1 Circle Walking Direction Change - Complete Footwork

7/28/2019 1 Circle Walking Direction Change - Complete Footwork

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BAGUA MASTERY PROGRAM; z - . ~

. , ~ ~ 1 1~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I, ~ ~ - - : ~1 1 1 . . ~ ...... ,__ __MODULE 7Circle Walking Direction Change:Complete Footwork

BRUCE FRANTZIS


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Copyright 2011 Bruce FrantzisAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording orotherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.Published by Energy Arts, Inc., P.O. Box 99, Fairfax, CA 94978-0099The following trademarks are used under license by Energy Arts, Inc., from Bruce Frantzis: FrantzisEnergy Arts system, Mastery Without Mystery, Longevi ty Breathing program, Opening the EnergyGates ofYour Body Qigong, Marriage of Heaven and Earth Qigong, Bend the Bow Spinal Qigong,Spiraling Energy Body Qigong, Gods Playing in the Clouds Qigong, Living Taoism Collection,Chi Rev Workout, HeartChi, Bagua Mastery Program, Bagua Dynamic Stepping System, BaguaInternal Warm-up Method, and Bagua Body Unif ication Method.

Editing: Heather Hale, Bill Ryan, Richard Taubinger and Caroline FrantzisInterior Design: Heather HaleCover Design: Thomas HeringtonPhoto and Illustration Editing: Mountain Livingston and Thomas HeringtonPhotographs by: Eric Peters, Bill Walters, Caroline Frantzis, Richard Marks and Catherine HelmsIllustrations: Michael McKee and Kurt SchultenImage Alteration: Lisa Petty, GiriVibe, Inc., Patrick Hewlett and Jodie SmithModels: Bruce Frantzis, Bill Ryan, Keith Harrington, Don Ethan Miller and Paul CavelPrinted in the United States of AmericaPLEASE NOTE: The practice ofTaoist energy arts and medi tat ive arts may carry risks. The informationin this text is not in any way intended as a substitute for medical, mental or emotional counselingwith a licensed physician or healthcare provider. The reader should consult a healthcare professionalbefore undertaking any martial arts, movement, meditative arts, health or exercise program to reduce the chance of injury or any other harm that may result from pursuing or trying any techniquediscussed in this text. Any physical or other distress experienced during or after any exercise shouldnot be ignored and should be brought to the attention of a healthcare professional. The creators andpublishers ofthis text disclaim any liabilities fo r loss in connection with following any of the practicesdescribed in this text, and implementation is at the discretion, decision and risk of the reader.


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Table of ContentsSection 1: Toe-in and Toe-out Steps ....... 9Overview ..................................................................... 9Variations ofToe-in and Toe-out Steps ........................................12

Yin-Yang Qualities of Toe-inand Toe-out Steps .....................................................12Benefits of Twisting and Spiraling ..........................14Health ..........................................................................14Chi Development ....................................................... 14Meditation ..................................................................15

The Importance of theBody's Centerline ..................................................... 17

Section 2: Toe-in Steps ......................... 19Overview ................................................................... 19

Instructions: Toe-in Step ......................................... 20Right Toe-in Step ...................................................... 20Left Toe-in Step ......................................................... 21

Eleven Basic Principles ........................................... 22Principle 1: Fifty, then Seventy Percent ................ 22Principle 2: Leg Alignmentsare Even and Unif ied ................................................ 22


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Principle 3: Do Not Collapse Any Joint ................. 23Principle 4:Move from Your Waist, Kwa and Foot ................... 23Principle 5:Roll or Tuck the Pelvis Forward .............................. 24Principle 6: Wrap the Pelvis andPosition the Tailbone Forward ............................... 24Principle 7: Shrink the Kwa ...................................... 26Principle 8: Spine Straight ....................................... 27Principle 9:Crown of Head over Center of Pelvis .................... 28Principle 10: Do Not Twist thePelvic Joints or Sacrum ............................................ 28Principle 11:Backs of Knees Remain Open ................................. 29

Five Stages of the Toe-in Curve ............................ 29Requirements for Increasing the Curve ................ 30Stage 1 .........................................................................31Stage 2 .........................................................................31Stage 3 .........................................................................31Stage 4 ........................................................................ 32Stage 5 ........................................................................ 32Important Points to Remember ............................. 33Intermediates ............................................................ 33Benefits of Larger Toe-in Steps .............................. 34Health and Chi ........................................................... 34Martial Arts ................................................................ 34Taoist Meditation ...................................................... 34

Direction Change Using Only Toe-in andStraight Steps ........................................................... 36


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Alternate Toe-in Method ........................................ 38Intermediates ............................................................ 39

Section 3: Toe-out Steps .................... .. 41Overview ................................................................... 42Three Toe-out Step Methods ................................. 42

Method 1: Hips Remain Forward,Only the Unweighted Leg Moves .......................... 42Variation 1:Hips are Stationary, Foot Steps Sideways ............. 42Variation 2:Hips are Stationary, Foot Steps Backward ............ 43Variation 3: Hips are Stationary, Unweighted LegRotates and Foot Moves Outward ......................... 43Toe-out Method 2: Hips RotateOutward, Carry Unweighted Leg ........................... 44Toe-out Step Method 3: CombineMethods 1 and 2 (Intermediates) ........................... 45For All Methods ......................................................... 45For All Methods (Intermediates) ............................ 45

Basic Principles ......................................................... 47Principle 1: Fifty, then Seventy Percent ................ 47Principle 2: Maintain Your Four Pointsand Other Core Alignments .................................... 48

Principle 3:Root Your Bodyweight through Your Legs .......... 48Principle 4:


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Maintain General Leg Alignments ......................... 50Principle 5: Learn and RealizeSubtle Knee and Thigh Alignments ...................... 52Principle 6: If Mud Walking,Focus on the Footbrake .......................................... 53Principle 7:Do Not Let Your Head Wobble ............................... 56

Loosen Your Leg and TorsoInterconnections ...................................................... 56

Toe-in and Toe-out Steps:Repetitive Practice Method .................................... 57

Section 4: Direction Change -Complete Footwork .............................. 59Overview ................................................................... 59

Review of Three-, Four- andTwo-part Stepping Patterns .................................... 60Three-part Stepping ..................................................61Four-part Stepping ................................................... 62Two-part Stepping (Intermediates) ....................... 62

Steps 1 and 2: Toe-in to Toe-out ...........................64Transition from Step 2 to Step 3:Toe-out to Straight Step ......................................... 65

Transition during Three-part Walking .................. 66Ideal Method .............................................................66Easier Option 1 .......................................................... 67


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Easier Option 2 ..........................................................68Transition during Four-part Walking ..................... 68Ideal Method .............................................................68Easier Options ........................................................... 69Finishing the Transitionduring Mud Walking ................................................ 69

Step 3: Straight Step ................................................ 71Complete Your Direction Change andContinue Walking the Circle .................................. 71

Practicing CompleteDirection Changes ................................................... 73Other Stepping Practices ....................................... 74

Section 5: Additional Considerations(Intermediates} .......... ......... .......... ........ 75Direction Change Steps 1 and 2:Toe-in and Toe-Out Steps ...................................... 76Finish Your Toe-out Step and Transition to YourStraight Step: Three or Four-Part Stepping ........ 78

Finish the Toe-out Step ........................................... 78Shift Your Weight Forward andTransition to Your Straight Step ............................. 79Shift Weight Fully to the Forward Foot ................ 79Move Forward to the Feet Side-by-Sideand Parallel Position ................................................. 81

Finish Your Toe-out Step and Transition to


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Your Straight Step: Two-part Stepping ................ 83Physical Considerations ........................................... 83Energetic Considerations ........................................ 86

Straight Step, then Curving Stepto Get Back on Your Circle ..................................... 88Protect Your Knees ..................................................89

Section 6: Alternative Direction ChangeStepping Methods ................................ 91

Appendix: Martial Arts Applications .... 95Toe-out Steps:Knee and Thigh Alignments .................................. 95Toe-in and Toe-out Footworkfor Martial Applications .......................................... 95

Offensive and DefensiveFighting Applications .............................................. 96A Step Is a Kick and a Kick Is a Step ....................... 97Toe-in Applications .................................................. 99Knee Locks, Throws and Foot Sweeps ............... 103Arms, Toe-in Round Kickingand Foot Sweeps ..................................................... 104Kicking without Arm Contact ............................... 104Kicking with Arm Contact ..................................... 106Hand Techniques for Counterattacks ................. 106


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Section 1Toe-in and Toe-out Steps

OverviewIn Circle Walking, the most important steps are those you take when changingdirection. This is the point at which you can most intensely experience the natureof change and the energies generated and released by change.Within the different bagua schools, there are many methods for stepping tochange direction. The direction change method presented in this program hasbeen used in the foundation Circle Walking practices of the monastic baguatradition for millennia, as well as in various martial schools. It is considered to bethe best method for developing expansive energy in the legs during mud walk-ing and facilitating chi flow to fully reach the toes.In Module 3, you learned a simple version of the initial steps of the completedirection change footwork, as illustrated in Figure 7.1.1

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2011 Bruce Frantzis-AII Rights Reserved.


