Ma GuiBa Gua

Andrea Falk's
Training notes
for
Ma GuiBaguazhang
 This is an unoffical publication of tgl books with no ISBN number,
but please respect the work of the author and do not copy it
indiscriminately.
Andrea Falk
CP 47053, Succ Sheppard
Québec, QC
Canada G1S 4X1
www.thewushucentre.ca
www.maguibagua.ca
INTRODUCTION

My training notes are mostly to help out people who already train the style of Ma Gui baguazhang. The
descriptions are intended more to stir the memory than to teach from nothing. This manual might also give
an idea of what goes on in the system to people from other styles. It is hard to express any style by words and
photos, but I do enjoy books more than videos, for the time they give the reader to ponder.
I have kept the manual quite plainly descriptive. I intend only to help you remember the actual movements.
You need to seek out the right ideas and feelings for yourself so that they become your own.
The photos are all of me, not because I find my postures particularly good, but just to make sure there are
no copyright problems. I put in as many photos as I can of other people in the website, so go to www.
maguibagua.ca to see the proper way of doing things.
In some cases of discrepancy with what is now being taught, I was taught differently, as is normal in traditional
styles. Otherwise, all the mistakes are my own doing, and I apologize for them.

I want to thank Li Baohua for extending my training life by giving me the gift of Ma Gui bagua. Since
2004 I have done everything that I could to help spread this system, largely because between 2001-2003,
when I was just starting it, I may have had to give up training due to injuries. You can imagine what that
would mean to someone who has done martial arts since 1972. My website and manual treats the style in a
very straightforward way, but this deceptive. As Li once said, “bagua is not a sport, it is your life”. Training
baguazhang, and especially Ma Gui’s baguazhang, will help you to live long and live strong. The Chinese say,
“If you don’t train deep skill, in old age you will have nothing”, but I like to think that “if you train deep skill,
in old age you will have something wonderful”.

I hope that this manual helps you with your training.

Andrea Falk
November 2012
Québec, QC, Canada

Walk the circle one step at a time, in the footprints of the masters.
TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE COMPLETE MANUAL

Part One: Circle Walking

Part Two: Changes

Bear (to come), Dragon, Single-Hook, Lion, Eagle (to come), Crab (to come),
Point to the Sky and Plunge to the Earth (to come), Yin-yang Fish (to come).

Part Three: Training Drills

Beng shou, Chuan zhang, Dai shou, Fanbei chui, Gai zhang, Kai zhang, Liao
zhang, Pi zhang, Qie zhang, Ta zhang, Tan zhang, Tiao fa, Ya zhang, Ye zhang, Zhuang
zhang.

Part Four: Routines

The 88 routine (others to come).

Part Five: Partner Training

(A taster: Chuanzhang, Danhuanzhang, Daishou, Huajin, Crossing Arms,
Crossing Arms walking, Dragon walking, Wrist wringing, Anzhang , Yazhang, Coiling
palm.

Part Six: Weapons (to come)

Part Seven: History (to come)

Part Eight: Organization and links

 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- e-Walk? W WHY CIRCLE-WALK? Circle-

ircl
Walk C The training of the circle-walking builds your health and enables Walk

hy
Why

Circle-walk?
you to do all techniques with whole body power. Otherwise, why
走 would we spend so much time walking in circles?
The main effect is to bring full circulation of blood and qi to
走
圈 all parts of the body and strengthen the tendons and ligaments
throughout the body. When the whole body is unimpeded then disease and injuries will 圈
gradually disappear.
Another effect is to connect all the tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue from the bottom
of the feet through the body to where they connect to the skull. Circle-walking is
designed so that at no point in the process do you lose whole body power, thus, you
build whole body power when you circle-walk. If you have an error in technique, you
will find that this error occurs in your circle-walking, and that it will self-correct once
you have fixed your circle-walking. All techniques in MaGui Bagua should ‘feel like
you are circle-walking’. There is no difference in feeling between circle-walking and any
other move. There must always be the same power and positions. Power is developed in
the circle-walking. Later, fali movements are simply a test of the power of your body, the
connectedness of the body. Once you get the circle-walk then nothing is new. All other
moves express the circle-walk. If it wasn’t like this, then circle-walking would have no
meaning.
Once you have developed this stability and power, then whether you do the techniques,
routines, partner drills or sparring, you will move with total control. Always circle-walk
slowly, then the rest of your training can be done at the speed that you wish.
All movement types are present in the circle-walk. Fast and slow, hard and gentle, long
and short. All movement principles are also present.
The slow circle-walking is not a ‘beginner basic’ that you stop doing as you get better.
You will always do this practice. There are some specific drills that use a fast circle-walk,
but this is not the normal practice. Slow circle-walking develops the qi and blood so
that the tendons change. You cannot change the tendons without the support of the qi
and blood.

