsing Yi, it is a more rounded (circled) version of similar exercises. It is an internal art, so the tongue is always touching the roof of the mouth.

Hooking Step

Hooking step lands toe first in such a way the instep of the stepping foot aligns with the toes of the stationary foot about half a foot-length away.

Form Height

Palm changes are performed at a uniform height. There is to be no up and down motion as you shift from one posture to another. This makes the balance much trickier.

Chop

The hands remain in the same aspect until the very last moment, when they turn down and out at the end of the chop.

Single change palm

Hooking step, thrust under with the step, clean on the lazy rooster, strike back with the step, palms up to the last second.

Make it smooth. Don't perform choppily As the opponent punches in when you are in a left lead and opponent is in a right lead, the left hand catches at lung 7 and heart 6. The right forearm strikes to heart 2 and you pivot to place opponent in a chicken wing. Palm strike with left to finish. This can also be used to strike li 10 and stomach 9 in kind of a bounce shot. Start by striking li 10. Let the momentum of the strike carry it to stomach 9. Continuous attacks to li 10 will disable opponents arms.

Equatorial stance is weight 50/50. Let the extended arm rest on the thrusting arm and let it be lifted until the palms turn and you chop.

Let the extended arm rest on the thrusting arm and let it be lifted until the palms turn and you chop.

Double change palm

Begin in Pa Kua opening stance a right flat-footed empty stance on the circle, hands in the Single Change Palm position.

Shift the weight on to the left foot and take a hooking step with the right. Change directions, block down with the left to the waist with palm down. Thrust with the right fingers to an equatorial stance. Execute another right hooking step and bring the right hand to the ear. Change direction and step, continuing to block with the left hand. Step forward and strike with the right palm to an equatorial stance.

Step back to a right inside empty stance, bringing the right hand to the ear and striking to the left with the left pinky leading the way.

Thrust the right hand under the left armpit and lift the left palm to a left bow and arrow stance. Execute a single palm change to a left flat footed empty stance.

Hooking step to inside with outside foot, Turn push down with the high hand, thrust ahead with the other, hooking step to the outside hand to the ear turn and block,step and strike with the ear hand, at once step back go up on the toe of the stationary foot block out with the pinky (blocking hand) striking hand to the ear.

Don't lift the edge of hand too high. Strike to the side with edge, not up. Don't omit the block when doing the second hooking step in this palm change.

The only way to get the hands into the proper position is to sink the chest and raise the back. Both hands are in the center of the body. The block is done by keeping the hand at waist height and in the same aspect as the opening until the hooking step and step to an equatorial stance is completed, thereupon, the hand is pulled back to the waist.

Both hands in center of body, equatorial stance for savage tiger coming out of the pass. Keep the blocking arm in the same relative position, don’t move the arm, block by turning the body. Bring the blocking hand to the waist so that when you step into inside empty, this hand can chop to the vertical position.

Take a narrow hooking step on the second hooking step and then step out and block.

Return Body Palm

Begin in Pa Kua opening stance a right flat-footed empty stance on the circle, hands in the Single Change Palm position.

Shift the weight on to the left foot and take a hooking step with the right. Thrust the right hand under the left armpit palm up and change direction. Step to a right equatorial stance and palm strike with the right while guarding the right bicep with the left palm.

Pull the right toes in by pivoting on the heel. The right palm circles behind the head as the body pivots on the toes while turning to the left. Pivot on both toes when returning.

Step with the left foot to a horse stance on the circle. Block with the edges of the hand to either side of the body and palm facing back.

Pronate the left wrist. Circle the left hand toward the thumb (behind the body) and the right hand toward the little finger (in front of the body), thrust the right under the left and Single Change Palm.

Deflect a high 9 with the left palm while thrusting under the left with the right. Step forward and strike with right from under the left.

Make small circles at end of move.

