LIU HE BA FA (Water Style) Boxing
What was until recently a very small style centered around Beijing has grown to world wide fame riding on the back of its brothers as an "Internal Art." Liu He was created under very strange circumstances indeed. "Water" boxing, as it is also termed, relies on "Six Harmonies" Liu He and "Eight Methods" Ba Fa, hence the name. It is a fluid form with one major set. Of late it has claimed to be older than Tai Chi, Ba Gua and even Xing Yi and therefore some practitioners, as in the case of Tai Tzu Boxing, have felt free to incorporate the movements of these "later" styles into the general range of LHBF. This version appears to be less diluted. If you get a chance check out LHBF's history, it is unusual to say the least.
Demonstrator: Wu Ying Hua the chief of the Yue Mountain Xin Yi Liu He Ba Fa Research Association.
#11327 Liu He Ba Fa Form
Four disks,
See Main VCD page for prices, CHINESE ONLY
This is a version of the LiuHeBaFa (LHBF) form that differs somewhat from those most people have seen. We think the reason for this is obvious: most LHBF practitioners are Tai Chi players and consistent with the concept that this is an "internal" style play it the same as they do Tai Chi.This is not necessarily bad. This version has more circumscribed hand motions, is still relatively soft but with a bit more Fa Jing, and changes the angles somewhat. LHBF was never, until recently, a popular and wide spread style. It is presently enjoying its fifteen minutes in the sun. We will see more and more variations of this style as we progress because most practitioners were isolated and developed their own potential - a good thing in Kung Fu practice. This contains FOUR disks.
Our recommendation: Due to the complex nature of the material, we suggest the DVD's unless you understand Chinese or are just looking for a form reference.
DVD-11327 $42.95 VCD-1327 $27.95
#11328 LHBF Core Exercises
About
an hour,
See Main VCD page for prices, CHINESE ONLY
Teachers who are really concerned about transmitting their knowledge, especially in present day circumstances where few indeed have time for in depth study, spend a lot of time developing "essential" movements. If done right they can get the point of a style including the flavor and even the strategy across in record time. These are often seemingly simple movements - as in this case - hardly discernable from exercises but they aren't exercises. Whether created 1000 years ago or yesterday these can be truly valuable aids in getting beyond the shell of the form. Here we have the building blocks of LHBF. Subtle movements repeated and isolated.
Our recommendation: As a general rule, you should use the DVD's for standing postures and Qigong unless fluent in Chinese.
DVD-11328 $15.95 VCD-1328 $7.95
#11329 LHBF Usage
Two disks,
See Main VCD page for prices, CHINESE ONLY
The usage in this VCD is developed out of the LHBF form and is demonstrated single person fashion first. For those who want to get right to the hitting this may be a bit frustrating but when the practitioner shows all the variations it will be an interesting lesson in how FLEXIBLE forms are and should be. People are always clamoring for the "application" of a movement but as Theodore Roszak said, a poem does not contain "information." Along these lines there is an old Kung Fu saying that if you practice only the meaning of a move you ignore the other 99 meanings. Every good fighter we've known would agree.This contains TWO disks.
Our recommendation: We suggest the DVD's for technical points but, if you have a decent eye, you can probably pick up most points with little trouble. So, either way.
DVD-11329 $27.95 VCD-1329 $13.95
