Evolutionary Martial Arts

In Evolutionary Martial Arts, most of our training time in training sessions is typically dedicated to effective and efficient application of techniques and concepts in different contexts. However, 套路 Tàolù (Forms) provide many benefits to the complete martial artist who seeks a holistic training methodology, particularly when it comes to development of positive physical attributes such as strength, balance, posture, mobility and alignment, as well as the crucial psychological development of fortitude, focus and a love for learning.

As we are non-denominational, we do not limit ourselves to forms from just one lineage or tradition. Our curriculum aims to provide the student with a wide and varied exposure to forms of different kinds from different lineages, in order to gain a broad and balanced introduction to the many benefits of Gongfu training. The particular forms we have chosen are complementary, with each having different focuses and presenting different benefits to the practitioner.

“Internal” and “External” Work

When it comes to working on forms, inevitably students encounter the concepts of “internal” and “external” work. There are greater nuances to this field, but in simple terms external work can be thought of as work focused on the physical application of force, which essentially comes down to understanding physics, biomechanics and exercise science. This involves all physical exercise and conditioning, as well as learning application of techniques and concepts.

Internal work focuses on practising awareness and cultivation of 三寶 Sān Bǎo – the “Three Treasures”:

精     Jīng     “Essence”     The essence of life, physical fitness and health, vitality and longevity

氣     Qì     “Breath”     Life force or intrinsic energy – emotional stability and vitality

神     Shén     “Spirit”     Mind or spirit – mental acuity and spiritual maturity

While many practitioners of traditional martial arts make very dramatic claims of supernatural abilities as an expression of internal work, we make no such claims at EMA but invite practitioners to keep an open mind and enjoy seeing where their own experience of training takes them.

In reality, all forms and all training incorporate differing ratios of both internal and external work, but as a general rule, most practitioners find our forms to flow as follows:

Wu Bu Quan for beginners starts them off with more of an external focus, then

Ba Duan Jin for intermediate students moves them deeper into an internal focus, and then

Siu Lim Tao, Chum Kiu and Biu Ji provide the more advanced practitioner with the opportunity to integrate the two and bring together what they have learnt from the previous forms in terms of applying external and internal concepts to their training.

 

The Evolutionary Todai will progress through the following five Taolu:

五步拳 Wǔ Bù Quán – Five Stances Fist

The first of our forms is Wu Bu Quan – Five Stances Fist – which moves through the following five fundamental stances which form the core positions of most forms of Shaolin Gongfu.

馬步 Mǎ Bù – Horse Stance also known as 騎馬步 (Qí Mǎ Bù) – ‘Horse Riding Stance’

弓步 Gōng Bù – Bow Stance also known as 登山步 (Dēng Shān Bù) – ‘Mountain Climbing Stance’ and 弓箭步 (Gōng Jiàn Bù) – ‘Bow and Arrow Stance’

仆步 Pū Bù – Deep Stance also known as 伏虎步 (Fú Hǔ Bù) – ‘Subdue the Tiger Stance’, 平步 (Píng Bù) – ‘Flat Stance’ and 屈曲步 (Qū Qū Bù) – ‘Crouching Stance’

歇步 Xiē Bù – Rest Stance also known as 坐盤步 (Zuò Pán Bù) – ‘Sitting on Crossed Legs Stance’, 盤繞龍步 (Pán Rào Lóng Bù) – ‘Coiled Dragon Stance’ and 半跏步 (Bàn Jiā Bù) – ‘Halfway Sitting Cross-Legged Stance’

虛步 Xū Bù – Empty Stance also known as 玄機步 (Xuǎn Jī Bù) – False Leg Stance and 貓步 (Māo Bù) – Cat Stance

In our syllabus, beginners learn these postures in isolation first, incorporated into a very simple form that focuses on just transitioning between them in order to learn and benefit from the positions themselves. They then move on to learn a more dynamic version of the form which incorporates attacks and defences from these positions, developing Fa Jin – “Explosive Power” (發勁 – Fā Jìn).

八段錦 Bā Duàn Jǐn – Eight Shining Brocades

The second form we learn is Ba Duan Jin – the Eight Shining Brocades. This includes the following eight movements which teach the student to further unify breath, movement and posture.

托天式 Tuō Tiān Shì  – Holding Up the Heavens also known as 双手托天理三焦 – Shuāng Shǒu Tuō Tiān Lǐ Sān Jiao – Two Hands Hold Up the Heavens to Adjust the Triple Heaters

开弓似 Kāi Gōng Shì – Drawing the Bow also known as 左右开弓似射雕 – Zuǒ Yòu Kāi Gōng Sì Shè Diāo – Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Eagle

单举似 Dān Jǔ Shì – Separating Heaven and Earth also known as 调理脾胃须单举 – Diào Lǐ Pí Wèi Xū Dān Jǔ – Separating Heaven and Earth to Take Care of Spleen and Stomach

枭后似 Xiāo Hòu Shì – Wise Owl Gazes Backwards also known as 五劳七伤向后瞧 – Wǔ Láo Qī Shāng Xiàng Hòu Qiáo – Wise Owl Gazes Backwards to Prevent the Five Lesions and Seven Injuries