Pivot on the toes. An exaggerated way to do this is by lifting the heels extremely before pivoting. It is very important to remember the direction in the palm changes and perform the opposing circles and thrust which complete the move. In the palm changes, they always go in the same direction as the form line. In the continuous form, they reverse it.

For a backhand, you can strike either with the knuckles of the index and middle finger or with the knuckles of the ring finger and pinky and the flat of the first and second metatarsals without injuring the hand. The lead hand backhands the opponent while the other hand slides under your tricep and is hidden from view until it strike the opponent.

Cover Body Palm

This movement is done with the hooking step taking place on the odd numbered step. Hooking step. Turn both palms up as you circle the arm in front and then over and around head. Sweep to Hold the moon to the bosom in an equatorial stance. Single change palm. From the right Pa Kua stance; right flat footed empty stance with left arm at shoulder height, right palm under the left elbow, pronate the left palm. Circle the hand towards you, palm up. Landing in a hooking step on the 1st, 3rd, 5th... step, the left hand should be tangent to the circle and palm up in the supinated position with the fingers of the right hand pointing up to the tricep.

Supinate the right palm, step to an equatorial stance and thrust with the right hand tangent to the circle, the left hand pointing to the center. Lean and lift, step and chop to a left Pa Kua stance.

Repeat on the opposite side.

The application is like a cloud sword performed empty handed. It could be used against a 9 and with a closed fist as a strike.

When doing this move, don't duck your head. The length of the upper arm should give you enough clearance to perform this maneuver.

Back Body Palm

Lift the Helmet from the Back of the Head

From the right Pa Kua stance, perform a hooking step with the right foot and thrust the right hand under the left tricep. Circle the right hand to the right and under the left. Continue the circle right around the head with the thumb down until the hand is visible on the left side of the head.

Hold the Moon to the Bosom

When the hand is visible on the left side of the head, step to an equatorial stance and brush the right hand over the left elbow joint, pulling it opposite the right hip. The left hand is held at shoulder height. The position is very similar to Wild Horse Separates the Mane from the Short Form. Thrust to equatorial stance. Lean to bow and arrow, lift and chop. Lean and Lift, Step and Chop to a left Pa Kua stance.

Repeat on the other side.

As the opponent punches, catch the punch on the pinky edge of the palm, guide the attack past you and then whip the palm into stomach 5. You can also use in a double tap, however the lead hand has to block first.. Time the hooking step to synchronize with completion of the cloudsword palm motion.

Swim Body Palm

This is done in seven steps. After the hooking step and groin smash, circle the hand that is at the shoulder under the chin as in back body palm and thrust to an equatorial stance. Step 1,2,3 while striking down. Step 4,5,6 while doing a Reverse Body Palm palm strike. Step 7 perform a hooking step and palm strike to groin. Hand under the chin and Single Change Palm

Single change palm

Steps 1, 2, and 3, advance from standing position and rotate the left palm down at the elbow. Stepping begins with and ends with right foot.

Steps 4, 5, and 6, lift left arm to shoulder height, thrust right hand under left, thumb up and advance it to a palm strike. (Like Reverse Body Palm) On step 6, right arm is above the head and left hand is at right axilla. Stepping begins and ends with left foot.

Step 7 is a right hooking step. Take a wider hooking step and be sure the toes land on the circle. Thrust down and behind in a large circle with right arm to a groin smash. Pronate the left hand extremely and circle the fingertips under the chin with the palm up. Scoop with the right hand and step to an equatorial stance. Thrust the right hand under the left and single palm change to standing position.

Application is a block, a palm strike hidden behind a hand and then a groin strike to follow the palm strike. The hooking step closes the final distance and allows you to strike from a reverse angle.

The outstretched arm that rotates on the elbow is a block.

At the end of the first 3 steps, the upper arm (humerus) is perpendicular to the torso and the forearm is parallel to it. At the end of the next 3 steps, the arm is vertical. It then circles in front of the torso and around past the hip to strike the opponent's groin as you turn away.

