agua training centers on different palm changes, circular stepping and walking the circle. During practice, the practioner moves according to the eight diagrams. The inital eight basic palm forms are used to create a total of 64 palm techniques.

Bagua Zhang training requires dexterity and agility. The motion of Bagua practise is described as walking in mud, woth foot steps changing like running water The emphasis is on continous, linked palm and body movements. The idea is to perform the techniques as a series of endless overlapping circels. The body turns around from the waist during walking, roving, turning, rising and falling. Always, the palm techniques change with the movement of the body. When the upper body protrudes, the lower parts of the body squats back to keep balance. When the arms are sent out, the feet are drawn back. Bagua forms are extremely graceful and has been described as moving like a dragon amongst the clouds; squatting like a tiger; alert as a tiger; and roving like an eagle.

A basic curriculum for Bagua are as follows:

1. Solo practice - walking the circle
   
   
2. Solo practice - walking around objects (trees, sticks, etc.)
   
   
3. Applications
   
   
4. Weapons - sword, sabre, cudgel, etc.
   
   
5. Sanshou - free sparring

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