Resources

Here are some terms used in this website.

Terms in Chinese, with possible translations

The MaGui bagua system is being taught worldwide. We need to be able to talk to each other, so it is best if everyone learns the Chinese words for the basic techniques. Here are some, I don’t put in long definitions for the techniques that have been described fully on this website, just go to the relevant pages.

Baibu: Baibu stepping is a turn-out step, a hook-out step. Peel away step is probably a better translation, especially in MaGui style, since the foot is often not actually hooked out, but the line of action is going out. Koubu: Koubu stepping is a turn-in step, a hook-in step. Mabu: Mabu stance is a horse stance. In MaGui style, this is often also a ‘horse stance feeling’ as well as a full horse stance. Fali: putting full, fast power into a technique. In MaGui style, this is done with whole body connected strength.

Bengshou: snapping hand. Chuanzhang: threading palm, spearing palm. Daishou: dragging palm. Dian: dotting, a dropping stab, usually done with a tipped weapon. Fanbeichui: backfist. Gaizhang: covering palm. Gua: hook, a large catching action, not necessarily grabbing. Gou: hook, a catching action, not necessarily grabbing. Kaizhang: opening palm. Lan: a circular trap. Liaozhang: slicing up palm. Pizhang: chopping palm. Qiezhang: cutting palm. Tazhang: compressing palm, collapsing palm. Tanzhang: reaching palm. Tan-chuan: tanzhang and chuanzhang alternating in full integration. Tiaofa: scoop up, combined with a strike. Tui: push, a full arm extension coming from the rear foot. Xiaozhang: slicing palm. Yazhang: pressing palm. Yanzhou: elbow trap, or an elbow strike down. Yezhang: inserting palm. Yun: brandish, ‘cloud’, to the side, usually defensive, but can be slashing with a blade. Za: pound, a downwards strike or covering action. Zhuangzhang: shoving palm, ramming palm.

Mabu feeling. Every stance in MaGui bagua is a mabu or a mabu feeling. Mabu is the only stance that enables the whole body to connect. Mabu: feel parallel, not too far apart, well sunk into the hip joints so thighs are almost parallel to the ground. Ban mabu (half mabu): leading foot turned in the direction of the strike, well sunk into the hip joints same as mabu. Turned mabu, smooth stance: leading foot turned in the direction of the strike, the stance higher (similar to but not identical to santi stance). Some techniques are done in what looks like a santi stance. But a santi stance usually aligns the striking arm (the leading arm) with the midline. MaGui bagua turned mabu aligns the striking arm with the leading leg – on the line of a mabu. Open mabu: leading foot turned and slightly off the straight line, allows the body to be more comfortable when striking with the rear arm. Some techniques are done is what looks like a reverse stance. But a reverse stance usually aligns the striking arm (the rear arm) with the midline or rear leg. MaGui mabu feeling aligns the striking arm with the leading leg – on the line of a mabu. Close mabu: rear foot very close to the leading foot, both turned in the direction of attack. A good example is tanzhang, often done in this stance. Front ’empty stance’ mabu: leading foot weightless but not empty, rear leg well sunk.

Here is something that I wrote about our training

Training Outside: Seasonal Training, by Andrea Falk

I train in Canada, which means long sub-zero winters, but I still am a firm believer in training outside. Each season changes the body and mind in a different way if you are outside in the weather. In the summer the heat helps your tendons and ligaments to loosen up. Everyone can feel this when they train in heat. The Chinese theory is that there is a connection between the tendons/ligaments and sweat, liver, and your spirit. When you open up the tendons/ligaments then you can open up the blood and qi, the liver, and the spirit. The reverse is also true, so if your qi or spirit is weak, you can help build them up by opening up the physical body. Sweating a lot helps you to do this, which is why the summer is best for loosening and opening up the body. In the summer you can safely practise the larger movements and work on flexibility. In the autumn the tendons/ligaments start to feel stiff with the cold, but the qi starts to flow strongly. You can still practise the summer movements, but you have to be careful to do a full warmup with circle-walking plus slow careful movements. You might hurt your tendons/ligaments if you go straight to fali techniques, even though you were able to do that just a month ago. In the winter, the Chinese theory is that training in the cold helps strengthen your tendons/ligaments and bones. As a Canadian, I also think that training in cold air strengthens your qi and spirit. In the winter you should do lots of circle-walking to develop your qi and strengthen your tendons/ligaments and bones.  Fali movements (once you are well warmed up) are very strong in the winter. Also, nothing makes you prouder of your training that getting out there while others are cowering at home. In the spring we get excited about training, coming out of a long winter of circle-walking. We can break out into the fancy movements.  The feeling of replenishment and joy that comes with the spring spills over into training. If you train indoors in the same conditions all the time, you don’t stress your body in different ways, so it will not change as effectively. Aside from the tendons/ligaments/qi theory, if you are always doing the same workout you will go stale and possibly get bored. If you do not change the stresses on the body it will adapt and no longer change. If you allow the seasons to naturally change your training plans then the body will need to adapt. It is the body’s adaptation between training sessions that changes it, and training is all about changing your body. You don’t need to cross-train or find something else to do, since your actual workout and the feeling you get from the workout is never quite the same. Quebec, QC, Canada