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10 Bagua Mastery Program

A 8 c D E FFigure 7.1.1

Simple Version of Toe-in and Toe-out Steps1. Beginning Position (7.1.1 A): Feet are side by side and parallel with one

foot off the floor. This is where you will initiate a change of direction.2. Toe-in step (7.1.1 8-C): Known in Chinese as ko bu, in this step you turn

your torso from your waist and shrink into yourself toward your body'scenterline.3. Toe-out step (7.1.1 D-F): Known in Chinese as a bai bu, in this step you turn

your torso and/or your leg in a direction away from your body's centerline.Your toe-out step normally ends with a footbrake (not shown), followed byadditional steps that allow you to smoothly transition into Walking the Circlein the direction that you just turned toward. All of these steps make up thecomplete direction change method of the monastic bagua system.In Circle Walking, you can practice the toe-in and toe-out steps in a simplemanner as illustrated above. This method can allow you to turn one-hundredeighty degrees and walk in the opposite direction.The simple toe-in and toe-out steps shown can be compared to digging a hole



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Module 7: Circle Walking Direction Change-Complete Footwork 11

for a building's foundation. The complete toe-in and toe-out steps describedlater in this document for intermediates are more appropriately compared withpouring the concrete that completes the building's foundation. Part of thatfoundation will include a competent, well-qualified instructor teaching at leastthe most basic rudiments of opening and closing the joints and kwa.The complete turning footwork enables an intermediate practitioner to turnaround significantly more, say potentially as much as two-hundred-seventy tothree-hundred degrees, while staying rooted on one leg (see Figure 7.1.2).

A 8 (

Figure 7.1.2Intermediate Version of Toe-in and Toe-out Steps

When you reverse direction from walking counterclockwise around your circle toclockwise or vice-versa, you must do the physical movements that are describedin the Bagua Mastery Program well. Above and beyond that, a central goal is todevelop a smooth, calm state of mind throughout the reversal, starting duringthe transitional space of the last few steps before beginning the turn itself. Thisspace can be compared to the space between gear shifts in a stick-shift car. Itspurpose is to prepare, warm up and smoothly transit your body, mind and chi fordoing the next set of parallel yet opposite external and internal motions withinthe turn and steps that are to follow.



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Variations ofToe-in and Toe-out Steps

There are many different ways to do toe-in and toe-out steps. Different baguaschools usually emphasize particular variations. Some of these variations will bediscussed in the sections below.

Yin-Yang Qualities of Toe-inand Toe-out StepsThe fundamental quality of a toe-in step is its yin or energetically absorbingmotions. A toe-in step closes and creates inward yin spiraling movements of thearms.Conversely, the fundamental nature of a toe-out step is found in its yang orenergetically expanding qualities. The toe-out opens and creates outward yangspiraling movements of the arms.Toe-in and toe-out steps ultimately drive and amplify the physical twisting andspiraling actions of the arms and waist. Both steps emphasize the depth andpower of horizontal rotating, twisting and spiraling. Energetically, if the toe-intwisting ofthe legs is weak, then the inward twisting and spiraling actions of thearms cannot be strong. Similarly, if the toe-out twisting of the legs is not strong,then the outward twisting and spiraling actions of the arms can only be weak.



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BAGUA AND TAl CHI FULLY APPRECIATELATERAL MUSCULAR MOVEMENT

The internal arts of bagua and tai chi appreciate and engage lateral(i.e. rotational or horizontal) physical movement of al l parts of thebody. Both use lateral movement much more often than most West-ern sports or physical activities.Taoists recognize that in terms of health and physical training, themore common physical motions we perform each day should beemphasized at least as much as the more spectacular and dramaticones. In daily life, horizontal movements are crit ical to normalfunctioning, such as rotating the arms completely from side to side,unscrewing jars or turning car steering wheels. The legs also turnfrequently, for example, when walking and changing direction.People also turn their necks and heads from left to right.During an average day, we do these horizontal physical motions asleast as much and usually more than we use vertical motions-forexample, raising the hands well above the head or bringing a handover the shoulders to scratch a shoulder blade.Most Western physical training emphasizes large, physical, hyperextended and vertical bodi ly movements. These include the moredramatic vertical physical motions, such as ful l leg splits, bendingforward to touch the floor, bending over to put your head to yourknees or rolling your head in a fashion that gets close to touchingthe bottom ofyour neck.Without a balance of vertical and horizontal motion, people getback, neck and shoulder pain, which is widespread in the West. Thetwisting and lateral/horizontal physical motions inherent in thetoe-in and toe-out steps ofbagua-that also enhance the ability toturn, twist and spiral the arms and waist-are therefore immenselybeneficial to your long-term physical health. (ifl

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Benefits of Twisting and SpiralingBagua walking, especially when changing direction, consists of combinationsof toe-in and toe-out steps that cause the soft tissues of the legs, waist andupper body to repetitively twist strongly in and out, ad infinitum. Doing suchmovements allows you to "wring out" the body as you would a wet towel.

HealthTwisting motions within the body anatomically loosen and free what gets laterally stuck, speed up and smooth the interchanges of all bodily fluids, and increasethe brain's plasticity and energetic movement between the left and right side ofthe brain.

Chi DevelopmentAt the intermediate level, energetic spiraling can be applied to stuck energiesthat bind the progressive opening of the central channel.Inward-outward twisting can be used to open up the energies of both the etheric body and central channel by absorbing and projecting chi in both directionsbetween the central channel and etheric body's boundaries.Each inward-outward twist or spiral enables a tiny bi t of chi to store in the spine,internal organs and lower tantien. The cumulative effect, eventually via the bones,is that your body can link and seamlessly connect the chi of the bone marrow tothe central channel. The energies of each thereby mutually reinforce the other.Formartialapplications, see the Appendix on p. 95.



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MeditationThe alternating inward-outward twisting and spiraling motions of toe-in andtoe-out steps (and the way that they eventually generate the same spiralingactions in the arms and torso) are directly linked to various essential Taoistmeditation principles and spiritual practices. Every single time you performa toe-in or toe-out step, you have an opportunity to delve into actualizing theprinciples ofTaoist meditation, such as:

Experiencing and becoming consciously aware of your body'snatural internal light.

Finding stillness within movement and movement withinstillness as described in the Tai Chi Classics. This is ameditation quality equally taught in Buddhism and Lao Tse'sschool ofTaoism (i.e., the Water method). This stillness-movement principle is what allows the Heart-Mind to be utterlycalm, still and uncompressed while engaging in any form ofactivity. Regardless of content, from the slow and measuredto the hyper-fast multitasking of either physical, intellectual orCircle Walking activity, the Heart-Mind can be ever present.

Catalyzing the mind and spirit's ability to project, absorb,activate and bring clarity using the Inner Dissolving process.This can be applied to resolve and smooth out unbalanced ordistressed yin-yang emotions or mental or psychic states.