Part One: Circle-Walking. Section One: Requirements. Prepared by Andrea Falk, 2012.
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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- HOW TO CIRCLE-WALK Circle-

cle-Walk.
Walk Cir When the upper body is released and the lower body is hard Walk
o

Ho
HowT
and strong and the body upright, the body is naturally in

wToCircle-
走 Wa
balance and comfortable. You should not be uncomfortable or
suffering when circle-walking, but should want to walk more.
走
圈 All the requirements are to take the body and spirit to a natural,
圈
lk.
comfortable place.
Middle of the Body
“Contain the chest and tighten the upper back, twist the lower back like a rope, lift the
anal sphincter and breathe into the kidneys”
Settle down the chest. Let the ribs settle down towards the pelvic basin. Don’t cave in
the chest, settle vertically, not forward.
“Have a turtle back.” The upper back is stretched wide, both sideways and up/down. Do
not hump the upper back – open it evenly in all directions.
Keep the torso upright and centered, like a bag (not like a stick). It is not simply an
upright body – the qi has to be centered, so that both internal and external are centered
– this is not just a ‘requirement’, it is an ‘essence’. Then, when it turns, it is not twisted
and weakened. A full bag remains full and rounded when it is twisted, it gets bigger and
stronger. An empty bag just twists thinner and thinner.
Tuck the buttocks well in, but do not force this position. It should be natural and
comfortable to do this, like sitting really relaxed on a chair or sleeping slightly curled
up. This is the position that you naturally take when you are tired, as it allows the
circulation to flow and helps you recover. It is like a bottle of water, don’t squeeze the
bottom, leave it round. Lift the anal sphincter like putting a plug in the bottle.
Bring the hip joints into the body, both back-front and side-side. This is called ‘suck in’
or absorb (xi kua) , which is similar to but slightly different than releasing (song kua).
Settle the qi to the dantian. Breathe down into the dantian, allowing the flanks to
expand. Breathe quietly like a turtle. This is better for your health and longevity than
strained breathing.
Compact the body, like folding laundry into a nice, neat package. Instead of leaving
yourself all in a heap. This allows the qi and blood to flow throughout, and will leave
you feeling good and big afterwards. The upper part of the torso is settled down and the
lower part of the torso is supporting it, so the whole torso is connected and can connect
down to the feet.
The middle is the most important part. Stepping is based on an upright, balanced body.
If your step is perfect but your body is not right, then you will not progress well. If your
body is straight and settled then small mistakes in the stepping are not a problem.
Your body is always the axis. Not your hands, not the tree. When you walk in the
different forms, do not let the arm positions draw you away from your body. If you walk
around trees, do not let the tree draw you away from your body.

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- Lower part of the Body Circle-

