If you want to reach the highest level in Xingyiquan, you must know the sixteen training methods.
The “sixteen training methods” are the key points and essence of the hands, eyes, body techniques, and steps summarized and refined by the predecessors of Xingyiquan from practice.
Anyone who wants to learn Xingyiquan and achieve some superior skills must understand the profound meaning of these “sixteen training methods” word by word. There is no shortcut.
These “sixteen training methods” are: one inch, two steps, three jumps, four steps, five clamps, six combinations, seven speeds, eight straightness, nine shins, ten surprises, eleven rises and falls, twelve advances and retreats, thirteen yin and yang, fourteen and fifteen steps, fifteen movements and stillness, and sixteen virtuality and reality.
The “sixteen training methods” are described as follows:
- “Cun” refers to the footwork.
It is the first of the “sixteen training methods” of Xingyiquan, and its importance can be imagined. In daily practice or actual free-hand fighting (called “tearing” by Taigu folks), whether advancing to attack or retreating to defend, the front foot leads the back foot, and the back foot pushes the front foot, requiring the forward step to be low and the retreat to be high.
In order to prevent the opponent from taking advantage of the opportunity, generally speaking, the size of the stride is no more than “chi”, so it is called “cun”. A boxing proverb says: “If a scholar wants to know the real news, the secret lies in an inch.” The biggest feature of this “cun” footwork is stability. Even if the attack is unsuccessful, it is rarely hit by the opponent; secondly, the force is short, and once it touches the target, it can fully exert the power of the four ends.
Second, “jian” refers to the stepping step.
This step is to lift the back foot forward to form a virtual step, while the body is bent downward, and the other foot uses the “bow and crossbow force” of the body to “kite into the forest” to try to seize a favorable position forward to achieve the purpose of attack.
This step is generally about two meters away from the opponent, and it is more suitable to launch a sudden attack and use this step.
- “躜” is one of the unique body techniques in Xingyiquan
The so-called “躜” means that the body and steps are combined and followed, the body is tightened and penetrated forward, and it is close to the opponent in an instant, which is called “躜”.
In the Xingyiquan manual, there is a theory of “far stepping and close jumping, jumping forward with knees, touching the body and stretching force”. The key to “躜” is that the body and steps must be combined and followed.
- “就” refers to the moment when the opponent attacks me
I tighten my body up and down as one, like a walking locust, close to the opponent, take advantage of the situation, lead him into a trap, take advantage of the situation to attack him, and wait for him to tire himself out, which is what the boxing manual says: “Hitting someone is like kissing, close fighting depends entirely on the legs.”
- “Clamp”, meaning the thighs and elbows are like scissors
Whether in daily practice or in competition, the thighs must be tightly clamped, the anus must be lifted, the shoulders must be lowered and the elbows must not leave the ribs, the posture must be strict, the strength must be complete, the whole body shows the “four images”, the majesty must be unstoppable, and the vital points of the whole body must be carefully protected, leaving no gaps for the opponent. This is one of the important techniques and defense tips in Xingyiquan.
- “Combination”, namely the internal three combinations and the external three combinations
The internal three combinations are the combination of heart and intention, intention and qi, and qi and strength. That is, under the guidance of the brain, consciousness comes first, the intention leads the qi, and the qi and strength follow. When the qi arrives, the strength arrives; the external three combinations are the combination of hands and feet, elbows and knees, and shoulders and hips. Whether advancing or retreating, attacking or defending, sideways, adjusting the shoulders, swallowing or spitting, you must make sure that your hands and feet follow each other, open and close in moderation, and be appropriate in age and tenderness. There is no movement without movement, and no uncombination without uncombination. You must not lean to the left or right, bend your waist and protrude your hips, or open your crotch and knees. This six-in-one combination is not only a requirement for training, but also a need for attack and defense.
- “Fast” refers to speed and poison
A boxing proverb says: “The legs must be sharp, the steps must be fast, the hands must be delicate and the moves must be poisonous.” Especially when fighting with others, you must be as sharp as a hungry eagle watching a rabbit, able to foresee the opportunity; the hands must be as sharp as a hungry tiger pouncing on food, able to win by surprise; the steps must be as fast as a galloping warhorse, arriving in an instant. In short, when fighting with others, you must have a quick mind (quick brain reaction), quick eyes, quick hands, quick steps, quick body movements, quick moves, and quick swallowing. As long as these seven speeds are ready, you will be unstoppable and invincible.
- “Correct” refers to the body’s center of gravity being stable and the posture being straight and smooth
Whether it is daily practice or learning skills with others, the most taboo is to lean to the left and right, have an incorrect posture, and lean forward and backward, all of which are body diseases. Because leaning to the left and right, leaning forward and backward will lose the center of gravity and it is most likely to create a gap for the opponent to attack.
The boxing manual says: “Seeing evil is right, seeing right is evil”, which means twisting the body and adjusting the arms to facilitate swallowing and spitting, making the opponent misjudge and facilitating my advance, retreat, attack and defense, but it is definitely not the actual crooked evil.
- “Shin” refers to the momentum of the hands and feet in and out
When the hands go in and out, the elbows should not leave the ribs, the hands should not leave the heart (referring to the heart), and the hole should be in and out of the hole closely following the heart, which means it is tightly wrapped. When the legs and feet move forward, backward and turn sideways, the most taboo is to open the crotch and knees, the knees should be locked, and remember to protect the crotch; the feet grind the shins to go out and grind the shins to go in. Following this training method, you will naturally achieve a strict and strong momentum without leaving any gaps.