Overcoming internal paralysis or inertia. In order forcontinuous fluidity of physical movement to occur, you can'tfreeze, become paralyzed or otherwise succumb to any form ofinertia-even for a moment. Regardless if a movement derivesfrom a foot, hand, waist turn, leg twist or weight shift, it goesfrom here to there and back again.You must make your bodyful ly conscious. You must also be conscious of the quality ofyour mind and spirit. The Heart-Mind enables you to beconsciously aware ofwhat's actually happening from onemoment to the next without gaps.



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Enabling inf ini te space and clarity to exist within the mind. Atsome point you will transit to easily recognizing this as anatural ongoing perception that can be effortlessly maintainedwithout needing to exert any energy or focused attention. Thismight be compared to exerting effort andenergy to visualize the night sky with infinite stars whi le lockedin a room without windows. By standing outside at night, youcan simply relax and look at the sky without needing to add orsubtract anything in your mind.

You can read more about the Water method of Taoist meditationin the author's meditation series consisting of books and audiopresentations.The common polarizing yin-yang quali ty of the mind prevents space and clarityof mind. Most people alternate between contraction, tension and closing downwith being relaxed and feeling a sense of space. When you're stuck in a veryprimal conflicting yin-yang position, your inner being cannot be free.You can become free if you arrive at a non-dual state of awareness. In this space,yin and yang collapse into the unpolarized space from which any yin-yangdichotomy is born, including that of infini te spaciousness in the mind. You arriveat what Taoists call "tai chi;' which also happens to be the philosophical meaningbehind the term in the internal martial art of tai chi chuan.In this internal tai chi place, you can simultaneously be completely open to wherethe sense of internal spaciousness never disappears. You can then become freeof the paralysis or contraction generated by a yin or yang imbalance of emotion,thought, psychic states, karma or whatever.Bagua's regular and strong alternations between yin and yang, through the twisting and energetic movements of oe-in and toe-out steps, help loosen the depthsof your mind. First, so you can follow the interplay of yin and yang within your chiand mind. Then, so you can recognize what is stable and still within that interplayuntil you transcend yin and yang, and find tai chi within.



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Opening the body's central channel of energy is a necessary foundation forstabilizing movement within stillness and stillness within movement. The centralchannel is also complete space and as such essentially has to be still. It doesn'tgo anywhere and yet within that deep quiet, there is the simultaneous ability toallow everything within your mind to happen.

The Importance of theBody's Centerline

A B

Figure 7.1.3The Body's Centerline

(A) The hips are square and the four points are correctly aligned.(B) The centerline is straight from the perineum to the top of the head.



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A 8 (

Figure 7.1.4Maintain the Centerline and Four-points Alignments

The four points and centerline are maintained in the toe-in step (A),small toe-out step (B) and very large toe-out step (C).The body's centerline must be maintained when performing the toe-in and toeout steps. The location of your torso's centerline, from the bottom of your throatto your perineum, remains in alignment with your four points at all times (seeFigure 7.1.4 A-B).In the early stages of learning when your feet move relatively little, your noseshould also remain in line with your body's centerline. For intermediates whohave larger turns and movements, (as in Figure 7.1.4 C), your head may turn of fyour (facing forward) centerline as you learn to coil your body.



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Section 2Toe-in Steps

OverviewIn bagua, generally the toe-in step is essential to:1. Absorb energy into and down the body.2. Dissolve energies.3. Compress or shrink the body into a tiny ball.4. Make fast and tight inward turns.5. Perform defensive martial art techniques.

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Instructions: Toe-in StepRight Toe-in Step

A 8 cFigure 7.2.1

Toe-in Step with the Right Foot1. Beginning Position (Figure 7 2.1 A): After Walking the Circle with a three-,

four- or two-part step, you arrive at a feet side-by-side and parallel position,where your rear (left) foot is fully weighted and your forward (right) foot isweightless.

2. Figure 7.2.1 B: Step forward with your right foot and begin to curve yourleg and foot inward.

The left foot is still rooted. Horizontally fold your kwa, inwardly twist the muscles of your

right toe-in leg and curve your leg inward.



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3. Figure 7.2.1 C: Continue to circle your leg and toes toward your centerlineand put your foot down. There are two ways to firmly plant your toe-instep on the ground.

Easier method: While your foot is off the ground and aftercompleting your toe-in step's full curve, immediately put yourfoot down vertically.

More complete method: Use a footbrake step.4. For the footbrake step version, the lead foot is parallel to the ground during

the step's first 70 percent.5. During the step's final30 percent, the lead foot curves and extends slightly

more, touches the ground and breaks with the ball ofthe foot. At this point,the foot and entire side of your body immediately closes. This enables youto very stably grip the ground and turn your hips and waist very rapidly, asdesired.

Safety Notice: It is important when closing during the toe-in step that the jointsof your lead leg remain properly aligned and threaded, so the potential shock of yourfoot braking on the ground does not cause any shock to lodge along your leg, hip orspine. Instead, as your footbrake pulls or absorbs the force of the foot landing andbraking up your leg, hips and spine, so too does it harmlessly dissipate along thewhole of your back, arms to fingertips, and up your neck and out of the crown of yourhead.

Left Toe-in StepThe method for a left foot, toe-in step is a mirror image of the right toe-in stepas just described. When considering which leg is weighted or weightless, simplysubstitute left for right and r ight for left in the instructions.



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Eleven Basic PrinciplesThere are eleven important principles to remember in the complete toe-in step.The first two pertain to purely physical footwork of the toe-in step while the restequally pertain to the toe-in step's footwork and all other bagua steps (e.g., toeout and straight steps).

Principle 1: Fifty, then Seventy PercentThe soft tissues of your waist, lower back, buttocks, legs and feet must alleventually twist inward. Initially, practice the toe-in step to only fifty percent ofyour physical ability, avoiding overstrain of your body or mind. Over time, youwill increase the toe-in step to approximately seventy percent of your physicalcapacity.Nothing beats the advice of a well-trained, competent instructor when decidingwhen to increase your level ofeffort.

Principle 2: Leg Alignmentsare Even and UnifiedAlignments of the weight-supporting and weightless legs, fromthe spine down through the pelvis-kwa-knee-ankle-foot to thefloor, must be even and unified (see Figure 7.2.2). The weight ofwhat is above will then smoothly flow into and through what isbelow all the way to the ground. This must be done without overlystressing any single joint as an unbroken and unbent thread flowsthrough the center of each joint from the kwa to foot to floor.


Figure 7.2.2


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Principle 3: Do Not Collapse Any JointProlonged repetition of exercises with collapsed or misaligned joints canpotentially cause damage to the joints of lower body. For example, if the backof the front or rear knee in a toe-in step collapses, then over time the .knees canwear down or become overstretched.You can even tear the cartilage or ligamentsthat hold the knee together. This normally indicates the other joints are at leastsomewhat out ofalignment and not threaded through the centerofthe leg joints.

A 8

Figure 7.2.3Poor Leg Alignments: Knees Collapse

Principle 4:Move from Your Waist, Kwa and FootThe motivating force for the toe-in step must originate from the waist, kwa andfoot-not the knee.



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Principle 5:Roll or Tuck the Pelvis ForwardRoll or tuck the pelvis forward. This principle, along with the next two where youmove the tailbone forward and shrink the kwa, is called liu tun shi kwa in Chinese.It is composed of multiple interconnected parts, which should all be activatedsimultaneously. You start by tucking the pelvis forward and under your torso, butwith no muscular holding.

Principle 6: Wrap the Pelvis andPosition the Tailbone ForwardThe pelvis must gently and slightly roll or tuck forward in a relaxed way withoutforce. The tuck is accompanied by several simultaneous supporting actions:1. The buttocks should tuck under, spread and wrap forward horizontally.2. This he Ips the muscles and other soft tissues of the lower back and buttocks

to horizontally extend on both sides from the spine, unti l they wrap aroundthe body towards the front of the body's centerline. This will stretch thebuttock muscles and fascia forward in a clear curving motion.

3. As the buttock muscles stretch, relax them so eventually they have nomuscular tension. In this way, your buttock muscles will act like anextremely stable bowl or container that supports and strengthens yourspine.

4. The spinal vertebrae from the energy gate mingmen (located near thelowest lumbar vertebrae) to the tailbone, including the sacrum itself, mustbe slightly and gently stretched downward (Figure 7.2.4).