Walk “Keep the knees together, step forward below the knees, do not allow the upper body to Walk
move.”
走 Place the feet at two foot widths apart for a stable support. The stance should always
feel like a mabu. The knees are rolled slightly inward, and when stepping, the body is
走
圈 turned slightly so that the knees are together.
This foot placement
圈
means that the outer foot
follows the outer ‘train
track’ , the body stays
between the feet, and
the inner foot follows a
hexagonal line (or how
many steps your circle
takes, the number does
not matter). The inner
foot still follows the ‘train
track’ but steps more
directly than the outer
foot. Do not swing the
outer foot around, either,
the difference is subtle.
“Trample the head and tail of the snake.” Grab the ground with the feet with whole
body power. Grip with both feet equally. Set into the front leg, going firmly into it
without shifting forward into a bow stance. Shift forward only so far as to have to grip
the ground to be able to move forward.
“When the foot grips the ground then all movements will succeed.” Both feet must
be firmly rooted. Grab the ground with the whole foot, ankle, and lower leg. The entire
lower leg is fixed to the ground, up to and including the knee. Watch out that the legs
do not get lazy, just balancing on top of them, because the heart is too lazy to send the
qi and blood to the feet. If you just relax and settle this can benefit you, but not as much
as when you really grab the ground. Grabbing, in addition to being more stable, ensures
that the qi and blood gets fully to the whole body.
Lift the feet flat and land flat. Do not let the rear heel come up even a little. Push into
the heel. Imagine that the rear foot is an onion stuck into the ground, it is hard to pull
out.
Step the foot directly through. Do not bring the lifted foot in to the supporting ankle,
and do not stop mid step. Step directly forward to land on a tangent on the circle. This
means that the outside foot lands hooked in and the inside foot land straight. Be sure
to land the feet flat on the ground, do not twist the ankle or roll on the feet. As you step
the inside foot forward, drop the body a bit more into the inside hip, this will turn the
foot while keeping it straight.

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- Step as far as you can reach without a glide step (about one foot length). This is a small Circle-
Walk step, but do not hold back, step as far forward as you can with the buttocks rolled under Walk
and the body keeping its power – you need to stretch out the tendons. When stepping

走 forward, keep the feeling that you are sitting back. This keeps your weight down and
makes sure you do not go too far forward onto the balls of the feet. 走
圈 “Kick the doorstop.” Extend the knee and the ankle fully as if kicking through a
Chinese doorstop. Do not kick into the front of the knee, but reach through the centre
of the whole leg. Fully extending the reaching leg strengthens all the structure around
圈
the knees. If you only squat as you walk, without also extending the knees, you can
develop “peasant’s knee”– a bursitis in the back of the knee. For extra training, hold the
extended leg out briefly before touching down. The point of the kick is not the kick
itself (though it does develop a very strong kick that can break the shin of an opponent)
but to make your body more stable and connected. You have to set well into the
supporting leg to be able to kick hard. Doing the kick makes the tendons of the foot
smooth, so the whole body’s tendons can become smooth.
“Roll a hemp rope.” Push the lifted foot down as it moves through the air, as if making
a rope out of hemp (or play dough). This keeps the lifted foot connected to the whole
body. This puts great power into the foot, so obviously the power of the rest of the body
can be great. If you do not do this then the unweighted leg is empty and you are not
longer connected throughout the whole body. Do not worry about this too much at
first, you need good qi and strength before you can do it.
“Toad walk.” Move the lifted foot very, very slowly like a toad. Toads walk with their
body very close to the ground, lifting their feet carefully. The body moves forward
steadily, no jerking, no rise or fall.
“Sit down like a tiger.” All power settles into the ground. You can’t tell if a tiger is
standing or sitting, it is so connected and relaxed. It is easy to see if a human is sitting
or standing. The tiger can make itself small because the tendons are strong enough to do
any movement from any position. May people have difficulty standing up from a sitting
position, squatting or jumping, because their legs are not strong enough or the tendons
have become stiff. So the circle-walk concentrates on the tendons and bones, locking
the bones together with strong tendons.
Upper part of the Body
“Press the head up, turn the neck, tuck the jaw to the shoulder.”
Head and Neck
Put power to the weak part of the nape of the neck, where the spine meets the head.
Fill up the two depressions on either side of the neck, just under the skull. This
effectively presses the head up, while keeping the neck naturally relaxed.
Turn the head to tuck the jaw towards the shoulder. Do not exaggerate this action, keep
it natural. You will end up looking to the appropriate place for each of the models.

