三、八卦掌的运动特点 Movement Characteristics of Bagua Zhang

八卦掌的运动特点是以掌为主，以走为先，身随掌转，步随身行。其运动路线是沿着八卦图线循环往复、不停走转，以此达到练神导气的功效。就其步法而言，里脚(靠近圆心的脚)直迈似圆的弦线，外脚迈扣合圆弧，重心在后如坐椅，前腿虚探需自如。迈步过程中，两腿胫骨相磨，两脚踝骨相蹭，形成剪刀股形。脚迈出时脚面绷直，脚底与地面平行，前涌似趟水，落地似踩泥，平稳而有力，俗称“趟泥步”。这种步法似走非走、似跑非跑，是在走与跑之间。走，前腿和脚面绷直，步距尽量拉大；跑，后腿用力后蹬，将重心移至前腿。只有在练好步法的基础上才能开始练掌，底盘功夫练扎实了，上掌后才能协调全身。

Eight-trigram Palm (Bagua Zhang) is characterized by palm skills playing the leading role，and giving priority to walking steps，body turning being led by palm，and steps following the body.The movement route repetitively follows Eight Trigrams and keeps walking and turning to train spirit and lead breath.The step techniques are:the inner foot (the foot near to the center) walks in straight steps and the outer foot steps in a curved way.The body weight center leans backwards as if sitting in a chair，so that the front leg may freely stretch forward.During stepping，two shin bones and two ankles rub to form scissor stance.When stepping out，the foot shall be leg extended，and the sole shall be in parallel with the ground surface.Walking forwards as if walking in water，touching the ground as if stamping in mud，maintaining steady and forceful.This style of walking steps are called“Tangnibu(mud wading steps)”.This style of step is between walking and running.For walking，the front leg and its foot stretch straightly；for running，the back leg backwards stamps hard to transfer the body weight center to the front leg.Only after acquiring basic step techniques can the full body be well coordinated.

练掌时要双目平视、提顶直颈、舌抵上腭，含胸裹背、沉肩坠肘、坐腰溜臀。行走中要抽腰顺胯、合膝掩裆、十趾抓地、犹如壁虎、落地生根，以摆扣步来变换方向，两脚不能原地拧转，做到三空(胸空、手心空、脚心空)、三顶(头顶、舌顶、中指顶)、三圆(虎口圆、裆圆、背圆)和六合(内三合，即意、气、力合；外三合，即肩与胯合、肘与膝合、腕与踝合)，以及外动其形，内动其神，身法、步法、掌法相互配合，身随掌转，步随身行，拧肩调臂，拧裹钻翻，腰为主宰，发力在根(脚)。走转时，还要做到心气沉静、灵活应变、气沉丹田、生生不息。此乃动中求静之法，即所谓“动中之静乃真静，静极生动，其动神速”。

When practicing Eight-trigram Palm(Bagua Zhang)，the eyes shall look forwards，with the head lifted neck straightened upright，and the tongue touching the palate,relax chest and wrap back，drop shoulders and elbows，lower the waist and relax the buttock.When walk，draw waist，stretch hip straight，close knees and cover crotch，the 10 toes grab the ground like a gecko；change direction with swaying steps；do not turn the feet on a spot.The chest，the palm and the sole shall be empty.The head，tongue tip，and the middle finger tip shall point upwards.Hukou，crotch and back shall be relax and in a curved shape.Will，breath and force shall in conformity(interior three conformity) and the conformity shall also apply to shoulders and hips，elbows and knees，wrists and ankles (exterior conformity).Outside movement is the form，and inside movement is the spirit.Body，step and palm techniques shall coordinate with each other.The body turns with palms；steps follow body；twist shoulder and adjust arms，waist controls movements,and transport strength from the feet.When walk and turn，mind shall be calm，flexible，and ready to react according to the changing situation.Qi(Breath) drops to Dantian，and circulates continuously.This is the way to acquire stillness in moving status,which is described as“The stillness in movements are the real static state，and the ultimate stillness produces movement，which is amazingly quick.”

不论是何种掌势，伸掌即拧臂，踏腕即顶指，动则拧腰摆扣步，静似麻绳紧又松。手、足四梢要随八节(肩、肘、腕、胯、膝、踝、掌、足)的变动而不停地拧转，即螺旋运动。运动中不仅要保持上身中正(“中”就是百会穴与**穴的连线与地面保持垂直，此乃人体的中心垂直线；“正”是鼻子与脐垂直相对)，而且还要心静气沉，精神高度集中。要先慢行，而后加快速度，形成自然的动作。行走时切忌歪头、翘颔、驼背、撅臀、前俯后仰、左摇右摆、上下起伏、行速不均。呼吸用鼻，切忌用口。

No matter what kind of palm posture，twist arms when stretching the palm,butt fingers when stamping the wrist.Twist waist and sway steps when moving and be motionless as if a hemp rope which is capable of tightening and loosening.Hands，feet and the four tips keep twisting with the movements of the eight key body parts such as shoulder,elbow,wrist，hip，knee，ankle，palm and foot.During the movements，the body shall keep upright；drop breath and concentrate mind from being disturbed.Fist shall be slow and accelerate later to form natural movements.Do not twist the head，point out jaw,back or buttock.Do not bend forwards or backwards，swing left or fight，rise or fall，or be inconstant in speed.Breathe with nose instead of mouth.