Use the high deflection either inside or outside. If outside (right lead), palm strike to gb25 or spleen 21. If inside (right lead), spin and elbow strike.

The outstretched arm that rotates on the elbow is a block.

Spin Body Palm

This is the only palm change done by stepping away from the circle. On the left (base side), out step right, hooking step left, drop to a left tiger stance. Right fingers point to the floor over the right calf, left palm down at left waist. Lift to an equatorial stance with the right hand above the head and the elbow bent. Right Palm faces the ceiling, left palm faces the floor.

From the standing position, outside step with the right foot. Hooking step with the left. The left hand is above the head as in "Take the Helmet From the Back of the Head". Spin down to a left tiger stance while pushing down with the left hand and palm striking with the right. Lift with the right palm to an equatorial stance, thrust under with the left and single change palm.

Spin Body Palm is a strike with the edge of the hand. The hand doesn't change position when coming out of the tiger to the equatorial. Maintaining the head position is very important to achieving the proper stance.

When shifting to the tiger, the arm over the outstretched leg is a strike with the edge of the hand and not a palm strike. This makes transition to equatorial stance with minimi leading more natural.

Take a wide hooking step so that you aren't mincing the step. The pace should look the same throughout the form. The lift with the pinky edge of the palm sets up attacks similar to back body pal.

Interior hooking step. When shifting to the tiger, the arm over the outstretched leg is a strike with the edge of the hand and not a palm strike. This makes transition to equatorial stance with minimi leading more natural.

Follow Through Palm

From standing position this is done in 3 steps. In steps 1 and 2, start as in Reverse Body Palm by thrusting right hand under left arm, thumb up and continuing to a palm strike. The left hand is drawn back to the right axilla. Do a "half hooking step" or step with the toes turned in. Thrust straight down with the right palm while sinking to a right tiger stance. The right hand stops at waist height. The left palm thrusts down and follows the left leg with wrist extremely pronated and fingers facing down to the leg.

Lift with the little finger leading the way to an equatorial stance. Thrust the right under the left and single change palm.

Ending is swapped with Spin Body Palm ending. Lift with palm on FT and with pinky on SB. Kkeep arm at shoulder height and pivot on elbow.

At the end of the first three steps, the arm is vertical. It then presses straight down as you drop to the tiger stance. This technique hides the palm strike similar to return body palm.

Fingers extended over the extended leg in tiger stance point to the floor.

Set up an opponent by backhand strike.with the lead hand. If his block is not strong enough, plow right thru and hit him. If he pushes it away, then follow along the arm with the power hand and strike to st9. St9 is set up because when the opponent blocks the backhand, you are in a position to rub L9 on the blocking hand.

Exercises

There is a Pa Kua "push hands" drill. Start at the edge of the circle. In two to three hooking steps and single change palms, the partners should meet in the center. Then walk the cirlce while maintaining contact. Execute single change palm while looking for an opening. Can be a flank, a push, a palm strike or whatever. When done, walk while expanding the circle until you are on opposite sides of the circle and facing your opponent in opening stance.

Don't do anything fancy. Just single palm changes while looking for an opening.

Two Person Practice

Walk the circle doing single change palms without losing contact. Variation 1: Alternate doing single palm changes.

Variation 2: Both partners do palm change simultaneously.

This is a sensitivity drill. Your partners reaction and stance will determine the kind of attacks you can use. Sifu showed a whole series of different palm change attacks that could be done based on the what was open and where your partner was taking you.

One cool demonstration was that if you stand in the Pa Kua posture with palm down, your outstretched arm is easily moved. Turn it palm up and its impossible to move. All the energy is transmitted through the waist to the ground.

Sifu showed an amazing demonstration of the fancy kung fu move in road 8. From a split attack, execute the move. It takes you out of danger and puts you in position to counterattack. Remember that Pa Kua trains the feet and its the foot work, not the hand moves, that set up the attack and defense.