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- Arms Circle-

Walk The arms are light and relaxed (though power must go through to the hands). “Give up” Walk
the hands, do not put strength into the arms.
走 Settle the shoulders directly down, opening up the shoulder joints. Be careful not to roll
them forward into a weak position.
走
圈 Hand positions are not important but if they are wrong they can wreck the structure.
The should go along with the body and be comfortable.
圈
Keep the hands in the ox-tongue form. The ox-tongue form is ready to grab anything at
all times. It is also ready to perform a palm strike without having to change form.

Notes:

Part One: Circle-Walking. Section One: Requirements. Prepared by Andrea Falk, 2012.
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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- le, and Low HIGH, MIDDLE, AND LOW BASIN IN CIRCLE- Circle-
idd WALKING
Walk HIgh,M Walk

Ba
sin in ircle-
The high, middle, and low basin does not refer to the height of
走 the stance, but to where the power is within the stance. So this is
走
C
W
alk a reference to three levels of ability, the higher skilled being able

圈 圈
ing
to move from lower in the body. In the high basin, the power is in
the pelvic basin. In the middle basin, the power is in the thighs. In the
lower basin, the power is in the shin/calves. This power is developed by the grip of the
ground with the feet using the lower legs.
We do walk in higher, middle and lower stances, but do not consider this to be walking
in different ‘basins’.

cle-Walkin STAGES IN CIRCLE-WALKING

Cir g
Stage One: Eliminate illness. Smooth out the qi and blood to heal
in

.St
Stages

ages in Circ

existing illnesses. The first step is to smooth out the flow of qi and
blood, making the body circulation unimpeded. The second step is
le-W to fill the dantian. Once the dantian is full then the body can start
to heal. This is the most important aspect of training — we tend to
alking.
forget this once we start focussing on the details of day to day training.
But at the same time, just focus on the requirements of each technique — the qi/blood
flow will come naturally, don’t think about it too much. Just try to do the circle-walking
perfectly so that it will have the right effect on you.
One exception is when you have a specific injury. Then you may ‘negotiate’ with your
circle-walk, giving up on some details so that the qi is not taken away from where it
needs to go. You must do the circle-walk correctly enough to build qi in the dantian
area, keep the turtle back and contained chest, keep upright. But you may focus on a
specific area to first repair injuries. People with bad knees, for example, may settle more
into the stance and wait for longer so that the qi/blood has time to get to the injured
knees.
Stage Two: Build the body. The tendons from the top to the bottom of the body,
through every joint and every segment of the body are smooth. The three weakest
parts of the body — ankles, lower back, neck — now can become strong. The whole
body is only as strong as its weakest point, so as these strengthen then every part of
the body can strengthen. The body becomes connected — the body is always upright
and centered. At this point the body becomes strong but is not necessarily completely
healthy. You could still suffer from wind invasion, have bad living habits, etc.
Stage Three: Build the health. The body becomes healthy and natural.
Stage Four: Nourish life. The body and mind change completely.
If you practise bagua without circle-walking you will never get good. Circle-walking is
the first thing you practise and the highest plane that can be achieved. The first three
years are the most difficult, and you progress slowly. But you also have quite distinct
changes that seem to happen suddenly.

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- CIRCLE-WALKING ‘WORKOUT’ Circle-

W alkingWorko
Walk - Beginners will mostly circle-walk in the bear model. As you Walk

ut.
le
Circ
gradually get more settled and comfortable with it, you will also

Circle-Walk
走 ing
gradually be learning more things to practise.
Walk fairly big circles so that it is natural and not too difficult.
走
圈 圈
Workout.Gradually the size of the circle will get smaller as you get
comfortable. Concentrate on the body and walk very slowly. If you feel
anything uncomfortable it is because the qi/blood is blocked there, so continue until
you can make everything comfortable. Just step with a comfortable, natural step, do not
force yourself into low stances and long steps.
Usually do bear model circle-walking before other techniques, to get the qi and blood
flowing to all parts of the body. This can be done for 40 minutes to an hour. The usual
sequence of our training is to get the qi/blood moving to allow the qi to fill the body,
and then the spirit is raised. (Standing training rises the spirit, which then allows the qi
to fill the body, and then the qi/blood will circulate. This is the way taiji practises. We do
not normally do standing training, only when very tired we might start by standing to
raise the spirit.)
Do not overdo dragon model circle-walking as it tends to bring the qi up. Ten minutes
is enough at first. If you collapse or lean in the bear model then you should do more
dragon walking to become upright.
Sometimes, though, you may go straight to techniques. You should, in fact, go directly
to techniques sometimes, so that you can do techniques without a forty minute warmup.
When you start with techniques, then once you feel nicely stretched out and the qi
and blood are nicely flowing, don’t overdo the session, but finish with some bear model
circle-walking to gather up this good energy.