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\_ j_OiLFigure 7.2.4Mingmen

The tailbone must be directed slightly forward. Do not stick your buttocks back-wards or strongly arch your lower back to make it happen.

Figure 7.2.5Incorrect: Back Is Arched and Buttocks Stick Out



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Principle 7: Shrink the KwaVertically and horizontally (all the way to the spine) shrink the muscles of yourabdomen near your lower tantien as well as those of the entire front of yourpelvis below your pubic hair (see Figure 7.2.7). This shrinking action of the kwawil l naturally cause the anus (and testicles for a man) to close and lift slightly. Thispulls chi up your spine. The three main hinges (joints) of he pelvis must also closewhile the front of the body commensurately shrinks inward (see Figure 7.2.6).Do not use force on anypart of his exercise!

Figure 7.2.6The Front of the Body Shrinks Inward



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B A

cFigure 7.2.7

Three Hinges of the PelvisThe top of the pelvis attaches to the sacrum (A-B), a ring called thepubic symphasis connects the two bottom halves of your pelvis together (C).

Principle 8: Spine StraightThe spine, from ming men upward to the base of the neck, must be straight andnot curved. A lack of straightness could occur by strongly:

Arching your mid or upper back as is commonly seen in astandard military posture of arched back with chest raised.

Over curving the spine forward so the head juts forward and isnot centered over the pelvis (as in Figure 7.2.8).



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Figure 7.2.8Incorrect: Spine Overly Curves and Head Is Forward

Principle 9:Crown of Head over Center of PelvisIdeally, the crown of the head is directly centered over the middle of the bottomof the pelvis- neither ahead nor behind it.

Principle 10: Do Not Twist thePelvic Joints or SacrumThe pelvic joints and sacrum should not twist at all. Serious damage may occurif you twist these joints. Twist the soft tissues, but never the bones or cartilagedirectly. In all Taoist chi techniques, soft tissues should twist while hard tissues,such as bones, joints and vertebrae must not-ever. When they do, attachedligaments are at risk of becoming overstretched and weakened. This sets thestage for wearing down or tearing knee or other joint cartilage.



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Principle 11:Backs of Knees Remain OpenThe backs of both knee joints must remain open without collapsing. This releasesany locking within the knee joints that might be caused by the inward twisting orshrinking of the kwa. This also helps the tailbone point slightly forward.

Five Stages of the Toe-in Curve-g

A B ( D

Figure 7.2.9First Four Stages of Developing Your Toe-in Curve

The learning progression for the toe-in curve is done in five distinct stages. Witheach stage, increase how strongly you curve your curving leg and how far youcross over your other foot.Begin with the curve of your toe-in step being fairly small and gent le {Figure 7.2.9A). Eventually, you may arrive at a degree of curve and crossover that is very largeand radical {Figure 7.2.1 0).



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Figure 7.2.1 0Fifth Stage of Development of the Toe-in Step

When attempting to walk quickly, gentle angles make for slower and widerturns (Figure 7.2.9 A-8). More radical turning angles (Figure 7.2.9 C-D and 7.2.10)enable you to make faster and tighter turns.The more your toe-in step curves and crosses over your other foot, the fuller therange of your direction change can become. This wil l help you progress toward atotal turn of two-hundred-and-seventy degrees or perhaps even more.The toe-in step's leg moves by folding horizontally both sides of the kwa as thecorresponding muscles and soft tissues twist inward.

Requirements for Increasing the CurveThere are specific requirements for each larger degree of toe-in curve.



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A) Stage 1

Stage 1

B) Stage 2 C) Stage 3 D) Stage 4

Figure 7.2.11Toe-in Curve: Stages 1-4

Initially, it is sufficient for only the toes of your weightless toe-in foot to barelyreach the extended line of the big toe of your weighted foot, effectively formingan upside-down "L''with your feet (Figure 7.2.11 A).

Stage 2As your body loosens and the toe-in leg and heel move and curve yet more inward, your weighted foot finishes by bisecting your toe-in foot, making a "T"shape (Figure 7.2.11 B).

Stage 3As your toe-in leg and heel move and curve yet more inward (and to the side),finish where the toes of your weighted foot bisect the heel of the toe-in foot,creating a right angle (Figure 7.2.11 C).



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Stage 4As your toe-in leg and heel move and curve yet more inward (and to the side),your heel moves past the toes of your weighted foot into the empty spacebeyond i t-until your toes can go no further (Figure 7.2.11 D).Remember the seventy percent rule. Although an extremely thin and naturallyflexible pract itionermay be able to go this far from the outset, it s recommendednot to until the folding ofyour kwa and nward twisting ofyour hips and legs aredefinitively naturaland stabilized.

Stage 5The curving foot's toes point almost in theopposite direction as those of the weighted foot(Figure 7.2.12). This type of toe-in step enables thefastest and tightest possible turns. It also can extend your direction change range from one-hundred-eighty degrees to two-hundred-seventy tothree-hundred degrees or more-regardless ofthesize of your toe-out step.This type of toe-in is necessary to walk a very small Figure 7.2.12circle of four to six steps, as done by advanced Toe-in Curve: Stage 5bagua practitioners. This type of turn shouldonly be attempted by those receiving personalinstruction from a very knowledgeable bagua instructor.A person with thinner legs will find the toe-in leg crossing significantly easierthan someone with thicker legs.



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Important Points to RememberAs the angle of your turn increases:

Keep your four points aligned. As you progress through each stage, the folding and inward

twisting of your lower body must conform to the 50 and thenthe 70 percent rule.

Toe-in turning angles of more than ninety degrees will demand much greaterturning and torque of both your legs and waist.

For the best long-term results, only increase the degree of your turn by discreteincrements of a maximum of ten to fifteen percent. However, only do so aftereach new larger increment of folding and twisting becomes relaxed, smooth andcomfortable for a minimum of a month-then and only then should you go tothe next larger increment.

IntermediatesTo a certain degree, greater toe-in angles can be safely done purely throughgreater turning of the waist, leg twisting, closing of the leg joints and belly, andclosing and folding of the kwa. Final stages, however, should only be done byoriginating the turning from the central channel, which can smoothly release thesmaller and more deeply bound restrictions within the body's substructures.



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Benefits of Larger Toe-in StepsLarger, intermediate-level, toe-in steps can benefit you in several ways.

Health and ChiLarger toe-in steps increase the ability of your joints, cavities and spine to closemore strongly. They also enhance the ability to absorb chi into your physical bodyand central channel.

Martial ArtsLarger toe-in turns provide an essential skill for prevailing against multipleopponents. It makes your kidneys, spine, ribs and head a moving or spinningtarget. An opponent will find it difficult to land anything more than a glancingblow or cause more than minimal damage.

Taoist MeditationThe more powerful the toe-in step, the more efficiently it can bring your mind andspirit into your central channel from where you can more easily still the blockagesof your third to seventh energy bodies. This sets the stage for fulfilling the firsthalf of the principle, "from movement comes stillness and from stillness comesmovement:'Becoming deeply and internally still and silent comes from drawing your chi intothe central channel with the toe-in step. From deep stillness, the balancing actof movement is born and activated with the outward twisting arm movement ortoe-out step of Circle Walking that immediately follows.



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The author works on t he bagua second pa lm change wit h his main teacher,liu Hung Chieh, in his Beijing courtyard.



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A


B c D E F GFigure 7.2.13

Changing Direction Using Only Toe-in and Straight Steps

Direction Change Using OnlyToe-in and Straight StepsThe sequence above that continues on the next page shows how you can useonly toe-in and straight steps to change the direction of the circle. This is anexcellent practice to do whenever you wish to explore how toe-in steps affectyour body and mind.

Beginning Position (Figure Z2. 73 A): Feet are parallel.

1. Figure 7.2.13 8-C: Turn using a toe-in step and shift your weight.2. Figure 7 2.13 D: Turn your waist to create a 90-degree angle from where

you started.3. Figure 7.2.13 E: Bring your weightless foot side by side with your weighted

foot. Ideally, the bottom of your foot is parallel to the ground.