Real Work

On Saturday we carried wood up the hill using wood floating palm, cloud carrying palm, and spinning palm. Feel the nature of the wood. It wants to return and root into the earth. When you lift the wood, you feel the work of your will, when you quit lifting , you feel gravity and the will of the wood. Take on the will of the wood and feel this energy moving through you into the ground. When trees die, the wood wants to fall to the ground so that it can decompose into earth. Lift the wood and feel the tug. Now when practicing forms, imagine rooting and having to pull roots out to step. Breathe with tongue to roof of mouth.

Anything can be made into a meditation. This kind of work is very beneficial. It should be done going up hill. Move weight onto front foot so that it looks like you are climbing stairs. Practice wood floating palm and feel as if you are on parallel bars.

Stand in a horse stance in wood floating palm position . Use your palm to block against the instep of a toe kick. Feel how immovable your hand is.

Carry wood in wood floating palm gripping the sawed end. Every time the wood wants to slip, grip it tightly with your fingertips to build strength.

Carry wood on your arms and shoulders with your palms forward and elbows in. You can use this posture in an elbow strike.

Kick a log up a hill. The more unbalanced, the better. Roll it onto your foot and loft it. The idea is to get the feeling of kicking into something with power. Imagine that you are kicking upward into CV1. This is how you want it to feel. Use your mind to help. Don’t just use muscle power. Put your mind into it. Sifu said Pete Nagourney led the wood onto his foot with his mind and then with a flicking of his toe, sent it flying. Now this is very useful when kicking into KI8 or SP9, SP10 St35, ST36, CV1, CV4 .

There is a place on the inner calf where 3 meridians cross in the vicinity of Ki8. There is a cross formed across the knee SP10 to St35, St 34 to SP9. This is a very good target for kicking. Another good one is Gb31, the one that Sifu hit and knocked out that guy in Livonia Community ed.

By the way, according to Erle Montaigue, the antidote to a strike at GB 31 is to rub the front of the thigh along the stomach meridian, especially at St32.. Sifu is bugging about meridians, so pull out the notes and review.

Pull yang energy from heaven and yin energy from the earth. The Tao is concerned with heaven earth and man as seen in the kua. You can see these effects in muscle testing. Points can be activated, accentuated by set up points or simply activated by the mind. Sifu practiced this set up over and over again: Strike the inside (yin) channels in the arm pushing up against the yin flow. Strike the outside (yang) side of the arm pulling toward the fingers against the yang flow, strike St9. This is a KO.

Strike cv4 followed by st9 dropping the persons blood pressure and causing ko. Reverse the effect by rubbing the chest.

Remember the most painful points resulting from carrying the wood in posture. This is the point to return to in a fight. Wood Floating for strike to GB31 or to stop a kick dead. Cloud Carrying palm for a deflect or a shoulder strike. Spinning palm for a deflect and a kill shot to St9 after activing L7 and H6.

Carry the wood up gripping with the fingers. Remember that grip as you claw into St5, GB2, SI19, TW23 and Bl2.

One Legged Squat Exercise

Stand on a stair and do leg squats while holding your ankle. Imagine you are sinking your roots into the earth and growing into the sky. (Next Lifetime).

Hooking Step Practice

Practice out step, hooking step, step back, hooking step…. You can also take 2 outsteps in a row to change directions. Sifu demonstrated how one could use this step while attacking multiple opponents. Try not to leave any footprints. Step as if putting your foot into mud and then pulling it back out again. The trick is this: Out step, hooking step in. pull the foot out and step straight backwards. Now hooking step to this foot and continue.

This whole drill is a variation on walking the circle. It’s just more exaggerated hooking step or out step.

Pa Kua Chiang Chuan - Pa Kua Continuous Form

Each road is called a gian. There are 8 roads, naturally.

Don't look for any fist attacks, there are none.