Notes:

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle-
f Circle-Walki TYPES OF CIRCLE-WALKING Circle-
o n
Walk Walk

g. T
s
Type

走 走
Contained: a careful, controlled stepping, taking one step at a time

ypes of Cir
but not forcing to slow down. This is our fairly normal walk.
le-W
圈 alking.
c
Continuous: do not pause in the grabbing phase, continue immediately,
though not rushing, to the forward leg and keep moving. Contains three powers –
圈
contained, stable, and continuing. This is a walk you can do once your contained walking
is stable.

Controlled: a careful, controlled stepping, counting three to ten seconds at each phase –
one legged support, kick, and grab. This is a good walk to do to practice leg strength and
to get the habit of grabbing with the leg instead of gradually shifting to the leg.

Natural: small steps, with sunken qi, and naturally comfortable, allowing the feet to lift
and lower more naturally, not worrying about keeping the heels down. We tend to use
this walk when doing drills that involve circle-walking in between the changes.

Mud Wading: still lifting and landing the feet relatively flat, but allowing the foot to
move forward before landing, gripping the ground firmly, as if walking in a muddy
stream. In our style we do not push off to drive forward, and this step is not particularly
long, though longer than the normal contained walking. This is also a comfortable walk
to use when circling in between changes or when relaxing.

Toad: a very careful, slow, controlled stepping, being careful to stay completely level with
no rise or fall. This is used especially in bear, to gather the qi and gain control of the
body.

Toddling: childlike stepping, placing and settling on the feet, allowing the side of the
body to sink into the supporting leg. This is a more advanced walk, you need to be very
stable in the legs and relaxed in the upper body to do it. This is the walk that Ma Gui
often used.

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- Models for Cir EIGHT MODELS FOR CIRCLE-WALKING Circle-

t
Walk There are eight models which give eight different postures that Walk

cle
Eigh

-Walking.
can be taken in the circle-walk: bear, dragon, snake (double-
走 headed snake, single-hook), lion, eagle, crab, point to the sky and
plunge into the earth (spear), and yin-yang fish. These are the eight
走
圈 ‘animals’ that represent eight shapes, eight models, eight structures,
and eight feelings. The circle is walked in each of these shapes, with their
special feeling. If a model feels different or makes you uncomfortable when you circle-
圈
walk in it, it is informing you of some problem in your body. You do not need to work
out what the problem is, you just need to allow the posture to change your body. Once
the posture feels the same as the others, the problem has been worked out.
The bear, dragon, lion, crab are xing 形. This means the structure or posture of the
animals are sought. The single hook, stab heaven and earth, and yinyang fish are shi 式.
This means their types of movement or style are sought. The eagle is shi 势. This means
that the essence, the being, what makes the eagle an eagle at the deepest level is sought.
Never simply walk in the circle holding a posture, always be aware of what you are
developing within yourself.
Most training is done in the bear posture to develop a solid dantian and good qi/blood
circulation. If you find that you hunch forward in the bear posture, and if your back has
no pain problems, you should walk more in the dragon posture. The other models each
develop another aspect of health and power. Remember that the goal of circle-walking
is to change the body. The models facilitate this – do them as perfectly as you can with
full focus and spirit to give them a chance to change you.
THE CHANGES OF THE EIGHT MODELS
The fundamental skills of baguazhang are traditionally organized around the eight
animals. Each of these eight models has eight mother palms, each of which has up to
eight variations, which gives sixty-four main palm changes for each ‘animal’ (with the
possibility of another 448). Each shape may also have its special own way of performing
the individual skills of baguazhang, which enriches the techniques. This is a potential
of 512 changes, but there aren’t that many, as not all changes have the full 64 variations.
The point of the changes is to learn and develop the ability to ‘change’. The point is not
to memorize hundreds of changes, so the actual number is not important. The variations
develop a movement vocabulary and an ease of movement. Each model or posture
develops the ability of the best available martial arts that use that type of posture. The
changes of each animal model represent the best way in which you can move and apply
the abilties of that model.
Every requirement of circle-walking is the essence of baguazhang, so applies to all
palm changes. Do not be controlled by your movements. The movements are not done
for their own sake – you are doing the movements for your qi and blood. When the qi
and blood is full and moves smoothly, then tendons can change. Concentrate always
on the tendons and the full body. If your body is full your step with naturally be solid.
Concentrate on the body and the hand movements will be natural.