摇头似 Yáo Tóu Shì – Swaying the Head and Shaking the Tail also known as 摇头摆尾去心火 – Yáo Tóu Bǎi Wěi Qù Xīn Huǒ – Big Bear Sways the Head and Shakes the Tail to Relieve You from Heart-Fire

攀脚似 Pān Jiǎo Shì – Touching Toes and Bending Backwards also known as 两手攀足固肾腰 – Liǎng Shǒu Pān Zú Gù Shèn Yāo – Two hands Hold the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys and Waist

擭拳似 Wò Quán Shì – Clenching the Fists and Glaring Fiercely also known as 攒拳怒目增气力 – Zǎn Quán Nù Mù Zēng Qì Lì – Clenching the Fists and Glaring Fiercely to Increase the Qi

七颠似 Qī Diān Shì – Bouncing on the Toes also known as 背后七颠百病消 – Bèi Hòu Qī Diān Bǎi Bìng Xiāo – Bouncing on the Toes to Make Diseases Disappear

 

小念头Siu Lim Tao (Xiǎo Niàn Tóu) – Little Idea

Our third form is the first of the three Wing Chun forms. “Little Idea” can be thought of as the foundation or “seed” of Wing Chun, and presents and reinforces all of the main concepts that set Wing Chun apart from other forms of Gongfu, refining the fine detail of the student’s techniques.

Fundamentals such as balance and body structure, striking distance, form and angles, the centreline principle and many of the most commonly found hand positions of Wing Chun are all found within this form. Many consider this to be akin to an “alphabet”, from which the majority of Wing Chun applications can be put together.

This form introduces “Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma” (in Pinyin: Èr Zì Qián Yáng Mǎ and characters: 二字拑羊馬), which means “Figure 2 Goat Clamping Stance”. This is what many refer to as simply the “Wing Chun Stance” as it is quintessential to the art. It is important to remember that this is a training stance, used for reinforcing stability and strength through isometric tension and alignment as a training aid, and is not intended for use as a stance to use in combat. It is for training and developing attributes, not efficient use of martial arts in live application.

寻桥 Chum Kiu (Xún Qiáo) – Seeking the Bridge

Our fourth form is the second of the three Wing Chun forms. “Seeking the Bridge” incorporates further Wing Chun style concepts of extending beyond the short range explored in “Little Idea”, including turning, shifting from one stance to another and closing the gap between the student and their target. This focus on entry techniques is what gives the form its name, as this concept is often called “bridging the gap”. These entry and shifting techniques (using pivoting and stepping) allow the student to more forcefully and effectively take charge of the situation and compromise the opponent’s stance, posture and balance. This form also teaches students ways in which to recover their position and centreline when the positioning learned in Siu Lim Tao has been disrupted by an opponent.

镖指 Biu Ji (Biāo Zhǐ) – Darting Fingers

Our fifth form is the third and final Wing Chun form. “Darting Fingers” serves to complete the formal expression of Wing Chun concepts by further developing the student’s transitions from one position to another, as well as working with different ranges and situations. It makes extensive use of 镖手 Biu Sao (Biāo Shǒu), which greatly enhances the efficiency of many other Wing Chun techniques explored in the previous two forms.

This form incorporates many longer-range and shorter-range techniques, as well as “emergency techniques” to counter-attack when structure and centreline have been severely compromised, for example when the practitioner is injured, severely exhausted, or attacked by multiple assailants.

There is a saying: “Biu Jee never goes out of the door.” While some interpret this as meaning that the form should be kept secret due to its potential to teach the practitioner techniques that impart a high level of force and thus could be severely dangerous if applied without the correct respect for their efficacy, we interpret this tradition as meaning that the methodology in this form – particularly its techniques that represent a higher level of force on the Force Continuum – should only be used if absolutely necessary.

A Note on Other Forms:

While other forms are not currently featured in our core syllabus, practitioners are encouraged to explore them if they wish, as each one will give significant benefits in its own right. In Wing Chun, there is one developed for the Muk Yan Jong (木人桩, Mù Rén Zhuāng – “Wooden Dummy”) which is beneficial. Yijin Jing (易筋经 – Yìjīn Jīng – “Muscle/Tendon Change Classic”), the predecessor of the more modern Ba Duan Jin, is a wonderful conditioning supplement to a practitioner’s strength and conditioning regime. The oldest documented, systematised form of Shaolin Gongfu, “The 18 Hands of Luohan” (罗汉十八手 – Luóhàn Shíbā Shǒu), is also well worth studying, and it can become a lifelong study in and of itself, as some lineages practise 18 forms with 18 movements in each, comprising a curriculum of 324 postures and techniques. Long Fist (长拳 – Cháng Quán) is a good complementary form to learn alongside the Wing Chun forms, as it uses large, extended, circular movements. Cannon Fist (三皇炮捶 – Sān Huáng Páo Chuí) is also a popular form to learn, as it was one of the first to be implemented into the Shaolin monastery’s training regimen. Its powerful striking is a great way to work on the concept of Fa Jin – “Explosive Power” (發勁 – Fā Jìn), which is a core component of many internal and external martial arts.

 

For more information on our syllabus, click here.

Fore more information about gradings, click here.