Yin Style Baguazhang Fall Tour 2011: Boulder, CO, Sept. 29-Oct.2

The Boulder, CO, Yin Style Baguazhang Fall Tour, 2011 edition, workshop with He Jinbao is right around the corner now, starting in just three weeks! The Tour stop in Colorado is the second U.S. Fall Tour this year by YSB, International, and it features the Phoenix System at a foundational level. That means that people that are new to the art or that want to expand their training outside of the Lion System need to be looking toward the Rockies to get a taste of this fast, whirling animal that emits whip-like power from the shoulder.

Like all of the Fall Tour stops, the Boulder stop is open to anyone and everyone that is interested in attending. New practitioners will find a foundational-level seminar that is great for their lack of experience, and more seasoned YSB players will find an animal system that they probably aren't deeply familiar with since the Phoenix System is rather new and not the usual choice for first animal system to study. This seminar is unique among the tour stops this year because it focuses in heavily on just two of the eight striking methods of its animal system -- the dodging and extending palms of the Phoenix -- and because it is the only seminar to offer some basic training in both the Lion and the Phoenix, in addition to the Monkey System kicking that will round out each day. In Boulder, turning the circle practice will center on Phoenix one day and Lion the other.


Like in San Francisco the week before,  the drilling will include standing strengthening, basic strikes, strike combinations, footwork, striking while stepping, and forms from the dodging and extending striking methods of the Phoenix System, presented with applications. In addition, there will be circle turning practice, including basic directions-changing drilling in both the Phoenix and the Lion representational posture. Just as in San Fran, each day is rounded out with an hour-long session into the footwork and kicking methods of the Monkey System, including a form from that system on Sunday, October 2.

Each day is, as in previous years, broken into two sessions, morning and afternoon, with a 90-minute break for lunch between them. The morning session will last from 8:00 am until 12:00 noon, and the afternoon session runs from 1:30 pm until 6:00 pm.

This year's Boulder workshop will last for four days, September 29 through October 2, a Thursday through Sunday, and it is organized similarly to the workshop in San Francisco. More specific details of the days go like this:

Thursday, September 29

• Phoenix and dodging palm standing strengthening 
• Dodging strikes and combinations with and without footwork 
• Applications will follow, then lunch.
• After lunch dodging palm standing strengthening will be reviewed and refined 
• As will dodging strikes and combinations with and without footwork and applications
• Bending kick methods from the Monkey System finish the day

On Friday, Sept. 23

• Phoenix circle turning with direction changes 
• Drilling the interlocking dodging form, including drilling basic strikes from that form 
• Applications will follow, then lunch 
• After lunch enfolding dodging with basic strikes will be drilled, emphasizing footwork
• Applications of the forms
• Monkey System stomping kicks

On Saturday, Sept. 24

• Phoenix and extending palm standing strengthening
• Extending strikes and combinations with and without footwork
• Applications will follow, then lunch.
• After lunch extending palm standing strengthening will be reviewed and refined 
• As will extending strikes and combinations with and without footwork and applications
• Hip and springing leg kicking from the Monkey System finishes the day.

On Sunday, Sept. 25

• Lion circle turning
• Drilling the holding and lifting dodging form, including drilling basic strikes (get your thighs ready!)
• Applications follow, then lunch 
• After lunch drilling the moving with the force extending form with basic strikes, emphasizing footwork
• Applications of the forms
• Monkey System form

To get yourself arranged for the YSB-2011-BoCO stop, contact Jack Schaefer for further details, including cost and location. Don't miss it!