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Applications of shaolin gongfu

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  • Applications of shaolin gongfu

    Greetings to all! I want to discuss some techniques, because i'm in need of some assistance in applying some movements. I think it is a good idea for all of us here to share our knowledge of technique and further the development of shaolin gong fu or any type of gong fu, no matter. I have two techniques that I need help with:
    They are both reffered to by some as shaolin classical movements, this makes sence to me as they can be found in lots of shaolin forms, including, shaohong, paochuan cannon boxing, er lu lohan quan, da hong quan etc.. several more I think.
    - some call it forming your hands like a plow- looks like you first grab something above your head then twist it in front of your chest and then bend your knees as you squat forward with one arm almost straight and the other arm bent into the first arm. If anyone understands what i mean perhaps you know the name of it, I want to know the application. Anyone?
    -second one is called gong bu xie xing, ring a bell?

  • #2
    if i understand what you mean, i think the first movement can be explained as an armbar.
    With the hand bend to your chest you hold the opponents left wrist of sleeve,
    with your right arm you push the opponent backwards, by pushing your forearm on his throat.
    This can also be a way to grab the hair(not very useful for a monk though ), pull the opponents head backwards.

    I hope we are talking about the same move..

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    • #3
      the closest video i've found with a quick search:
      http://youtube.com/watch?v=sLi9XiNxDy8

      its of applications to the opening sequence to chen style taijiquan forms, in which there is a movement where the right hand smashes into the left palm in front of the abdomen with a right foot stamp on the ground. perhaps this is the one you are talking about? you'll see the application to this movement part way through when the demonstrator stamps on the opponents foot while grabbing the wrist with the left hand and smashing the elbow with the fight fist.

      a little information on this movement used in shaolin gongfu forms such as xiaohongquan:

      like many movements in shaolin forms they have buddhist meaning. this technique in xiaohongquan is called “flat heart cannon” (chi. 平心炮 ping xin pao). the first character “ping” means “flat” and the second, "xin", means "heart". in this movement the right fist is smashing into the left palm “flattening the heart” like the top of drum mountain where damo gave first instruction to huike. naturally if our heart is flat (not inflated with ego) we are selfless and our hearts are turned toward helping others (bodhicitta). we can do so because our hearts are now “calm” and “peaceful” which is a second meaning of the first character “ping”. the phrase “ping xin” can mean “flat heart” or “peaceful heart"- but together they mean “unemotional”. this refers to not being led around by our emotions. the chinese sutras illustrate this as an "ox without nostrils”. with no nostrils the ox cannot have a ring in its nose to be led by. to flatten the heart, to make the heart calm and peaceful (samadhi), to be unemotional one will not be swayed by life’s ups and downs. for an ox with no nostrils, this is liberating.

      as for gongbu xiexing's application, first in mabu with two vertical forearms, they are used to trap the opponents arm in an armbar by catching the wrist and the elbow. if a left punch comes, the right arm hits the outside of the elbow while the left arm traps the inside of the wrist. this can be a break or a qinna control technique.

      it is followed by a block and grab when the opponent punches with the right fist, your right hand grabs the outside of the wrist pulling the arm across their body while striking with the second hand.

      otherwise, as a pure striking application it can be two strikes. one swinging outwardly and the second attacking straight.

      or as a throwing technique, the vertical arms in mabu can be used as a kick trap catching a left leg roundhouse kick in the same way as the armbar, the left arm coming under the leg. the forward right hand then grabs the back of the opponents neck on the left side (inside) while your left arm is still holding their leg in the crook of the elbow. you then pull their head down to the right while twisting your body out and lifting their leg, sending them into a spiral fall to the ground. a foot placed cleverly behind their base leg helps too.

      hope these are understandable! keep in mind there can be many more applications for these movements. these are just a couple ideas.
      Last edited by LFJ; 03-16-2007, 12:52 PM.

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      • #4
        Are you referring to the third movement of Da Hong? Where you start in gong bu facing left with one arm on the chest and the other in a block above the head?

