----Nan Pai Gun Fa (Pole Method) That I Comprehend
Pole is one of the important weapons, in traditional Chinese Kung-fu. Generally speaking, pole and boxing will be learned at the same time, since the basis of pole is the same as boxing indeed. Pole is the extension of your hands actually, so the Pole method is evaluation of features of fist and pole. Since the routine of pole is completely hitting the opponent with taking advantage of the force by component, it is defter, quicker and more powerful than boxing. The old saying "boxing will be stronger made by youth, but poling is actually more powerful taken by the aged" expresses the same idea.
Among Southern Style Kung-fu, Yu Jia Pole in Fujian Province, Ba Gua (Eight Diagrams) Pole and Liu Dian Ban (Six and a half Points) Pole in Guangdong Province have got great reputations and influence. There are no big differences among all the kinds of routines of Poles, but there is a different parlance with different comprehension of its routines. I had learned Hong Quan (Hong Clan Boxing) and Shuang Tou Ba Gua (Double-headed Eight Diagrams) Pole from a local mentor. Besides Liu Dian Ban (Six and a Half Points) Pole, I learned Bai Mei (White Eyebrow), Long Xing (Dragon Style) and Wing Chun from Mr. Xiao Tingxun in 1980s. From my those experiences, I think that you should grasp the features of Pole and focus on some basic techniques of pole, such as Quan (Circling), Dian (Pointing), Qiang (Piercing), Tiao (Stirring up), Chou (Taking out), Tan (Flipping), Ge (cutting), Xiao(chopping) apart from strength-enhancing exercises
(1)Quan (Circling)
There are Left, Righ, Up, Down, Front, and Back Circling in the routines of Pole. Circling doesn't simply mean to ward off your opponent's pole by circling only but focuses on neutralizing the attack by your opponent. Circling can take effect on both inside and outside of the pole. When your opponent thrusts at your chest with his pole, you can revolve your waist and "circle" upward your pole, then make the piercing action following it so that you can neutralize his attack. Further, you can take advantage of the momentum of "piercing" to counterattack. That is the point of circling your pole.
(2) Dian (Pointing)
Dian means that you point and touch some part of your opponent accurately. The force of Dian is forward from up to down not like Qiang (spear) thrusting directly straight ahead. Dian is often used to attack your opponent's Zhong San Lu (three middle parts) and Xia San Lu (three lower parts). It is thrusting for several times continuously within one second making extremely rapid actions just like a chicken pecking at rice making your opponent rattled. It acts on the downside by the end of your pole. When you exercise Dian, you should energize your legs, hands, waist, breast and back, and should make exactly Yin Shou Yang Chu. These four Chinese words mean that when you use your pole, draw in your Yin Jin around your wrist and draw out your Yang Jin outwards, Embed your breast, and extend your back, then your pole making Dian can be quick and powerful with "Yi Chu Yi Ru, Yi Shang Yi Xia" (Which means one is out and positive and the other is in and negative, one is above and the other is underside.) Your Yin Jin and Yang Jin are "Yi Chu Yi Ru, Yi Shang Yi Xia" indeed making your Yin and Yang associated and cooperated with each other. Dian acting is often used with Tiao in succession. For example, when you Dian your opponent's front hand or private part, he will block your pole with his one or escape, in a moment you change your Yin Jin and Yang Jin to "Tiao Pi" by exchanging force and borrowing force, you can hit him directly, or you can settle the force of his pole with revolving your waist and thrust at him directly. So when you exercise Dian, revolve the Ying and Yang and exchange up, down, left and fight, thus you can master Dian.
(3) Qiang (Piercing)
Qiang means that you thrust the tip of Pole straight ahead. The force of piercing can be whirly or not, but your hands should be straight during the action. You cannot simply and merely comprehend that you thrust ahead the tip of your pole only. As you should think about your opponent's counterattack when you attack him forwardly, your hands should hold your pole easily but not stiffly, your actions could be either open or close in cooperation with your waist circling and abdomen when you are energizing. For example, when you revolve backwards with your waist and abdomen moving, and make the piercing at your opponent's chest with your hands holding pole upward, don't energize your hands forwardly. While no reaction occurred, you can thrust your pole with more force. And at the moment he blocks your pole with his one making both two Poles touching each other, you will loose your waist at once and circle your pole, thus you can settle his pole in vain indeed. Energize your waist, abdomen, hands and legs at the same moment and make an action of piercing following the movement. This is the point of Piercing that contains both offence and defense in the same style.
(4)Tiao (Stirring up)
Tiao has got the meaning of raise upwards. But Tiao in routines of Pole focuses on Jie Li (taking advantage of your opponent's attack) very much. It will make extraordinary effect that you are making a moving to Jie Li and Tiao from up to down as well as from down to up, and hit downwards following the force with the opponent's attack and backing of his Pole. Tiao has strong continuity so the lower, middle and higher parts of your body must correspond to each other. Tiao usually means moving your Pole with the forces of your own steps upward and downwards as well as the force made by your own body moving up and down. You might hit downwards following this force making your opponent unprepared.
(5)Chou (Taking out)
Chou usually means that you block your opponent's pole left or fight with your pole. Besides, The movement of Chou may follow your opponent's attack and hit him in unconsciousness. For example, when you try to hit the opponent's head with your pole thwartwise, he Chou your pole with his one making two poles touching each other, you may back your front leg and foot, revolve your waist, Chou upwards following your opponent's Pole force, then hit his elbow of the front arm and make him unable to attack. When you Chou your pole, you should be taking out both Pole with your waist's action and energize the end of Pole, then Chou back or Tan or hit following this force with the whirl force of your waist. Chou has strong awareness of offence and defense and it's easily used in practice.
(6)Tan (flipping)
Tan means spring out. Tan of Pole is usually formed when you energize your legs, waist, and hands at the front end of pole to produce the force of Tan. Tan is often coherent with Chou. Tan is quite fast and it'll get extraordinary effect when you use Tan to attack your opponent' s head.
Ge usually means cleaving downwards. Besides utilizing the force of moving back of your hands to cleave your pole downwards and defend the lower part of your body, Ge has a more important function. You should move your pole forwards with a step ahead as moving a spear. It is one movement containing both attacking upwards and defending downwards as well as hitting and removing joined together. In order to master Ge, your hands must correspond to your waist and abdomen, and energize to an opposite direction as a whole.
(8)Xiao (chopping)
Xiao can be called shaving also. It means to hit with your pole appressed your opponent's attacking pole following its force. Its effects are making hitting and removing the attacking force made by your opponent as well as starting latter but attacking earlier. Xiao usually utilize the inertia produced at the moment when two poles touched to hit with your opponent in unconsciousness. Xiao is the easiest way to hit your opponent, especially at one of his hands ahead or his head. In order to master Xiao, your waist, eyes, hands and pole must correspond to each other and you should make a fast and an accurate hit. When you use Xiao, you should revolve your waist and move your hands at the same time and circle your pole upwards, then hit the opponent with aiming at his attacking pole following its force, and utilize the inertia produced at the moment when the two poles touched to hit one of your opponent's hands ahead and frontal head in his unconsciousness. The saying "the pole sounds hitting the opponent" means the same idea.
All routines of pole discussed above dissertate circling and taking advantage of the opponent's attacking movement to hit. The basic skill using pole is the up, down, left, fight, front and back directions. Just like practicing Six Forces ("Liu Jin" in Chinese), Quan (Circling) of pole is basically like semicircle or oval but not a complete circle. I think that the parlance regarding "Liu Dian Ban (Six and a Half Points) "might be related to this six and a half semicircle.