- “Shock” refers to the momentum of being on the verge of exploding
The manual says: “When you meet the enemy, it’s like being on fire, and you will be merciless when you attack and raise your hands.” In daily practice, one should make sure that there is no one but there is someone. If one is fighting with others, one should do the following: once the mind moves, all four limbs will move; “Qi starts from Dantian, Qi becomes sound, sound comes to the hands, sound reaches the feet”. Like a dragon in anger, like a tiger in power, once the Qi is released, all four limbs will move together, and when all four limbs move together, the internal strength will come out, and when the internal strength comes out, its momentum is unstoppable.
- “Rise and fall” refers to the method of starting and falling.
Going is rising, and when you rise, you go; falling is hitting, and when you hit, you fall; going is hitting, and when you fall, you hit, and when you rise and fall, it’s like water turning over waves; rising is horizontal, and falling is smooth; rising with the body restrained, and falling with the body hidden; there are rising, drilling, falling and flipping, and there are also rising, flipping, and falling and drilling; rising is like an arrow, falling is like the wind, chasing the wind and the moon without letting up; rising is invisible, falling is traceless, and the intention to go is like a whirlwind; rising is like a crouching dragon ascending to the sky, and falling is like a thunderbolt hitting the ground; what to rise and what to fall, act according to the opportunity; rising and falling are clear, and kung fu is self-made.
- “Advance and retreat” mainly refers to the footwork of attack and defense
There are many different footworks in Xingyiquan, but no matter what footwork, no matter when and where, you must master one principle, that is, advance low and retreat high. When attacking, both feet rub the ground and move forward, leaving no space for the opponent; when retreating to defend, you should appropriately raise your feet off the ground to prevent tripping. Because the attention is on the opponent at this time, it is said that the rise and fall are wonderful with body skills, and the advance and retreat are wonderful with footwork. The advance should be agile and fast, and the retreat should be steady and solid. “The right move is the secret to victory.”
- “Yin and Yang”
In Xingyiquan, paying attention to Yin and Yang is the root of change. Mr. Sun Deyi, a famous Xingyi Sanshou master, often said: “If you don’t understand Yin and Yang, you will work hard in vain.” The boxing manual says: “The combination of Yin and Yang in heaven and earth can bring rain, and the combination of Yin and Yang in martial arts can defeat people.” It can be seen that Yin and Yang change each other and complement each other. The status and role in the boxing theory and boxing of Xingyiquan are very important.
Defense is contained in attack, and attack is contained in defense; there is retreat in advance, and advance in retreat; there is softness in hardness, and hardness in softness; there is emptiness in reality, and reality in emptiness; the virtual and the real are interlaced, making it difficult for the opponent to grasp and cause misjudgment, and I will take advantage of the situation to attack and win the battle.
- “Five Elements”
In Xingyiquan, “Five Elements” refers to chop, collapse, drill, cannon, and horizontal, which correspond to gold, wood, water, fire, and earth in ancient Chinese philosophy. The five elements of boxing restrain each other and generate each other, just like the restraint and generation of these five substances. Gold generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, and earth generates gold; gold restrains wood, wood restrains earth, earth restrains water, water restrains fire, and fire restrains gold; chop fist belongs to gold and restrains collapse; collapse fist belongs to wood and restrains horizontal; horizontal fist belongs to earth and restrains drill; drill fist belongs to water and restrains cannon; cannon fist belongs to fire and restrains chop. Chop generates drill; drill generates collapse; collapse generates cannon; cannon generates horizontal; horizontal generates chop. The mutual generation and mutual restraint of the five elements are not only reflected in the appearance, but also correspond to the five internal organs of the human body, namely the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys; the heart belongs to fire, the liver belongs to wood, the spleen belongs to earth, the lungs belong to gold, and the kidneys belong to water.
According to the theory of Chinese medicine, the eyes connect to the liver, the nose connects to the lungs, the ears connect to the kidneys, the tongue connects to the heart, and the philtrum connects to the spleen. Therefore, the connotation of Xingyi Five Elements Boxing is extremely profound. It seems easy, but it is extremely difficult to master. A boxing proverb says: “The five elements are really like five gates, and they are blocked by themselves without anyone guarding them.” “Hide the five elements and restrain others, and four ounces can move a thousand pounds.”
- “Movement and Stillness”
The theory of Xingyi Boxing believes that stillness is the body and movement is the function. If it is stillness, it has a sign of pre-movement; if it is movement, there is no trace; rising but not rising, falling but not falling, this moment is “movement and stillness”.
The boxing manual says: “Rising but not rising occupies the center, and the attack is like a tiger pouncing on a sheep.” There is movement in stillness and stillness in movement, making it difficult for the opponent to deal with it; be as still as a virgin, and use stillness to control movement; be as active as a tiger, and use movement to control stillness. To use stillness to control movement, the key is to borrow the method; and to use movement to control stillness, the key is to use the method. “If you know the movement and stillness, you will be a master of the art.”
- “Void and Reality”
In Xingyiquan, it is believed that void is refinement, reality is spirit, and both spirit and reality are void and real. Anyone who practices Xingyiquan should pay attention to understanding the meaning of void and real in various techniques during daily practice. When fighting with others, you should be more flexible and proactive. According to the situation of the opponent, you should test the opponent by throwing stones to test the water, and lure him with false movements. If he surrenders, you can hit him with real force. Void is real, and real is void. It is amazing to master the art of void and real. There is real in void, and there is void in real. If the opponent attacks me, I will avoid the real and attack the void; if I attack him, I will take advantage of the void. “All is fair in war”, and the same is true for boxing. You must never fight hard or bump into things blindly.