A Direction?

After meeting with the group last night to rehash what we learned in Vermont as well as to start to try to compile a direction for us to go forward in our training through the myriad paths of Yin Style Baguazhang, we may have settled some of the debate that I was having. A couple of assumptions underly this decision though.

1. We need much more practice on what we worked on in Vermont (true).
2. A new set of curriculum will be announced from Beijing in the spring (probably true).

Personally, my goals are to continue with my training as I have been (in terms of intensity), though the direction will be different. First and foremost, Matt told me to get stronger, so getting stronger is my immediate priority. I'm doing all kinds of "proxy saber" drills each day, back on the push-up (and other body-weight exercises) wagon, and adding all kinds of tasty things like whey protein to my diet. As for which of the directions I'll be taking per those I mentioned in my last post, I'm still unsure. We didn't discuss those ideas fully, partly because of Assumption 1 above. The group seems intent on focusing diligently on the three forms we reviewed and worked on in Vermont, the same three forms we've been drilling hard (though somewhat incorrectly) for months now. That puts me in one of two positions: forget my ambition to develop strong skills with four of the form-types or use those three form-types (moving with the force -- studied cutting, lifting and holding -- studied sweeping, and lying step -- studied grasping) as the first three to test my approach. Perhaps that is what I will bid to do in the coming 5-6 months.

This offers a bit of a compromise into how I could study the striking methods over the same time period as well (each also a "study in themselves"). Since we studied hard on the sweeping, cutting, and grasping methods, perhaps while we're trying to develop much better skillfulness with those particular forms, I should be working those striking methods diligently as well. That gives me two intersecting paths to follow, three times at least. I could use the rest of the "magic eight" to expand beyond that if time allowed, but I'm almost sure it won't. I think I will try to consider doing something like this, using one form as a basis (for example purposes, lifting and holding - sweeping, then going to the others:

• Study the lifting and holding forms, learning all eight of them, putting double emphasis (or more?) on the sweeping variety. That should give me practice with what we studied while being able to investigate its underlying theme from another set of perspectives (7 of them) as well. I should continue to practice the other two that we focused on, though more as a maintenance effort than a deep development effort (so as not to lose sight of or forget requirements, nuances, and details).
  
• Study the sweeping strikes concurrently, putting particular emphasis on the basics and those occurring in the lifting and holding form.
• Borrow stepping methods from the lifting and holding form and drill the movements from the forms as well as the basics using those stepping methods (in addition to others?).
• Incorporate standing in the sweeping palm posture (and the Dragon posture???) on a daily basis, in addition to whichever other postures suit my fancy on that particular day/week.
  

That might give a solid basis for how to conduct my standing/striking/changing practice for a month or so at the least. After that, I can change to another of the forms or continue if I don't feel satisfactory progress.

I think I'm on to something. I just hope it's not crap.