Each road is performed once on the left and on the right. Walk the circle between sides taking 3 to 5 steps.

Purple Swallow Throws Wing = Back Body Palm

Colorful Rooster Shakes Wing, Remove the Flower, Link the Wood = Follow Through Palm

Savage Tiger Coming Out of the Pass = Beginning of Double Change Palm

Lift the Helmet from the Back of the Head, Hold the Moon to the Bosom = Cover Body Palm

Posture Names

Opening

Lean on the Horse, Ask the Road Directions.

Flower Hides Under the Leaf

Duck Flock Flies Out

Road 1

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Duck Flock Flies Out

Road 2

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Savage Tiger Coming Out ofthe Pass

Colorful Rooster Shakes its Wing

Remove the Flower, Link the Wood

Lift the Helmet From the Back of the Head

Hold the Moon the the Bosom

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Duck Flock Flies Out

Road 3

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Falcon Shooting into the Sky

White Snake Wraps Around The Body

Hold the Moon Against the Bosom

Fairy Lady Offers the Book

Tai Shan Sitting On Your Top

Black Bear Turns Around

Wong Yin (yellow bird) Plays with the Wing (Left)

Wong Yin (yellow bird) Plays with the Wing (Right)

Ape Monkey Picks the Fruit

Ape Monkey Sitting at the Back of the Cave

Unicorn Spits Out the Book

Flying Swallow Skips the Water

Hold the Moon Against the Bosom

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Duck Flock Flies Out

Road 4

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Colorful Rooster Shakes its Wing

Remove the Flower, Link the Wood

Take the Helmet From the Back of the Head

Sil Chuen (a dangerous road) covered in fog

Colorful Rooster Shakes its Wing

Remove the Flower, Link the Wood

Take the Helmet From the Back of the Head

Black Dragon Wraps Around the Waist

Running Horse Alive and Grabbing

Walking and Straightening Out the Garments

Push the Mountain and Dive into the Sea

Bat Landing on the Ground

Flying Swallow Skipping the Water

Hold the Moon Against the Bosom

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Road 5

Ape monkey steals the fruit

Ape monkey offers the fruit

Big eagle spreads its wings

Crossing block

Walk and pull the garments

Wipe out completely ten thousand armies right

Wipe out completely ten thousand armies left

Falcon turns around

Colorful rooster fighting

Hold the moon against the bosom

Flower hiding under the leaf

At the end of the first repetition, perform Ape Monkey Steals the Fruit.

At the end of the second repetition, perform Duck Flock Flies Out.

Road 6

Purple Swallow Throws the wing

Unicorn Watches the Moon

(similar to Close the Door, Push the Moon but with a temple block and a low strike)

Sky King Lifts the Tower

(similar to Fairy Lady Offers the Book but with a more emphasized lift component)

White Snake Spits Out Tongue

Savage Tiger Comes Out of the Pass

Colorful Rooster Shakes its Wing

Remove the Flower, Link the Wood

Take the Helmet from the Back of the Head

Hold the Moon against the Bosom

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Duck Flock Flies Out

Road 7

Lion hold the ball

Lion roll the ball

Lion pounce on the ball

Lion opens its jaws

Lion lifts the ball

At the end of the first iteration, repeat Lion Hold the Ball. At the end of the second iteration, execute Sky Horse Walks in the Air.

Road 8

Sky horse walking in the air

Draw the bow while riding the horse

Golden snake wraps around the willow

Horse breaks through the stable

Golden snake wraps around the willow

Horse breaks through the stable

Liew Ocean plays with the locust bug

Big Snake Turns Over

Black Bear Thrusts Under

Savage tiger coming out of the pass

Colorful rooster shakes its wing

Remove the flower link the wood

Take the helmet from the back of the head

Flower hiding under the leaf or close

Note that to repeat, Flower Hiding Under the Leaf Transitions to Sky Horse Walking in the Air.