H


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J K L M N 0 pFigure 7.2.13 (continued)

Changing Direction Using Only Toe-in and Straight Steps

4. Figure 7.2.13 F-J: Do a four-part straight step toward the center of yourcircle.

5. Figure 7.2.13 K-L: Turn using another toe-in step and shift your weight.6. Figure 7.2.13 M: Turn your waist to face a 180-degree angle from where

you started as you bring your weightless foot beside your weighted foot.Ideally, the bottom of your foot is parallel to the ground.

7. Figure 7.2.13 N-0: Begin to walk the circle in the opposite direction fromwhich you started. Adjust the size of your steps and the curve of yourcurving step as is required to put you back on your original circle.


Q


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A 8 c D EFigure 7.2.14

Alternate Method for a Toe-in Step

In some bagua styles, practitioners end their toe-in step in the Single PalmChange and other palm changes with a pigeon-toed step (see Figure 7.2.1S).Ithas several dist inct components.1. From the forward-weighted position of a three- or four-part step (Figure

7.2.14 A), swing your unweighted hip, leg and foot in an arc through the aira short distance above the ground (Figure 7.2.14 B). Your body turns andyour weighted foot remains unmoved and rooted.Alternatively, this swinging arc may be done by first bringing your feetparallel and side by side.

2 As you continue this arc, your swinging leg opens in the hip joint in muchthe same way as a martial artist would do a roundhouse kick to someone'sshin or ankle (Figure 7.2.14 8-D).



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3. When the toes of your swinging foot have circled and come forward inspace as far as to be on a straight line with the toes of your opposite (left)foot, especially activate your waist and kwa to do a powerful closing action.

4. The lead foot curves inward in the manner of a foot sweep.5. You finish by bringing your leg and foot down with a footbrake in a pigeon

toed position (Figures 7.2.14 E and 7.2.15).

Figure 7.2.15Alternate Toe-in Step Method: Final Position

In this alternative, pigeon toe-in method, your feet will finish much wider apartthan in the first method.

IntermediatesIn terms of intermediate practice, the most important chi principles to beimplemented in the toe-in step are:

Inward twisting of the legs. Closing and absorbing energy into the kwa, joints, cavities,

spinal system, brain, all of the body's soft tissues, the bonemarrow of the legs and the central energy channel.



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Section 3Toe-out Steps

OverviewThe toe-out footwork technique is what distinguishes bagua from mostother martial arts. The two other martial arts commonly found in the West thatcopiously use the toe-out technique are the Japanese martial arts of ninjitsuand aikido. Bagua's toe-out step, however, can have a larger range of motionthan that found in aikido and as such it is very likely that practicing this baguatechnique can improve and add new dimensions and power to anaikido practitioner's techniques.Aikido has traces of and may have originated in part from themartial art of bagua. See the author's book The Power of InternalMartial Arts and Chi for more information.The two most common places the toe-out step is found in Western physicalculture is the turn-out step of ballet and martial arts.

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Three Toe-out Step MethodsA toe-out step is any step in which you move your toes away from your center-line. There are three basic ways to do such a step. All three start from a beginningposition of your feet being side by side and parallel, with one foot on the groundand the other off the ground (Figure 7.3.1 A).

Method 1: Hips Remain Forward,Only the Unweighted Leg MovesIn this method, your hips face forward and your unweighted leg moves out fromyour centerline in some way. There are three core variations of this method, whichcan be combined to create more complex variations.

Variation 1 Hips are Stationary, Foot Steps SidewaysStep direct ly to the side (Figure 7.3.1 B).

8 A

Figure 7.3.1Toe-Out Step Method 1: Variation 1



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Variation 2: Hips are Stationary, Foot Steps BackwardStep directly backward.

Variation 3: Hips are Stationary,Unweighted Leg Rotates and Foot Moves OutwardRotate your unweighted leg to some angle (Figure 7.3.2 A-C). For example, thestepping leg and toes may turn outward so they finish facing thirty degrees (Figure 7.3.2 A), ninety degrees (Figure 7.3.2 B), or beyond ninety degrees away fromthe body's centerline (Figure 7.3.2 C).

(

A 8 cFigure 7.3.2

Toe-Out Step Method 1: Variation 3

An acceptable toe-out step requires an angle at least thirty degrees from yourtorso's centerline. A forty-five to ninety degree angle exhibits normal flexibility.Any more than ninety degrees demonstrates exceptional flexibility and meansyou're on the road to being a potential bagua circus performer!



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Toe-out Method 2: Hips RotateOutward, Carry Unweighted Leg

D c BFigure 7.3.3

Toe-out Step: Method 2

A

A second method of doing a toe-out step from the beginning position is to turnyour hips away from your weighted leg without independently moving yourunweighted leg. Your hips carry your unweighted leg sideways or backward whilethe toes ofyour unweighted leg point in the same direction that your hips faceno matter how far you turn your hips-sideways or beyond.1. Figure 7.3.3 A: Begin with your feet parallel.2. Figure 7.3.3 A-B:Turn your hips outward to the side from 30 to 90 degrees

and carry your unweighted leg with them. Stay rooted on one foot. Rotate your hips and torso to turn to the outside. Maintain your four points. At all times, your unweighted leg and foot remain aligned with

your hips, so that your toes point continuously in the samedirection as your hips and centerline face (Figure 7.3.3 B).



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3. Figure 7.3.3 C-D: When you have finished turning your hips, then stepforward and footbrake.

As in all toe-out steps, it is imperative to keep your weighted rear leg's kneealigned with your kwa, ankle and foot.

Toe-out Step Method 3:Combine Methods 1 and 2(Intermediates)When you combine methods 1 and 2, you canachieve larger toe-out steps, even one-hundredeighty degrees or beyond. This method is an intermediate-level practice and requires excellentbalance, stable alignments and sufficient bodyawareness, as well as strong energetic connectionsthroughout your body.1. Figure 7.3.4 A: Begin with your feet parallel. One

foot is full or weighted. The other is slightly of fthe ground and is empty or weightless.

2. Figure 7.3.4 B: Stay rooted on your weightedfoot. Turn your hips and torso as far as you can

8 AFigure 7.3.4

and maintain proper knee alignments. In addition, move and turn yourempty leg and foot toward the direction you ultimately wish to face.

3. Finish with a foot brake or heel-toe roll of your foot to place it solidly onthe ground.

For All MethodsRegardless of the toe-out method you practice, as you turn outward and extendyour foot to begin a toe-out:



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1. No part of your lead foot-especially your heel-should move backwardtoward your rear rooted and supporting foot.

2. The toes of your lead toe-out foot should only move away from your torsoand from your weighted foot. Your toes should NOT come closer and thenmove away as you step.

This non-retreating step is necessary to fully open the upwardflow of energy from the earth, through your hips and up yourspine.

Intermediates: After the chi of your legs has opened, this rulemay be omitted, especially if stepping in very small circles orinitially retreating in martial applications before movingforward to close gaps of space between yourself and anopponent.

3. Your moving foot remains off the ground during the initial part of the stepbefore it sets down.

4. If you are mud walking, then your toe-out foot should remain flat andparallel to the ground. Your toes point neither up in the air or down to theground. Finish with a footbrake.

5. In heel-toe walking, your heel remains off the ground as you step forward.It extends slightly forward during the last inch or so for your heel to touchthe ground. After contact is made, roll the ball ofyour front foot downward(weight still on your rear foot) to brake your step.

6. In both mud walking and the heel-toe stepping, the stepping foot's toeslead your movement during the entire turn.

For All Methods (Intermediates)1. During the toe-out step, your belly, kwa and joints open.



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2. At some point during your turn, you must decide where your step willfinish. This might be anywhere from a 90- to 180-degree or more turn,depending on your flexibility and level of experience.

3. After you can twist your weighted leg thigh's soft tissues outwardly, nextfocus on horizontally twisting using all the muscles of the waist, legs, hipsand buttocks, thighs, calves and feet.

4. Maintain a stable feeling ofyour central channel as the motivating impetusfor your turn and use it to turn your waist. You should be aware of andmaintain the central channel's sense of a vertical axis running from thecenter of your head, down through your torso's center and ending at theperineum.

