Here we outline the key foundation skills required to proceed onto the study of martial arts at the Taiping Institute. These are divided into different areas, but are the most basic and should not be too difficult.
Some of the key themes in martial arts foundations are:
练拳无桩步，房屋无立柱 – practice techniques without stances, it is like a tall building with no foundation (likely to collapse)
练拳不活腰，终究艺不高 – If you don’t exercise your waist when practicing martial arts, you will never be good at it or achieve skill
打拳不溜腿，到老冒失鬼 – Practice techniques without swinging kicks, when you are old, run the risk of being a crippled ghost
打拳不练功，到老一场空 – Practice techniques without Exercise & Conditioning (Gong Fu), when old all will be empty (in vain)
打拳容易走步难 – It is easier to punch than to move (stepping is important skill)
步不活则拳乱，步不快则拳慢 – If the steps are not lively, the strikes will be chaotic; if the steps are not fast, the strikes will be slow.
先看一步走，后看一出手 – first look at the stepping, then look at the hands (Because the quality of footwork is one of the signs of a person’s martial arts level)
| Common Stances (步法) 练功先练桩，大鼎增力量 | Common Swinging Kicks (遛腿) 打拳不溜腿，到老冒失鬼 | Stance Transitions (换步法) 打拳容易，走步难 |
| 马步 Horse Stance 弓步 Bow Stance 扑步 Flat stance 虚步 Empty stance 歇步 Twisting stance 独立步 Single Leg stance 半马步 six-four stance 叉步 Cross Stance 虎步 tiger stances 六合步 Harmonies stance 玉环步 Jade ring stance 丁步 T-shape stance 坐盘 Seated Cross stance 跪步 kneeling stance 练步 Static stance Set (level One) * Each stance should be able done correctly to principles of structural lines and to be held steadily for minimum of 2 minutes | 正踢腿 Straight High Kick 外摆腿 Outward High Kick 里合腿 Inward High Kick 十字腿 Crossing High Kick 后撩腿 Backwards Swing Kick 侧踢腿 Side body High Kick 弹腿 Spring front Kick 蹬腿 Pressing front kick 侧踹腿 Side Kick 后踢腿 Back Kick 撞踢腿 Smashing Front Kick 前扫腿 Front low sweep 后扫腿 Back low sweep 上扫腿 Roundhouse kick 拍腿 Patting Kick 后摆腿 Back Swing Kick * Each leg motion or kick must be done to standard including alignment, min. height, lines of force and stability. | 马步弓步 Horse-Front Change 扑步弓步 Flat-Front Change 虚步弓步 Empty-front change 马步歇步 Horse-cross change 半马弓步 half horse-front change 叉步马步 cross-horse change 丁步马步 T-shape – horse change 丁步弓步 T-shape – front change 独步虚步 Single-empty change 独步扑步 Single-flat change 进弓马步 enter front-horse 撤弓马步 retreat front-horse 跟弓步 follow step 半步进 half horse enter 进退虚步 Enter-retreat empty step 行步 walking steps 练步 Stepping Set (level Two) * Each transition must be done without body waving, controlled centre of gravity and with stability. minimum 10 of each |
| Basic strikes & movements | Plyometrics & Stepping agility exercises 步不活则拳乱，步不快则拳慢 | Calisthenics, Strength & Conditioning |
| 冲拳 Flat Straight Punch 立拳 Vertical Straight Punch 劈拳 Hammering Fist 钩拳 Uppercut/Hook Fist 鞭拳 Whipping Fist 翻拳 Back fist 推掌 push palm 切掌 cutting palm 顶肘 pressing elbow 抱肘 turning elbow 下格挡 Low block 中格挡 Medium block 架梁 overpass 三星 three stars conditioning 一步三锤 Linked Strikes 十趟弹腿 Tantui (10 rows) These are generic, each system has their own specific requirements later. The key is developing necessary power and structural alignment | 跳繩 Skipping 深蹲跳 Squat jump 分腿蹲 split squat 弓箭步交互跳 lunge jumps 跨步蹲 Knee up to lunge 單腳跳 Single leg deadlift to jump 抱膝跳 Tuck jump 大開合跳 Star jump variations 波比跳 Burpee 跳箱 Box Jump 單腳跳 Single Hops – front & side 雙腳跳 Dual Hops – variations 跳躍 Broad Jumps – front, side & back 交叉步/闪丁步 evading T-shape * Essential to develop the speed and agility required for combat, these have a series of repetitions and variations | 仰臥起坐 Different situps/ab workouts 伏地挺身 Pushups – 10 different types 10 reps 引體向上 pullups – 3 variations 5-10 reps 深蹲 Squat – 1.5-2x own weight, 10 f 10 s 登山者 mountain climber 体力 Striking Bag: 5 min 5 reps 10 variations (strikes, kicks etc) 铁球 Bolder Training 鹰抓功 Grip Training 沙包 Sandbag Training 辘铁滚 Roller Bar Training 重关刀 Heavy Guandao Training 石锁功 Stone Lock Training 拉弓 Bow Training * Conditioning is essential. Again we include a few generic methods, different systems add new apparatus and methods as one progresses through. |
Please note the ‘foundations’ need to be passed every year for the first five years of training. Failure to do so will not allow the applicant to qualify for any other development or grading specific to their specialised system. It is our belief that the discipline achieved throughout those first five years will continue throughout the individual’s lifetime and instill the necessary training habits for excellence.