These are the fundamentals of Ma Gui Baguazhang. This flow chart follows the traditional organization by animal. Each animal has a circle-walking method, eight mother palms (and their variations) and different versions of a variety of techniques within it.
The most fundamental training is circle-walking. Please refer to the circle-walking basics page for the methods held in common. Each animal or model will add a special element, but the fundamental circle-walking will remain the same.
The techniques have their own essence and their own variations in practice drills. There are some variations when combined with different animals, and these are described within each technique.
All methods and techniques work on at least the two levels of applications and health. If you have a problem in the body, it shows up when you do a technique badly. So by getting the technique perfect you can correct the problem in the body. In this style we believe that the methods are not difficult, we just have problems doing them because of problems in the body. So whatever method we do, we do it naturally, and wait for the body to change to be able to do it. This is one reason why we use big movements. In this way you use martial techniques to develop health, and use health to improve martial techniques.
Never forget when doing the moves that they are based on holding the qi and blood. Full qi/blood allows the tendons to change, which enable the moves to become strong and perfect. Do not train hard to get the moves strong without this support of feeling full qi/blood. In order to let the qi/blood become full we try to collect the body by relaxing, emptying the chest and settling into the legs, always keeping centered and upright. When you can hold the qi/blood stable when moving then you can easily change the tendons and bones. The benefit of this type of training is that it changes the weakest tendons first, and the body builds up gradually. Many sports and other activities only change the specific tendons that are stressed, often the strongest tendons, and the body, since it operates as a unit, is only as strong as its weakest tendons. Training the tendons and bones without the support of the qi/blood will give you temporary results and could hurt you.
Hand shape is the same for almost all technqiues. The palm is held in an ox tongue shape with the thumb open but hooked, to facilitate grabbing. The thumb tucks fully in for stabbing with chuanzhang. The thumb tucks towards the palm for wrist striking.
