does anyone here practice bagua?

Does anyone on this site practice bagua?

Would you recommend it?

 

I've tried it. Don't think it was for me. Of all the martial arts I've done I'd say bagua is almost certainly the most difficult to get into, for me.

That said, that alone could be justification for trying it, to challenge your mind and body. It completely ruins my coordination and really pushes leg strength. For the sake of fitness and stuff, it really demands a lot, so I think for someone who was already into martial arts and fancied a challenge, I'd recommend it. Maybe it wouldn't be such a stretch if your body is more used to tai chi. For someone looking to get into martial arts I'd suggest something a touch more "standard" like karate or taekwondo.

 

My friend switched from freestyle karate to bagua a year ago, I used to beat him hands down in contact and points sparring. Now it's really hard for me to come out on top in contact. I recommend it, it's hard to follow and the techniques are rather effective.

I'm now taking it up as a result.

 

I practice Bagua its awsome. Though with most kung fu these days you have to be careful theres a load of crap out there.

 

This art is very interesting to me i will study more on it.Also it seems like it has a Zen aspect going on to.

 

Lou, Park Bok Nam's HQ is in your state, look it up and see if it's near you.If you want real serious no jive work your tail off to get the skills training he's a very good source.

rivend-no more Ch'an (Zen) than anything else.

 

Nah, the park bak nam is in stanfford. that's over an hour away.

I think I'll just stick with tai chi. it suits my needs, and I found a good teacher finally.

 

Glad to hear it.Keep us posted.

 

A hour or so drive is not so bad. You ought to go and check it out.

 

If I were you I'd stick to the Tai Chi for now, because starting out in two arts might be confusing and personally I'd rather concentrate on one and give it 100%.

After you're nicely settled with your Tai Chi class, go along and try out the Bagua class out of interest, because it'll give you an interesting slant on 'internal' CMA's which will deepen your appreciation of Tai Chi. (And you may choose to study both arts, or you may not.)

Glad you've found a good teacher. That's the main thing, really.


PS: ta for the sig!

 

I've done a little bagua, and still practice a few bits and pieces, primarily because it feeds into my Tai Chi training.

 

I need to travel an hour each direction 2 busses each direction to both teach my own classes and train with my instructor. If its something you want to do travel is no chore

 

Johnno has it spot on...

Get some TaiJiQuan under your belt first and then give Bagua a try. As you have found a teacher, he/she would be able to advise you when you are ready.

Students progression rates vary enormously, so let your teacher be your guide in this.

 

I practice Bagua, but my classes are only every 6 weeks so it will never be my main art, unless my teacher decides to move house! I find it useful to have another view of body mechanics and recently gained some valuable insights when training Wanshu (a chinese kata practiced in Wado) and connecting it to techniques i'd just learned in Bagua. If you feel confident in your main art, then a little cross training can't be a bad thing, but sometimes it can be confusing, particularly for Internal arts, as you might find your Yings and Yangs getting confusing!

 

Where do you do that?

 

Pantperthog village hall near Machynlleth, Gwynedd. The teacher is Paul Alexander and he's an ex karateka (Goju?) and is very happy to work with me on the combative side of things as most of the students here are more intested in the meditative stuff.
this is him http://www.baguaquan.co.uk/LearnBaguaQuan/BaguaQuanFoundationProgramme/tabid/1685/Default.aspx
Should be an all dayer coming up in the next couple of weeks.

 

That's a drive and a half for you then. Thank god it's summer

 

Not really, for a start i don't drive(!) and i can get there by bus (takes about 20 mins form Dolgellau to Pantperthog and usually i get a lift, but the four mile walk into Dolgellau, that is a pain!
Oh yeah, and summer in North Wales just means it's sunny for the few minutes between the rain showers (it's been raining so much recently i think i'm becoming aquatic, and so does my dog).

 

Sorry thought you were in Conwy for some reason. Not so bad then. My favourite road that. Loverly in a sports car