No martial art as sophisticated as Ba Gua Zhang can be learned or mastered without the direct, continuous supervision of a qualified and experienced instructor.
Copying the movements of a form, a technique or an exercise is only choreography. It shows the surface of a system. Reaching the depths of the art takes formal instruction, because much of what a student needs cannot be put in a book or a video, no matter how much detail they provide.
What a teacher gives you
A qualified instructor sees what you cannot see for yourself. You are corrected as you train, and given the next step when you are ready for it. Lu Shui-Tian insisted that each student is different and needs a training program of his or her own, and that is how the art is still taught.
Choosing an instructor
Not everyone who teaches Ba Gua Zhang can pass it on properly. Be wary of learning from someone who:
- learned it from a book, a video, or the Internet
- picked it up at a seminar or workshop
- attended only a few classes
- has little true experience, no matter how many years they have practiced
Where books and videos fit
Books, videos and articles still have real value. If you are new to Ba Gua Zhang, they can introduce the art and make you want to learn more. If you are already studying with a qualified instructor, the right ones are an invaluable reference that reinforces your lessons.
What they cannot do is take the place of the direct and personal guidance of a qualified and experienced instructor.
Next step
Find a class
Train with a qualified instructor in Lu Shui-Tian’s method of Ba Gua Zhang as taught by Master Bok Nam Park.