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

熊
Circle- BEAR [XIONG XING] Circle-
Walk The bear is a gentle natured beast that can nonetheless destroy anyone or Walk
anything in its way when roused. The core of MaGui Bagua training is
走 the bear circle-walking.
Circle-walking in the bear model is used to gather qi and feel full, so it must be done
走
圈 slowly. Usually a practice session starts with bear walking, at least until you feel solid
and full. If you are feeling weak, then start with bear walking to build up the qi. 圈
The bear model opens up the kidneys and fills them with qi. The kidney area determines
whether or not the upper and lower qi can connect, so this is of utmost importance to
your health and in getting whole body power. On the external level, this model develops
the strength of the body core. It helps to strengthen someone who is light and flexible
but weak.
The bear circle-walking connects the whole body. All movement is done from the
'tendons'. There are two large tendons that connect from the top at each side of the
neck to the same side foot. All the most important parts of the body are along the large
tendon line. All other tendons in the body assist these two, so in order to change the
tendons the large tendons have to first change. Circle-walking in the bear model is the
best way to change the large tendons. The most important part of the large tendons
is the lower back. If the middle is strong then the tips gradually get stronger. So bear
walking concentrates on the lower back / waist area.
The bear walking is easy to keep balance, but some people who have trouble staying
upright should do more dragon walking. The bear, because you want to really settle and
relax, is more difficult to keep the torso upright.
Bear circle-walking is not a 'beginner method'. You should always do bear circle-
walking.
Description:
Place the hands forward at about hip height, palms down in ox-tongue form, so that the
arms form a natural rounded shape. (Do not rotate the shoulders to point the fingers
towards each other). Turn gently towards the circle, until the outer hand is in line with
the outer foot. Look around the arc of the circle. You may gaze slightly down at the line
across the circle as the bear model is somewhat meditative, though of course do not
look down at your feet.

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

龙
Circle- DRAGON [LONG XING] Circle-
Walk The dragon is a powerful mythical beast that can fly to the skies or Walk
dive into the sea at will. You need to have this spirit when doing any
走 dragon technique.
Circle-walking in the dragon model trains the spirit of the dragon – fearless and able to
走
圈 change in an instant. The dragon is the most martial shape for circle-walking. The arms
become as two snakes coiling to become one. There is no need for preparation to strike 圈
or defend from this shape. Dragon walking helps develop the ability to change quickly
with linking movements. It is always ready to defend or attack.
On the external level, it develops the upper back. If you have a tendency to lean
forward, then be sure to dragon walk to straighten the body. It is relatively easy to stay
upright while in dragon form, so people having trouble staying upright in bear walking
could do more dragon walking.
On the mental level, it helps to liven up a sluggish nature. If your emotions are not
great, start out with some dragon walking to unite the emotions and spirit. Be ready
to fight when dragon walking – it is more like stalking than walking (though do not
overdo that idea).
Beginners should always start with the bear form circle-walking until they feel solid,
before doing any dragon circle-walking. At first, only walk 5 minutes in the dragon
form. It tends to bring you up into your chest. You can do more as you get better and
more comfortable. Do not push it to the point of discomfort. Go back to the bear form
when you get tired in the dragon form.
Because the upper back and the nape of the neck are very open and smooth in the
dragon model, the qi and blood can easily flow to the head. This is good for curing
headache and keeping a clear mind. If you walk in dragon a bit every day the qi and
blood flow to the head will help you to stay healthy, and will help older people to keep
sharp.
Description:
Sit down facing on the circle line. Place the hands, palms up, in front of your shoulders
and a bit higher. Place the inside foot in front. Turn the body to face the centre of the
circle without moving the arms relative to the body.
Rotate the arms so that the leading hand cuts towards the centre or further, tuck the
elbow in towards the heart, and bring the rear hand to the leading
elbow. Push from the lower hand to help twist and settle down into
the position. Connect the arms through the upper back. If they are
separate they will both be weak. The circle-walking is exactly the
same as in the bear form, although it often feels much more difficult.
This is because you inadvertently put force into the shoulders and
arms. Do not allow the raised arms to pull your attention forward
into them – ‘use your body to protect your hands, not your hands to
protect your body’. Keep set in your body, deep down into the feet.