Pa Kua Chiang Chuan Form Explanation

Opening

Begin in standing position, feet together, hands at sides.

Lean on the Horse, Ask the Road Directions.

Step out to right flat-footed empty stance, lifting right hand to shoulder height palm up, placing the left hand palm up in the right elbow fold.

Flower Hides Under the Leaf

Hooking step forward with the rear foot, shifting the hands so that the right hand is thumb down palm out, centered in the chest at shoulder height and the left palm is directly beneath it, palm up and centered at the navel. Head and shoulders face away from the circle on a perpendicular tangent.

Duck Flock Flies Out

Pivot back in to the corcle to the right flat footed empty stance. The left hand lifts up and chops down to shoulder height in Pa Kua Palm. The right hand pushes to the left side so that the index finger is beneath the elbow. Waist and shoulders are 45 degrees tangent to the circle, eyes gaze into the center of the circle.

Road 1

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Walk the circle in a counterclockwise direction as in Back Body Palm, pronating the upper hand extremely and circling it as in cloud sword in a clockwise fashion in the horizontal plane. After an odd number of steps hooking step with the rear foot to face the center of the circle.

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Step into a left equatorial stance on the circle, pushing the upper palm out at chest height. Palm is forward, fingers horizontal, forearm and elbow are perpendicular. The lower palm strikes forward in the cernter of the body at groin height, palm out and fingers down.

Flower Hides Under the Leaf

Hooking step with the rear foot and pivot to face away from the center of the circle.

Duck Flock Flies Out

Right hand now chops and left hand pushes in a left flat footed empty stance.

Repeat on opposite side, walking the circle in a clockwise direction.

Road 2

Begin in right flat-footed empty stance, left hand chopping to the center of the circle.

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Savage Tiger Coming Out of the Pass

From the left equatorial stance, push the right hand down the center to groin height and finger thrust with the left hand to shoulder height as in Double Change Palm. Turn the left toes out as you step to a right equatorial stance.

Colorful Rooster Shakes its Wing

Turn the front toes in and face away from the circle, dropping to a tiger stance. Push down with the right hand to waist height and palm strike parallel to the extended leg with the left hand, thumb down.

Remove the Flower, Link the Wood

Turning the left palm up and lifting above head height, turn the left toes onto the circle and shift to the left equatorial stance.

Lift the Helmet From the Back of the Head

Hooking-step with the right foot to standing position, thrusting the right hand under the left armpit. Dropping the left hand palm up to the right shoulder, circle the right hand as in Cover Body Palm in a horizontal clockwise arc through its full range of motion.

Hold the Moon to the Bosom

When the right hand has completely orbited the head, step out to a left equatorial stance and strike with the left radius as you pull the right hand to the right hip, facing the center of the circle

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Hooking step with the rear foot and pivot to face away from the center of the circle.

Duck Flock Flies Out

Right hand now chops and left hand pushes in a left flat footed empty stance.

Repeat on opposite side, walking the circle in a clockwise direction.

Road 3

Begin in right flat-footed empty stance, left hand chopping to the center of the circle.

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Falcon Shooting into the Sky

Hooking step right and pivot to a horse stance, back to the center of the circle. Thrust the right hand straight up, pronating the wrist extremely, while pushing the left palm down to the tan tien.

White Snake Wraps Around The Body

Twist to the left high lotus stance, bringing the left hand, palm out to the small of the back and circling the right hand to the left shoulder.

Hold the Moon Against the Bosom

Step back left to the left equatorial stance, striking with the left radius, as the right hand pulls to the right hip palm down.

Fairy Lady Offers the Book

Turn the left toes out and step out to a right equatorial stance while sweeping the right hand palm up to shoulder height and bringing the left hand back to guard the left shoulder, thumb down and palm out.

Tai Shan Sitting On Your Top

Twist back to the left high lotus stance while circling the right hand over your head, leaving the left hand at the shoulder.

