Where to begin with Baguazhang?

[Anonymous]

Where to begin with Baguazhang (chinese: 八卦掌) training? Of course there are a lot of additional sport activities that are needed for this martial art but places to train them can easily be found. There is a problem with just Baguazhang itself. it is very hard to find any info about clubs or something that offers trainings training of this fight style (after some deep search online, found just few websites like this one: https://zoptamo.com/s-baguazhang-c-us but it says “no places to display” Location is Chicago, can anyone provide info on club with Baguazhang?

[Anonymous]

Here’s a bunch I found on Google…

https://www.hsing-i.com/g-l/
http://www.pa-kua.com/regular.htm
http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56131-Baguazhang-Pakuachang-in-Chicago

No idea if they are any good.

[Anonymous]

The biggest way to begin is dipping your toe in and starting something small (that you can return to, and ‘digest’ .. as its a developmental thing more than a few lessons)..

I’d say that many presentations out there don’t have the ‘internals’ that I am interested in (but that is me).. if you want more of a physical movement sparring activity, that is different than more inner “work” (if you are in the wrong place it might be good-stuff, but not what you are looking for.. so what would it ideally look like? lots of one-on-one practice? One against many drills? -more out-of-control immersion, or structured clarity in what to do.. .or do you seek that “internal power” -whatever that is.. ? which of those would require finding a different school-method.. (even if you travel for a weekend, or even a day, and then return home to practice and then travel again.. that is again depending on what you find).
(it is trendy to say that is metaphor, or “there is no chi.. its a feeling… ” ok- what does that mean, “qi is something you feel” ok so a feeling is something you feel? how is that more clear?
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you might consider (since you are in Chicago) G. Clyman, school on N. Green St… it doesn’t teach “Bagua” but TaiChi.. but emphasis on the internal-dynamics (neigung) which than a basic shape of Bagua, or a standing basis can be held-worked.. with that Energy… and the two will combine and mix/reveal.. (http://chikung.com/)

for a very movement (sparring drills) focus (consider travelling to Mike Patterson, or one of his students.., or if there is a Nine Dragon Bagua (John Painter school, or one of his students)
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Hopefully you already looked at this link: http://www.energyarts.com/instructors/taichi-qigong/usa/il
which has three listed- again explicitly mentioning TaiChi..but each can present many Internal component (movements and alignments, and access-pts to energy) which then can be put into a form/shape (stance, or whatever style- like 8 diagram)..

(I’d recommend checking out info and comments by Jess&Issac- they’re BayArea~SanFran,Berkeley,Oakland CA area, but have events, may travel? ,[ http://www.watertradition.net ]
or others in CA or elsewhere- browse the instructors list (as well as you ‘might’ find much value digging-deep into some forum postings, comments that have aged a bit.. on this site- like where this comment is.
…………..
many thing I’d watch, how many videos and style “look like” (or actually teach, as it can be confused) a twisted spine.. the hand in the center of circle not pointing to your side (in line with your shoulder line) but more to the front (depending upon your opening-up and the style).. and also the 70%,,
*it seems it would be good to visualize (and thus push/mold into a shape, to an outer-standard), but rather just a slight stretch reaching, from where you “are” a bit closer.. then when you open-up into the shape you will eventually get into proper shape (Bagua, or HsingI or TaiChi or whatever) and it will be natural and aware.. (if you just “put yourself” move-here…
then you won’t ever get to aware-presence and free-movement, until you go back to the foundation again.. ugh- two-steps back and all that…— so many classes, its tempting, want to present and show/share.. (this is how the form should look- they pull and turn you.. “all the way”… maybe ok just to feel for a sec.. but then back WTF-off and be in 70% (step-by-step)… I’d read the pages on this website.. about all 3 (bagua, also HsingI and TCC, even the Qigong pages) http://www.energyarts.com/bagua-zhang
many tidbits there (and in blog posts below

— also have you watched Bruce’s YouTube videos? “ALOT” of info on those free videos… but be overwhelmed but can sample slowly..
(but you don’t get the social-refinforcment of follow-along and part of the group, I realize.)

cheers (above is just from my perspective, which returns to the first pt, as many have different significants, and thus give alternative significance to important elements).. –its not as common as it might seem, or that one may like (to find a club in each town that teaches BaguaZ that gives you stomething.. vs just something called that).. again all disclaimers, and only one poss view..

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