Basic PrinciplesPrinciple 1: Fifty, then Seventy PercentYour toe-out step should be done within your comfort zone. When doing atoe-out step, initially turn your leg and/or hips and torso to a maximum of fiftypercent of your physical ability. If you feel the turning causes twisting inside yourweighted knee joint or your spine, your body alignments are incorrect or you areturning too far.When you have become comfortable with and stable at your fif ty percent point,only then move to seventy percent of your capacity.Intermediates may explore eighty percent of their capacity when they reachsuperior condition.Only turning between thirty to forty percent of your capacity is indicated ifrecovering from a back, waist or leg injury.



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Principle 2: Maintain Your Four Pointsand Other Core AlignmentsAt all times during toe-out steps, you must keep your four points properlyaligned (see Figure 7.3.5). Likewise, maintain all the other alignments and pointspreviously mentioned, such as the straight spine, crown of the head connectingto the perineum, chest rounded and sunk, spine lifted, and turn from the waistand hips-not from the shoulders or head.

Principle 3: Aoot YourBodyweight throughYour Legs1. The rear leg, upon which all your weight

rests, should remain rooted and not moveor change its angle to the ground. Theimpetus of the toe-out turn best derivesfrom the opening and extension of yourforward foot's toes.

2. The soft tissues around the rear-weightedleg's thighs should twist.

3. Initially, the muscles ofyour rear-weightedleg can twist either outward or inward,depending on which gives you the moststability. Eventually, however, they shouldtwist outward.

lJ

A 8

Figure 7.3.5Maintain Your Four Points

4. The kwa, knee, ankle and foot on both sides ofyour body should be aligned,so that your weight cleanly flows (threads) through the joints of your legsinto the ground without obstruction (Figure 7.3.6). Without lowering your



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body physically, let your weight sink through each side of your kwa, andfrom there through your knees to your ankles and feet. The weight fromyour kwa should pass through the centers of your feet to the ground.

5. Your bodyweight should be primarily, andeventually entirely, centered over your rear-rootedleg. Yet you should not use your leg, hip or pelvicmuscles to hold any of that weight. Conversely,the forward lead leg should eventually becomeweightless or empty. With time and practice andas your chi becomes stronger and more connectedthroughout your body, your forward leg canbecome more and more weightless.

6. During a toe-out step, your weight must remainat least 70 percent, and eventually 100 percent,on the back leg and not be shared 50/50 (evenly)between both legs.

50/50 weighting will significantly impede the potential speed and smoothtransition of your turns.

Figure 7.3.6Bodyweight Flows

through the Legs tothe Ground

At high speeds, the excessive torque caused when the weightis evenly shared can harm the knees-even if you are very thin.

If your body type is larger or heavier than average, maintaininga clear separation of weight becomes even more important forthe safety of your knees, and speed and power in martial artsapplications.



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Principle 4:Maintain General Leg Alignments

A 8 cFigure 7.3.7

Toe-out Step: Correct Leg Alignments

1. Do not straighten your rear or forward knees or close the sit bones andperineum {Figure 7.3.8 A-C). The sit bones collapsing and/or perineumclosing can block the flow of chi between your legs and spine.

2. Your weighted leg, knee and foot should remain stable and aligned atall times {Figure 7.3.7). To ensure this happens, your weighted leg's kneeshould not collapse inward or displace outward. Either of these scenarioscan be potentially injurious, especially to your knees as well as your anklesand lower back. Heavier practitioners who have a greater potential ofdamaging or straining the anatomical substructures ofthe knee and lowerback should exercise caution.



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A B cFigure 7.3.8

Toe-out Step: Incorrect Leg AlignmentsA) Knee incorrectly collapses inward. B) Knee is incorrectly overlystraightened and locked. C) Knee is incorrectly locked.

3. The alignments of the weighted leg must not disconnect from each otheras your bodyweight comes to rest stably on the ground. Any disconnectionwill jam the free-flowing and natural space within your kwa, knee, ankleand foot.

4. If all the alignments are not maintained, the power of your waist twist caneasily bore directly into your knee, ankle joints or lower back, making themvulnerable to injury.

5. When turning your hips, be sure to unfold and open the kwa of theweighted leg as your weightless leg moves sideways. The weighted knee



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must align directly with the ankle, so that the unfolding and opening ofthe kwa takes the weight of the torso and NOT the knee.

6. The soft tissues around the weighted leg must twist, but not exert pressureon the inside of the knee joint itself. If so, you risk damaging the knee jointover time, as well as limiting your turn's potential speed.

7. To determine the size of your turn: the pressure exerted by your forwardweightless foot extending forward should not exceed 70 percent of theability of your weighted leg, hip and lower spine to carry your weight.Remember that when gauging your limits it is better to turn less, say toonly 50 percent of your capacity.

Principle 5: Learn and RealizeSubtle Knee and Thigh Alignments

Figure 7.3.9Maintain Subtle Knee and Thigh Alignments


..,___A


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1. Figure 7.3.9 A: Both knees must extend slightly forward from the kwa andhip, so the hip socket and pelvic bones can open.

2. Figure 7.3.9 A: The knees of both legs must maintain a minimum 20-30percent bend at all times.

3. Figure 7.3.9 B: Your thighs should feel as i f they're growing out ofyour spine.

4. Figure 7.3.9 C: The back of both of your knees stay open, which balancesinternal pressures and thereby protects the knee joints.

5. Figure 7.3.9 D: Your sit bones and perineum stay open, which maximizeschi flow between your legs and torso.

6. To stretch and extend the stepping leg forward: Gently tuck under your buttocks and do not move from your

shoulders or head. Open your sit bones. Clearly feel for a distinct stretch in the back of the knee.

Principle 6: If Mud Walking,Focus on the FootbrakeAs in a regular mud-walking step, the toe-out step also uses all the same rules ofa Circle Walking footbrake.

In its final1/2 to 2 inches of forward movement, the steppingfootbrakes your body's momentum and fully discharges yourchi.

Pressing the bubbling well point of your foot firmly into theground causes the foot to spread out and grab the ground withthe friction of contact. This completes the circuit of chi down toyour bubbling well point and toes.



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Make sure to do the foot brake in such a way that your energy completely releasesout your toes. The footbrake shouldn't generate a physical rebound force backupyour legs that can jam the joints of your feet, ankle, knee and hip or your lowerback. This same brake is applied in all bagua steps: toe-in, toe-out, straight, sideways and backwards.Several techniques culminate during the toe-out footbrake that can give you theability to change directions significantly faster and more precisely than wi th anyother kind of toe-out footwork.1. Pressing the bubbling well point on the ball of the foot causes an upward

energy surge that drives chi up your spine, to your fingertips. Thissignificantly energizes you and adds chi power to your arms.

2. The braking action steadies your balance. Without it, a slipping or rollingof your foot can destabilize you-even if only for a microsecond-andthereby interrupt your capacity to change fluidly and instantaneouslymove in any direction.

3. Pressing the heel down as you finish your footbrake makes your balancestable and powerfully rooted.

4. The footbrake enables you to, at the last millisecond of your step, changedirections by 5-degree increments within a very small diameter, such asthat of a large coin on the ground. This is immensely practical for eitherfighting multiple opponents, impressively moving around a dance flooror rapidly changing mind states of awareness during Circle Walkingmeditation.



