- Ding Shi Ba Gua (walking the 8 mother palms. I used to do this walking one way, making a change walking the same palm the other way, then changing to the next palm on the next change. Now I flow from one palm to the other in the same direction until I end up at Fire/Dragon/Millstone Palm then do a Single Palm Change to get going the other direction and repaeat the proce
ss. This way seems to help me focus not only on the palms and the energies of them, but also the circle walking involved.)
- Jiang Palm Changes (I only know the first 6 of 8 so far. This time I ramped up from 1 to 6 alternating sides then went back town to one on the other side. Sometimes I'll repeat the first a couple times on both sides then the same with all the rest. Bagua is all about change so why keep the routine stagnant?)
- Walking Tea Cups (I don't know if anyone else is doing this. Looking on the internet I can't find proof that anyone else is doing the Tea Cup exercises while walking the circle. I think it's a great exercise to try to coordinate the hand movements with the stepping around the circle and tying the waist and hip movements into it to generate power. Adds a whole new dimension and way more fun than doing the Tea Cups while standing still.)
- Focus on the 6th palm change. (This is the last one I have learned, and while it's relatively easy...it's deceptively difficult. So, I did this one back and forth on both sides til I was happy with where my form and technique was.)
- Random Palm Changes (Just doing whatever number palm change comes to mind.)
All in all a great practice. Not as intense as some have been, but that's OK. It had an energy and flow all it's own. That's the fun thing about exercising to music. If you coordinate your movements, flow and pace to the music you'll end up with a different energy to the practice because the music is different.
- Jiang Palm Changes (I only know the first 6 of 8 so far. This time I ramped up from 1 to 6 alternating sides then went back town to one on the other side. Sometimes I'll repeat the first a couple times on both sides then the same with all the rest. Bagua is all about change so why keep the routine stagnant?)
- Walking Tea Cups (I don't know if anyone else is doing this. Looking on the internet I can't find proof that anyone else is doing the Tea Cup exercises while walking the circle. I think it's a great exercise to try to coordinate the hand movements with the stepping around the circle and tying the waist and hip movements into it to generate power. Adds a whole new dimension and way more fun than doing the Tea Cups while standing still.)
- Focus on the 6th palm change. (This is the last one I have learned, and while it's relatively easy...it's deceptively difficult. So, I did this one back and forth on both sides til I was happy with where my form and technique was.)
- Random Palm Changes (Just doing whatever number palm change comes to mind.)
All in all a great practice. Not as intense as some have been, but that's OK. It had an energy and flow all it's own. That's the fun thing about exercising to music. If you coordinate your movements, flow and pace to the music you'll end up with a different energy to the practice because the music is different.
