Zhu Baozhen – Yin Style Bagua Baguazhang Complete Series

Master Zhu expresses in this collection a rare quality of transmission from an authentic master of  Baguazhang, Zhu Bao Zhen at 77 shows great skills and power his perfect movements of Baguazhuang. The effectiveness of Yin style, sometimes called “Soft style” due to its more straightforward use of martial art power in comparison with Cheng style for example. Zhu illustrates very well this with a very effective internal power in his movements and interesting martial applications embedded in the Eight Palms.Baguazhang was first heard in around 1860 when Dong Haichuan was in Prince Su palace. Traditional Baguazhang includes the double principle of Using Movement as basis and Changes as method. Technical principles include Circle walking, Turning, Spiraling, Twisting, Enwrapping, Drilling and Overturning.Yin Fu was one of his top disciple and create his tyle , the Yin style of Baguazhang.1. Fixed Position Eight Palms.These Fixed Position Eight Palms are considered as one of the most important basic training of Baguazhang defined by the creator Dong Haichuan himself. These Fixed Position Eight Palms  were called also Turning Palms, they include: 1) Downwards Collapsing Palms, 2) Lifting Sky Palm, 3) Sky and Earth Palm, 4) Embracing Palm, 6)  Supporting Palm, 7) Holding Palm and 8) Yin Yang Palm. 2. Twelve Linking Kicks.Further basis of Yin style BGZ: Zhu Bao Zhen introduces here the most important basic characteristicst of Yin style concerning hand shapes, stances and basic footwork. Very clearly he presents inside the main hands shape (especially the Ox Tail concept). Throughout  the 11 stances, some interesting concepts are also exposed such as toes/hips or the Three basins.  The final part concerns the 12 Linking Kicks as warm-up but also their applications in combat.3. Eight Fixed Palms Combat Applications.The essence of Yin Baguazhang fighting techniques are presented here from Eight Fixed Palms applications organized into three main categories: 1) Obvious techniques, 2) Hidden Techniques and 3) Changing techniques. Each category becoming more subtle and unpredictable than its previous one: 3) being the core of Baguazhang fighting concept of constant change and adaptation according to the combat situation.4. Yin style Baguazhang Eight Palms Fighting Applications. As a martial art, Yin style Baguazhang has it own distinctive fighting techniques. In this DVD, each (Old) palm will be first presented followed by  the fighting applications for each movement. Each technique will be presented  regarding their proper usage in combat situation. Explanations will be accompanied by a demonstration of the technique, done in real fighting speed and slowmotion.5. Baguazhang Basic Performance Set. In traditional Baguazhang the real aim is fighting therefore  there are no performance sts. Each movement in each palm chnage contains many fighting applications and are generally trained only for that purpose. Training is done while walking the circle and the movements are perform,ed  in a continuous , flowing manner  – leading to the name of Baguazhang “Continuous” Palms.The Baguazhang performance routines that are widespread today are a development of the 1960s, created by using Baguazhang movements to compose performance routines  that emphasize  beautiful movements and fits the technical criteria used by Chinese Wushu Forms Judges.This Basic Performance Set is mainly composed of movements from the Eight Fixed Palms (DingShiBazhan) set, as well some of the simpler Palm and kicking techniques from other palm changes. It contains a total of 62 movements.  It is performed while walking the circle and is a simple routine to learn for those with some background in the basic palm changes. 6. Baguazhang Advanced Performance Set.In traditional Baguazhang the real aim is fighting therefore  there are no performance sts. Each movement in each palm chnage contains many fighting applications and are generally trained only for that purpose. Training is done while walking the circle and the movements are perform,ed  in a continuous , flowing manner  – leading to the name of Baguazhang “Continuous” Palms.The Baguazhang performance routines that are widespread today are a development of the 1960s, created by using Baguazhang movements to compose performance routines  that emphasize  beautiful movements and fits the technical criteria used by Chinese Wushu Forms Judges.This Advanced  Performance Set is composed from of Yin stle Baguazhang palms and its kicking techniques., with a a few movements from Cheng and other styles of Baguazhang that were selected for their aesthetic qualities, creating a form that has both hard and soft characteristics. This is very beautiful when performed correctly, but its movements are quite complex and difficultt. There are 68 movements in total; movements characteristics are:  moving in four directions and attacking in eight, straight movements that contain a curve, circles withing circles, straight movements within circles and continuous, flowing change between them. All the ingredients to bring out the unique falvour of this martial art. 7. Bagua Spear Performance Set: Ti Lu Qiang. In Yin style Baguazhang the study of Spear should include the Eight Old Spear and Performance Sets.In this Performcance Set known as Ti Lu Qiang (as distinct from the Double Headed Spear Set) and is unique to Yin style Baguazhang and is the only  original and traditional performance set.This traditional set was created by Yin Fu himself during his time in the Royal Palace and was later passed down by his student “Iron Elbow” Li Yongqing. This set has its very own flavor, with continuous and versatile changes as well as subtle martial applications. When performed correctly it should give the impression of a dragon dancing in the wind, with beautiful and unpredictable changes. 8. Bagua Spear (Eight Old Spear). Bagua Eight Old Spear was created along the same principles as the Eight Palms Changes, with a number of spear techniques composing each spear change.The Eight spear changes are: 1) dan Huan Qiang, 2) Shuang Huan Qiang 3) Shun Shi Qiang 4) Zhuan Shen Qiang 5) Fan Shen Qiang 6) Hui Shen Qiang 7) Bei Shen Qiang 8) Mo Shen QiangIt perpetuate the principle of martial weapon extending the arm of the practitioner. When reaching a sufficient level, the specific flavor of his boxing style, the multiple changes of  the set performed but also corresponding the martial applications give  then an exquisite impression of martial and artistic achievement.