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TWO ESSENTIAL SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE TIPS ,Two basic ground rules dictate the safety of the joints andmaximum performance during al l bagua footwork techniques,which are especially relevant to the toe-out step.First, the inside of any oint must never twist. Only the muscles,tendons, ligaments, fascia and other soft tissues surrounding thejoint can and should twist. That is unless you like pain, sufferingand giving your medical provider the money to buy their nextMercedes Benz. This is true of all the joints in your body and mostespecially the knees.Allowing your knee joints to twist can make them weak,ungrounded and unstable, and damage cartilage and ligaments.It can also cause secondary pressures that can potentially do thesame to your hips, ankles, lower spine and back muscles.Second, in all bagua warm-ups and footwork (and in al l styles of ta ichi), the pressure from the left and right kwa must directly align andgo through the arch of the feet in an unbroken line. If successful,this clean line causes your legs and spine to act like a well-funct ioning spring. This spring must take the weight of the upper body, anddirectly transfer it to the soles of both feet.Your body weight is not borne by the knee, which structurally ispoorly designed to bear weight. Instead, the knee is well-designedto transfer weight downward from the hips to the feet, which thenrelays the weight safely to the ground.As many are insufficiently educated in the realities ofsoundbiomechanics, there is a phrase that I ask my students to repeat tohelp them avoid knee injuries: "The knee is a weight-transferencejoint. It is not a weight-bearing joint. If I knowingly put weight onmy knees, I will mess myself up, and, knowing what I know now, willmost likely deserve what I get for being a wi lling masochist." ( : ~ ~ ~

, ~ ~ : ! 7


'

',,


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Principle 7:Do Not Let Your Head WobbleWhile turning, your head must not wobble or become loose from your spine. Thisis especially important for intermediates during fast Circle Walking. A wobbling,poor head-to-spine connection when executing rapid two-hundred-twenty-fiveto three-hundred-degree turns can easily cause you to become dizzy and losebalance.

A

Loosen Your Leg and TorsoInterconnections

B cFigure 7.3.1 0

Loosen Your Leg and Hip Interconnections

D

You may find that as you begin to do larger toe-out steps tension builds up inthe places where your legs connect to your torso. To help release this tension ortightness, finish a large toe-out step and maintain your weight rooted on the rearleg. Then, keep your spine straight and your four points stable while you:



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Look at your feet to make sure your legs are properly aligned(Figure 7.3.10 A).

Bend from the hips toward and then forward away from yourback leg, using whatever arm motions that you find helpful(Figure 7.3.1 0 B-C). Make sure that your weight remainscentered over your rear leg.

Bend your torso toward the outside of your lead legFigure 7.3.1 0 D) and then to the inside of it (not shown).

Repeat these steps as many times as you like.

Toe-in and Toe-out Steps:Repetitive Practice Method

Toe-in Toe-out Toe-in Toe-out

Figure 7.3.11Repetitive Toe-in and Toe-out Steps

It is advisable for beginners to practice a series of alternating toe-in and toe-outsteps over and over to develop these two primary Circle Walking steps. This is avaluable practice for those with extremely small apartments, such as the one inwhich I lived during my university days in Tokyo, Japan.



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1. Practice a toe-in step with one foot.2. Turn your waist to line up with that foot and bring your other foot side by

side with it.3. Practice a toe-out step with your other foot.4. Turn your waist and bring your rear foot forward to have your feet side-by

side and parallel.5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 over and over again. You will move around and

around in a circle.6. After 10 rounds or so, reverse direction and repeat steps 1 5.



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Section 4Direction Change:Complete Footwork

OverviewThe complete footwork of the Circle Walking direction change method presented in this program always consists of three key steps, regardless of your level ofskill or experience:

Toe-in step. Toe-out step. Straight step.

Once you have completed these steps, take a curving step to follow the outsideof your circle in the new direction you are walking and then proceed with yournormal Circle Walking stepping (straight step followed by curving step, etc.}.Figure 7.4.1 shows a beginner doing a complete turn using three-part stepping,a ninety-degree toe-in step, and a ninety-degree toe-out step.

59



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Step 1 Toe-in Step 2 Toe-out

Figure 7.4.1Overview of Direction Change Complete Footwork:

Three-part SteppingFigure continues on the next page.

The direction change footwork is basically the same whether you do a three-part,four-part, or two-part step. The only difference will be the way in which you makethe transition from your toe-out step to your straight step, as will be explored indetail below.

Review of Three-, Four- and Two-partStepping PatternsBefore moving on, let's consider in more depth the primary functions of three-,four- and two-part stepping patterns.



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Transition Step 3 Straight Step

Figure 7.4.1 (continued)Overview of Direction Change Complete Footwork:Three-part Stepping

Three-part SteppingThe primary function of three-part stepping is to get the three basic weight shiftsof walking smoothly into your system.1. The step forward and footbrake moves the weight of your lead leg and

foot forward while keeping your entire torso's weight solely on your rearfoot.

2. The shift-weight-forward step moves the entire weight of your torso forward to your front leg, so at the end your rear leg and foot are weightless.

3. The bring-feet-parallel step moves your rear foot of f the floor and brings itparallel and weightless to your front foot. In order for this weight shift tobe clean, it must fulfill three interrelated conditions.



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The weight of your torso, from the bottom of your pelvis tothe crown of your head, and your weightless leg and foot mustevenly fall into the center of the bottom of your weighted foot.

The weight of your head should not be forward in space fromthe bottom of your pelvis.

Your bodyweight must not be forward of your supporting foot,which must entirely support your full bodyweight.

Four-part SteppingFour-part stepping:1. Is a more powerful way of developing the body's chi and internal power

than three-part stepping.2. Activates the ability to powerfully open and close your joints and cavities,

which is fundamental to all intermediate bagua techniques.3. Creates a much more powerful spring in the legs than three-part stepping.

The bend and stretch ofthe legs, once fully activated in your body (whichcan take a long time), can be done so rapidly that it is virtually identical tothe speed of three-part walking.

4. Develops the leg ligaments and muscles more efficiently than three-partwalking.

Although the four-part step maintains the same smooth forward-moving weightshifts as in three-part stepping, an extra step is added between the first andsecond steps of the shift-weight-forward step. It is composed of two seamlesslyconnected yet distinctive leg actions-bend and stretch-rather than occurringas a single action.

Two-part Stepping (Intermediates)Two-part stepping will eventually enable you to move at the speed of amedium-paced run. This potential speed is beyond the capacity of either three-



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Two-part stepping is somewhat necessary if you wish toplumb the pote ntial ofbagua either as a m artial art or as a serious I Chingmethod ofTaoist meditation.In te rm s of either long-term chi developm ent or meditation, the rush to practicetw o-part steppin g before you have stabilized the three- and four-part steppingmethods isa poor and unproductive strategy. In the majori ty of cases, this w il lonly accumulate to your de triment as yo u add other techniques. If you do notrush, then downstream you wil l more smoothly in terface w ith the energeticorspiritual qualities ofthe IChing.

Steps 1 and 2: Toe-in to Toe-out

A 8 c D E

Figure 7.4.2Complete Direction C hange Steps 1-2:

Toe-in to Toe-out



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Transition during Three-part Walking

A) Toe-out step B) Shift weight C) Feet side by side

Figure 7.4.3Toe-out to Straight Step Transition: Three-part Walking

In three-part stepping, the shift from the rear to the front leg (Figure 7.4.3) isdone as a single movement, followed by bringing your rear foot forward and sideby side with your forward foot.Ideal MethodTo shift your weight forward, ideally you press your rear heel into the ground topush your hips forward until your weight completely shifts onto your forward leg.As you do so, turn your hips as far as you comfortably can toward the directionthat your front foot is pointing. Be sure to maintain your four points, and twistyour rear leg outward and forward leg inward.Keep the alignment between your rear knee and heel constant without lettingyour rear knee collapse inward.When done properly-including keeping your sit bones and perineum openyou should feel a clear stretching of the muscles on the underside of your pelvis.



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To bring your rear foot forward, ideally you move your hips forward a bi t in space,draw your rear foot forward and complete the turn of your hips to face the samedirection as your forward foot. To draw your rear foot forward, you:

Slightly roll and tuck your hips under and forward. Project chi forward from the rear foot's toes. Lift your rear foot of f the ground as your front foot and knee

remain stable and unmoving. Twist your leg muscles inward. Bend your weightless rear leg and knee, and move the knee-

cap forward to pull your rear foot of f the ground. Bring it sideby side and parallel with your forward foot and parallel to theground.

You may find that the ideal method is too difficult to do while maintaining properbody alignments and avoiding strain-especially while trying to maintain yourrear foot evenly on the ground with a proper knee alignment. This is usuallybecause your body or balance is not yet stable. Your body might be insufficientlyflexible or your muscles or joints are not yet strong enough.As a bridge solution, try one of the following two easier options to take pressureoff your joints.

