Training: Eight-Extremes Day

Training:

Eight-Extremes Day

This workout is different from some of the others because it's not based on one of the animal inspired styles. This workout is inspired by the "Eight-Extremes" style known as Bajiquan. This style emphasizes short-range fighting, and it utilizes elbows, fists, kicks, knees, and even strikes with the hips and shoulders. The stances are held a bit higher than some other types of kung-fu, which in my view make it quite mobile. San-Soo can be a very close-range fighting style, so using "Bajiquan" as an inspiration, I focus on the elements of San-Soo that they have in common--the ability to fight in close and use almost any extremity to defend yourself against an opponent. I also focus the use of short bursts of power, and the ability to use powerful strikes backed by the power of the body working as a single unit.

The following is my "Eight Extremes" inspired routine.

Warmup:

Windmills: 

• Short, Fist.

Arm  and Body Strikes: 

• Forward Punch 
• Side punch
• Ramming Elbow
• Dropping Elbow
• Shoulder Strike (Half Horse and Empty Stance)
• Back Elbow Strike (Half Horse and Empty Stance)

Kicks: 

• Low snap-kick (front and rear)
• Stepping knee

Footwork Exercises:

• Horse to Horse
• Horse to Half Horse to Center
• Half Horse to Half Horse
• Half Horse Stepping (No switch)
• Shooting Horse
• Shooting Half Horse

Practice:

Drills: 

• Elbow Charge (Horse and Half-Horse)
• Elbow Sweeping Drop
• Stepping Fist from Horse
• Back Elbows (Reverse Horse and Empty Stance)

Conditioning:

Stance Holding:

• Hold Elbow in Full Horse
• Hold Fist in Full Horse

Pushups: 

• Diamond

Core: 

• Traditional Situps/Crunches

Overall, I'm going for intense, low/narrow horse, firm half-horse...Full body motion, explosive power. Hit with your entire body--with everything you've got.