        If it is that movement you are talking about then you have to split it up in diferent moves. One move is turning around with the arm movement around the head and crouch down. Then comes the second move wich is independent from the previous which is to rush forward to ding bu with the 7starpunch, right straight punch and left fist on the inside of the right arm.

        If you cut up the first move in parts the beginning is turning the body to the right and protecting the head with the forearms. application would be using your upper arm to block and protect the head from an incoming punch.
        As you're in close range now, you can follow up the block by using a right downward elbow to the face or collar bone. Going to to a smaller position increases the impact of this close range blow. These are striking applications.

        For kicking you use the left leg to attack low targets as knee, shin or instep, Even though in the form you only take a step with the left leg I understand this as having all the weight on the right leg and thus being able to deliver a kick with the left leg. doing so you use defense with the upper body and attack with the lower body at the same time...

        This movement obviously has to have qin na in it. When you blocked the incoming punch you keep contact with the wrist or forearm with your left hand, preferebly twist the wrist inwards and with the right hand which you were helding high you can now pass over the elbow, go behind it and immobilize his upper arm between your upper arm and chest and bring your right forearm under his bent arm and form a figure four reaching with the right hand for your left wrist while you aply downward pressure with your left arm on his wrist/forearm and upward pressure with the right arm to bring up the elbow. This bends back the arm and affects, if done properly, the wrist, elbow and makes the opponent bend back to avoid pain. If you step past him or lower your position you make him bend back and eventually fall on his back. If you do the whole arm movement as in the form, til crossing the arm, then you would have done significant damage to the elbow joint.
        You can apply the same joint lock when instead of moving your right arm downwards, you pass your right arm under the elbow and reach for your left wrist and press it down. Almost the same position for the affected, different for the one who applies it. The only difference is that now it also affects the shoulder joint and you don't have to be as close to him as the first one. The first version has the advantage of the possibility of including the previous mentioned elbow strike to the face in the movement and also this is exactly the move you make in form.
        Doing the movement in a smaller way would be a combined wrist/elbow joint lock. Here you twist the wrist with your left hand, pass your right elbow past his elbow and form a cross with your arms to press his forearm down. So you end in ding bu with arms crossed, right arm inside left.

        If you get bear hugged you can use the hands movement to grab hold of the head and twist it sideways and backwards to do a neckbreak. Or if you don't want to break the neck to free up yourself. A good qin na principle is the body goes where the head looks. You twist the head and can combine wit a left knee and bow down to further break up the balance of your opponent.

        Also if you get bear hugged and you use the some arm movement to apply pressure with your right arms on his lower back and put your left arm on his neck or face and bend forward to apply pressure with your body on his chest to bend his back backwards and do a back qin na. you bend your opponent's back and if you entangle your left leg behind his right left and pull him back it is easie to take your opponent down, even without having to go to the ground yourself. You can even consider applying this as a double leg takedown.

        So here you have applications for Striking, Kicking, Grabbing and throwing as shaolin moves should have.

        Second move is the rushing forward to ding bu with a punch move. Well that's what it is, you duck to avoid a high attack and close the distance and strike a low target on your opponent. You can include passing the arm over the head to protect from incoming blows as done in xiao hong Quan. The position of the arms: the left hand grabs the left wrist of your attacker and the right fist punches on the elbow to effect an arm break. Same thing with the leg. immobilize the foot and attack the outside of the knee with a punch. If you rush in low to punch with the right you can expect an uppercut or knee as a contra so you put your left elbow/forearm in front of you to hit the thigh just above his knee where it hurts and prevent from being kneed in the face. If your are in a low posicion in front of your opponent and in ding bu you've got your right leg free, you can use it to kick or to step in to prepare for a takedown....

        I hope this is helpful.

        I'd love to see other people`s ideas. Great idea this thread and we could discuss some more moves.

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        • #5
          Oh so many answers hanks all of you!!! I'm gonna run some tests and get back to you on this. Thanks once again I'm very grateful!!!!!!!

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