Easier Option 1As you begin to shift your weight forward, turn your hips and let your rear legturn as well. As you do so, pivot your rear foot on its ball. Let your heel slide out-ward and backward until it is easy for you to plant it stably. Next, strongly push of fyour rear heel and maintain your leg alignments with any strain.This method is frequently employed in Wu style tai chi to accomplish similarpurposes in such movements as Press Forward or Punch.



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Easier Option 2As you begin to shift your weight forward, turn your hips and let your rear legturn as well. As you do so, pivot on the heel of your rear foot to bring your toesinward and forward until you can push of f your rear heel and maintain your legalignments without strain.This method is frequently employed in Yang style ta i chi to accomplish similarpurposes in such movements as Press ForwardorPunch.

Transition during Four-part Walking

A) Toe-out step 8) Shift weight50 percent

C) Fully shift weight D) Feet sideby side

Figure 7.4.4Toe-out to Straight Step Transition: Four-part Walking

Ideal MethodIn four-part stepping, everything is the same as for three-part stepping, exceptthat you shift your weight forward in two steps:



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1. Shift your weight and hips forward halfway by bending both of your legs,especially your rear leg (Figure 7.4.4 A-B). Begin to turn your hips forwardby horizontally folding both sides ofyour kwa inward toward the centerlineof your body. Twist your leg muscles inward. Maintain your leg and kneealignments and your four points.

2. Complete your weight shift by pushing your rear heel into the ground tomove your hips forward (Figure 7.4.4 C). Also turn your hips further towardthe direction your forward foot is pointing by unfolding, stretching andopening the kwa of your rear leg, and continuing to fold the kwa of yourforward leg inward. Twist your rear leg outward and your forward leginward. Be sure to maintain your alignments and four points.

Complete the transition by drawing your rear foot forward and completing theturn of your hips, as described for three-part stepping.

Easier OptionsYou may also use either of the two easier options described for three-part stepping as needed.

Finishing the Transitionduring Mud WalkingFor either three- or four-part mud walking, to finish thetransition and prepare for the straight step, bring yourfeet forward and parallel to each other in a seamlessmovement continuum (see Figure 7.4.5).


Figure 7.4.5


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1. As you bring your rear foot forward and off the ground to the feet side-byside and parallel position, keep the sole or bottom of your foot parallel tothe ground if you can. If you can't do this, then raise your heel. At least trynot to have your toes touch the ground.

2. Both feet come parallel to each other. At a minimum, the toes of your unweig hted foot are even with the middle of he forward foot.ldeally, they areeven with your forward toes. They should never move past the toes of theweighted foot, or your balance will likely become severely compromised.

3. The rear foot is weightless, so it can easily arrive parallel to your frontfoot without your bodyweight creating a dragging force, which cancompromise either the foot's movement or your balance.

4. The impetus of the final forward-weight-shift to feet side-by-side positioncomes from:

Tucking your hips. Squeezing your kwa on both sides. The pulling strength of your lead foot, leg and kwa. Twisting your leg muscles inward. Projecting energy from the toes of your rear foot as it moves

forward.5. When arriving at the feet-parallel position, several points should

simultaneously occur: Your hips, midriff, ribs, chest and neck should not lean to one

side or the other. All should remain stable and parallel to theground.

Regardless if weight-bearing or not, both legs and feet shouldbe aligned.

From the feet side-by-side position, if your weightless foot isstable, you should be able to use it to step in any direction at



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will. You must not let the toes of your now weightless foot goforward of the toes (of the now-weighted and rooted foot). Theweighted knee should not go very far past the toes of its support ing foot. Make sure the supporting knee-ankle-foot alignment is very strong and stable.

The weightless foot should come as close to your now weighted foot as possible while keeping the perineum and sit bonesopen. The thicker your legs, the wider your feet will be apart.

Ideally, you should be stable without any wobbling.You are now ready to take a straight step.

Step 3: Straight StepFor the direction change method of his program, whether you are using three- orfour-part stepping (or two-part stepping for intermediates), always take a straightstep after the toe-out step. This is the same straight step used when Walking theCircle each time you step with your inside foot.To visually re-orientate yourself, see Figure 7.4. 7on pp. 60-6 7.

Complete Your Direction Changeand Continue Walking the CircleAfter the straight step, take a curving step to complete the change and follow theoutside of your circle in the new direction you are walking.If you have turned one-hundred-eighty degrees to face in the opposite direction(as in Figure 7 4.1 ), then your straight step wil l be on your circle and your curvingstep will be the same curving step that you normally take with your outside stepping foot.



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A B c D EFigure 7.4.6

Four-part Curving Step to Bring You Back onto Your CircleHowever, what if your toe-in and toe-out steps have become sufficiently largethat you turn more than one-hundred-eighty degrees? When this happens, youwill end your toe-out step with your toe-out foot and toes pointing outside ofand away from the center of your circle. To come back onto your circle, do apronounced curving straight step to the degree needed.Figure 7.4.6 illustrates the viewpoint from the outside of the circle, where thepractitioner has completed a toe-in, toe-out and straight step, and is facingoutside of the circle (Figure 7.4.6 A). He would then do a rather pronounced fourpart, curving step (Figure 7.4.6 B-F) to get back onto the circle and then return tothe usual straight step with the inside foot (Figure 7.4.6 G-H).As your direction change increases progressively further beyond one-hundredeighty degrees and you complete your toe-out step (facing progressively furtheroutside your circle), then your final curving step essentially becomes a progressively more pronounced toe-in step.



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F G HFigure 7.4.6 (continued)

Four-part Curving Step to Bring You Back onto Your Circle

Practicing CompleteDirection ChangesOnce you have learned and practiced the complete direction change present-ed in this section (going from counterclockwise to clockwise circling and vice-versa), then you can begin to use it in your regular Circle Walking practice.Keep in mind the following points:

Stay within your 70 percent of maximum capacity and do notoverstrain.

Protect your knee joints. When a joint is damaged, itregenerates only very slowly, if at all. Let your muscles takethe strain of physical movement-not the bone and cartilage,which heal slowly, if at all. Soft tissue heals relatively quickly.



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You start by walking a 12- to 16-step circle and changedirection after three complete revolutions.

An ideal practice is 300 circles a day with a minimum of 100direction changes.

Walk an even number of circles in each direction. If 300 circlesare not possible for you, apply the 70 percent rule and developa realistic practice routine you can maintain without burningout or feeling guilty.

Other Stepping PracticesIn addition to and above and beyond walking a standard circle, you can usethe feet-side-by-side and parallel position as a starting point for other steppingpractices and applications, such as:

Practicing all the footwork techniques of three-, four- and twopart stepping with your weightless foot moving to everypossible direction that your toe-in or toe-out steps allow asyour range of motion in each progressively increases.

Step forward, sideways or backward using a side step, straightstep, toe-in or toe-out to whatever angle and any directionpossible for your ever-increasing ranges of motion.

To facilitate the variety of these practices, when you are in the feet side-by-sideand parallel position, you can switch which is the unweighted and weighted foot.Once you are stably in position, put the weightless foot down by sinking yourweight through that leg to cause the previously weighted leg to rise up and become weightless.By practicing regularly for prolonged periods, these steps can becomecomfortable and natural for you even at rapid speeds. This will allow you toactualize martial applications, and fluidly activate and transit between manypowerful meditative states-or just execute really slick dance moves!



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Section 5Additional Considerations(Intermediates)

Intermediate practitioners walk an eight- to twelve-step circle and changedirection after two revolutions. These parameters hold true whether or not yourarms are engaged.For higher-level intermediate practice, you must be able to walk a four- tosix-step circle. Initially, you will change direction after completing five full circlesthen work down to four, three, two and finally one revolution before reversingdirection. Later, when your steps are smooth and free of any gross mistakes, youcan reverse direction whenever you wish. This is an important skill to develop,especially when practicing Circle Walking as meditation.Please note that as an intermediate practitioner, you may mix three-part or fourpart stepping with two-part s

Documents

1 Circle Walking Direction Change - Complete Footwork