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Circle- Draw the power out of the arms and concentrate on the feet. Keep centered in the lower Circle-
Walk back, do not twist the body from the ribcage. Coil within the whole body. Tuck your jaw Walk
towards your shoulder to look through or behind your raised hand, depending on how

走 far you are turned.

When you are comfortable with dragon walking you can turn more, to place the
走
圈 hand on the circle line behind you.
圈

Notes:

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

Circle- SINGLE HOOK Circle-

Walk (DOUBLE-HEADED SNAKE) [SHE SHI] Walk

走 走
The snake coils its body, so this model connects through the body by
coiling the arms. The snake manner of moving and techniques can be
applied directly to mandarin duck knives, using the knives much as

圈 a double-headed snake. Once you are comfortable with the single-hook walking and
changes, you can pick up the knives and know how to use them. Snake techniques also 圈
move like a swallow, with the ‘wings’ always connected. On the external level, it develops
the back and arms and stretches the arms open, and prepares the body for Ma Gui’s
famous wrist striking.
Snake circle-walking
Tuck the rear shoulder under with the hand hooked up and held parallel to the line of
the circle, or pointing away from the centre. Turn the body to place the leading hand
into the centre of the circle, palm up, at shoulder height. Tuck the thumb in slightly, to
prepare for wrist striking techniques. Twist the arms, the front palm rotating towards
the thumb (external rotation) and the rear palm rotating away from the thumb (internal
rotation).
There is a special way to make the hook that gives power
to the hooking arm. Press the thumb on the proximal
section of the middle finger and press down into the
wrist. This prepares the strength and qi flow for wrist
striking.

Andrea Falk

Notes:

Part One: Circle-Walking. Section Five: Single Hook. Prepared by Andrea Falk 2012.
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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

狮
Circle- LION [SHI XING] Circle-
Walk Think of the lion as the Chinese see it to practise it correctly. It is always Walk
playing with a ball in statues and in the lion dance.
走 Circle-walking in the lion model trains the ability to connect the body
through vertical lines while keeping uprightness and balance, to prepare
走
圈 for the ability to ‘move the ball’. All techniques growing from the lion will be like
rolling, trundling, or tossing large or small balls. The basic walk is called ‘lion opens its 圈
mouth wide’, so you also want to think of swallowing your opponent whole. On the
external level it develops the upper back, shoulders and upper arms. Someone weak in
the upper arms and shoulders should do the lion to develop them. You must never lose
the feeling of playing with a huge ball. Think also of a real lion, how it settles its energy
down and how it is bold and confident. You must remain settled even with the arms up,
and do large movements with full confidence. A lion appears bigger than it is because
of its spirit, terrifying those who see it without even trying. Practising the lion shape
develops the fully unblocked qi of a lion, and the lion’s expansive spirit.
Description:
Hold the lower arm at about shoulder height, palm up. Hold the upper hand as if
holding a large ball in front of the body. Don’t get carried away with the ‘ball’, though
– don’t turn the upper palm down. Leave it in a natural position, neither down nor up.
The palm is thus prepared for a variety of techniques. Pull the shoulders down like
in yazhang, so that when you roll, the power starts on that side similar to a yazhang.
Compress the body but keep the arms open. Keep the ox-tongue palm shape.
For special practice, pretend to hold a huge heavy ball. You will need to use the
whole body to handle the ball. This will work the arms and back, and the whole body
connection even more. It will also develop the strength of spirit of the lion, as you fight
exhaustion of the arms.

