Originally posted by StickyHands
[B]
I mean like in Chen Tai Chi, do you generate starting from the leg or utilizing the whole body or do you generate power just from one part of the limb?
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Baji always uses whole body power (Baji has the Six Harmonies) and manifests inch power (kinda like WC’s one-inch-punch), ie. you don’t draw back your arm to generate velocity. An inch or even less is enough to accelerate the fist (for example) into full power. Developing these skills is what Baji basics are all about.
Originally posted by StickyHands
[B]
Pigua long range and Baji, short range, what you mean by that, can you please elaborate? Shouldn’t it have composite ranges in both arts?
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In fights, Baji tends to get in and stick very close. I don’t mean close like in-fighting in Wing Chun, but REALLY close, sometimes in body to body contact.
On the contrary, Pigua techniques are best performed at a longer distance from the opponent.
Of course, there’s techniques for various ranges in both arts, but this is speaking generally here.
Originally posted by StickyHands
[B]
And if Pigua is good for multiple opponents, are you saying that’s what Baji is inefficient in?
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I’m saying everything is inefficient in fighting multiple opponents. Baji no more than most, but how I’ve seen Pigua performed it might be a good way to deal with multiple attackers.
Good range, swinging attacks and footwork (and strikes) that are easily performed one way first, the other the second. You’d probably have to see it to appreciate it.
Originally posted by StickyHands
[B]
I heard Baji is a lot like Xingyi. And to learn Xingyi, it’s usually faster than Tai Chi or Bagua. So what’s the feasible and usable skills for the street learning curve for Baji or Pigua, same as Xingyi? Thanks a lot.
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Baji is commonly said to be a lot like Xingyi and a lot like Chen style Taijiquan. There are definate similarities, but my experience with Xingyi is very brief and largely theoretical.
As for easy to learn .. I’d say, easy to train (simple basic exercises that’ll teach you the core skills), but hard to learn (be prepared to work on these exercises every day for a couple of years before you’ll see any real skill, otherwise I’d pretty much forget about it). Certainly more immediately easy to grasp and apply than Taiji, but the real skills – whole body and inch power as mentioned – don’t open up quickly.