Black Bear Turns Around

Step the right foot forward and pivot to a horse stance facing the center of the circle while striking down with both palms to the flanks of the body.

Wong Yin (yellow bird) Plays with the Wing (Left)

Sweep the hands in opposing circles as in Return Body Palm, pivot to a left equatorial and strike with the right palm as it passes under the left arm

Wong Yin (yellow bird) Plays with the Wing (Right)

Turn the left toes out, step to a right equatorial and strike with the left palm as it passes under the right arm

Ape Monkey Picks the Fruit

Form sword fingers with the left hand and pivot 180 degrees by shifting to a right empty stance, step out left and finger thrust to a left equatorial stance

Ape Monkey Sitting at the Back of the Cave

Shift back to a left empty stance, bringing the sword fingers to theleft shoulder. Supinate the left hand extremely.

Unicorn Spits Out the Book

Out- tep left then step right to a right rooster stance, pulling the right hand to the waist palm down and lifting with the left palm up.

Flying Swallow Skips the Water

Step back down to right tiger stance and finger strike with both hands, palm up. It’s like carrying a water glass in your palm and rotating your elbow without spilling the water.

Hold the Moon Against the Bosom

Pivot to a left equatorial stance and strike with the left radius as the right hand pulls to the right hip, palm down.

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Hooking step with the rear foot and pivot to face away from the center of the circle.

Duck Flock Flies Out

Right hand now chops and left hand pushes in a left flat footed empty stance.

Repeat on opposite side, walking the circle in a clockwise direction.

Road 4

Begin in right flat-footed empty stance, left hand chopping to the center of the circle.

Purple Swallow Throws the Wing

Close the Door, Push the Moon

Colorful Rooster Shakes its Wing

Drop to a left tiger, your back to the center of the circle, left hand at left hip, striking with the right palm along the line of the extended right leg with fingertips facing down.

Remove the Flower, Link the Wood

Lift with the right palm above the head to a right equatorial stance.

Take the Helmet From the Back of the Head

Hooking step with left foot, thrust the left hand under the right and circle it counterclockwise in the horizontal plane to the left through its full range of motion as in Cover Body Palm. Sweep the left hand behind the back, left palm facing out at the base of the spine.

Sil Chuen (a dangerous road) covered in fog

Step back to a left equatorial and pull down to a left equatorial stance, palms in the center of the body at the tan tien, palms down.

Colorful Rooster Shakes its Wing

Drop to left tiger

Remove the Flower, Link the Wood

Lift to a right equatorial stance.

Take the Helmet From the Back of the Head

Hooking step with left foot and Cover Body Palm with the right palm facing out at the base of the spine and the left hand sweeping through its full range of motion.

Black Dragon Wraps Around the Waist

Turn to the left empty while bringing the right hand behind the back and the left hand extended in temple block position.

Running Horse Alive and Grabbing

Step out right and finger thrust up to shoulder height with right hand, pushing down with left to a right equatorial stance. Both hands in the center line of the body.

Walking and Straightening Out the Garments

Drop to a right tiger stance with the right hand at the waist, palm down and left hand extended above the extended leg at shoulder height palm facing forward and fingers down.

Push the Mountain and Dive into the Sea

Turn the left toes out as you shift up from the tiger. Circle the left hand and lift above the head as you step forward and strike with the right palm to a right equatorial stance.

Bat Landing on the Ground

Shift back to a right empty stance and set up by placing the left hand in the right elbow joint, palm up. Step behind with the right foot and drop to a left seated lotus stance and finger strike from the inside out.

Flying Swallow Skipping the Water

Shift to right tiger stance, both arms fully extended and wrists pronated to their fullest.

Hold the Moon Against the Bosom

Sweep the right hand overhead to the left shoulder and strike with the left radius to a left equatorial stance while pulling the right palm to the right hip, palm down.

Flower Hiding Under the Leaf

Hooking step with the rear foot and pivot to face away from the center of the circle.

Road 5