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鹰
Circle- EAGLE [YING SHI] Circle-
Walk The special power of the eagle is its ability to soar endlessly Walk
without flapping its wings. This is the power we emulate in the circle-

走 walking and the techniques related to the eagle feeling. Circle-walking

in the eagle model prepares the body to use straight arm techniques 走
to throw the opponent while retaining balance. On the external level, it strengthens
圈 weak shoulders and develops the deltoids. Mentally, it opens up the spirit like an eagle
soaring in the sky, seeing everything. Although still walking in the circle, you sense
圈
everything around you.
Before you can perform the eagle changes properly, you need to be able to walk for
an hour ‘hard’ with the eagle feeling. You will develop the essence of the eagle – what
makes all life in the forest go silent as it soars overhead.
Description:
Hold both arms almost straight, palms up, with the body turned so that the arms are
along the arc of the circle. Think of spreading your
wings and soaring on the wind.

Notes:

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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

蟹
Circle- CRAB [XIE SHI] Circle-
Walk The crab fights with both claws raised together, supported by a solid Walk
body. This model develops skill in zhuangzhang – the special technique
走 of the MaGui style. On the external level, it develops the wrists and
upper arms. Someone weak in the upper arms, biceps, and wrists should
走
圈 practise crab.
Description: 圈
Hold both arms in front of the shoulders with the palms out. The arms are bent, but
with an extending power. Turn the body to face into the centre of the circle, keeping the
arms in the same position relative to the body. Do not put force into the arms, you want
to wonder – is it the arms protecting the body or the body protecting the arms?

Notes:

Part One: Circle-Walking. Section Eight: Crab. Prepared by Andrea Falk 2012.
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 Andrea Falk’s Training Notes on Ma Gui Baguazhang

指天插地
Circle- POINT TO THE SKY Circle-
Walk PLUNGE INTO THE Walk
EARTH

走 [ZHITIAN CHADI SHI]

Baguazhang is said to use this posture to develop spear skills by walking the circle
走
圈 holding the spear vertically. Circle-walking in the Point to the sky and plunge into the
earth way prepares the body to be able to perform the spear. Unfortunately, we know 圈
of no one in the MaGui system who remembers the spear techniques. On the external
level, it develops the ability to be upright, and fixes problems in the neck.
Description:
Twist the inside arm up as far as it will go, placing the upper arm at the ear. Twist the
outside arm down as far as it will go, placing the back of the hand on the hip or thigh of
the inside leg. Turn the body in to face the centre of the circle, keeping the arms in the
same position relative to the body. Keep the shoulders settled down and be careful not
to arch the back to achieve this position.

Andrea Falk

Notes:

Part One: Circle-Walking. Section Nine: Point to the Sky. Prepared by Andrea Falk 2012.
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阴阳鱼
Circle- YIN-YANG FISH Circle-
Walk [YINYANG YU SHI] Walk

走 走
圈 圈
This does not not refer to a fish, but the yin-yang symbol. Walking with the whole body
forming the yin-yang symbol allows this balance to permeate your body. Circle-walking
in the yin-yang fish way prepares the body for coiling techniques. It appears simple, but
needs a high level of deep skill to perform it correctly. On the external level it develops
the coiling of the body through the arms.
Description:
Curve the arms to form the shape of the yin-yang curves, the outer arm high and the
inner arm low, palms out. You do not need to turn the body fully into the centre of the
circle.

Notes:

Part One: Circle-Walking. Section Ten: Yin-yang Fish. Prepared by Andrea Falk 2012.
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