Zhong Youquan talks about Liu Dian Ban Pole(Six-and-a-Half Pole)
Liu Dian Ban Pole means six points actions plus a half as usual. There are plenty of explanations to the name focusing on the word "Half." Someone says the name of the pole method comes from its basic actions, six main movements plus an additional one considered to be the "Half." In my opinion, this definition is absurd. There are seven actions in total mentioned by the claimer obviously, why one of them should be called the "Half"? Another explanation holds that the additional "Half' refers to the end point of the pole only. But one pole has two head points itself. Why does the name emphasize one head point merely instead of two? So this idea is not convincing either. Someone else even praises the “Half” highly as the superiority of the Pole Kung-fu requiring all the players to perform it half of the action faster than their opponents. However, each pole method has its own superiority in order to survive. And speed is also an important pursuit for all the practitioners of martial arts. Why does Six-Points-and-a-Half Pole emphasize it particularly? This explanation is superficial too. In fact, the connotation of each action of the Pole should be taken into consideration.
Generally speaking, Liu Dian Ban Pole's methods base on six main movements---Qiang (Thrust), Ge (Cut), Chou (Take out), Tan (Flip), Quan (Circle), and Dian (Point). Learners should practice the actions as much as possible. Moreover, players should learn to lead the force frontward, backward, leftward, rightward, upward and downward as conversant as possible in order to master all the movements well. The following passages will be the introduction and requirement of these main actions.
Qiang (Thrust)---- Hold the pole that has only one attacking point with both hands. Stand at attention, push the people are step one foot forward. Each hit should be on the same point. The pole should be kept horizontal constantly, the player must send out his power with his waist strength and make sure that the point can initiate the most powerful attack with his will.
Ge (Cut)----Raise the front point up to the height of one' s head, draw the foot back to the beginning stance of the movement, press the pole down in front of the thigh like cutting. The whole movement looks like fishing. Players should hold their breath, tight up their waist muscle and drop down their bodies a little. The purpose of practicing Qiang and Ge together is to help learners to master and control of power forward and backward.
Quan and Dan (Circle and Point)
Practicing Quan is aiming at realizing different inner circles of one's body. Besides the circles described by the pole, the player must build the inner circles of waist, chest and hands, which means coordinating each movement and treating each part of the body as a whole like a unified circle. The practice can also help the player to master the tenacious force controlled highly by the player's will moving powerfully and skillfully. According to the movement Tan, there is a good method for training. Putting a core of Chinese olive on the ground, the learner should touch and hit it with the pole point more and more. It's helpful for us to learn attacking with the point of that Chinese olive with our inner force actually as the strength under your will, since you could never smash the core without the right usage of strength. The distance between the pole and the core of the olive should be as close as possible.
Chou and Tan (Take out and Flip)
Hold the pole with both hands in the same direction, keep the same distance between hands as that of shoulders and jerk the pole points backward alternately maintaining the body straight and facing forward. Commence the force with chest muscle, reach the strength to the point of the pole, keep the paces moving as "ÄË" forward or backward. The movement looks like the method "Chou" (Take out) and "Tan"(flip). It helps us master the forces rightward or leftward and the approaching gait.
The learner could find out and understand the secret of the "Half' by practicing the above movements if he can pay much attention to the start, the will and the usage of inner strength. According to my own opinion of the Six-Points-and-a-Half Pole, we can only comprehend it in the internal aspect rather than the appearance. The method can be considered as a kind of one's will training because the player has to move under the certain will to reach certain effect. After practicing hard for a long time, we will find that the will is as powerful as an additional movement, which is the real meaning of the so-called "Half."
Liu Dian Ban Pole means six points actions plus a half as usual. There are plenty of explanations to the name focusing on the word "Half." Someone says the name of the pole method comes from its basic actions, six main movements plus an additional one considered to be the "Half." In my opinion, this definition is absurd. There are seven actions in total mentioned by the claimer obviously, why one of them should be called the "Half"? Another explanation holds that the additional "Half' refers to the end point of the pole only. But one pole has two head points itself. Why does the name emphasize one head point merely instead of two? So this idea is not convincing either. Someone else even praises the “Half” highly as the superiority of the Pole Kung-fu requiring all the players to perform it half of the action faster than their opponents. However, each pole method has its own superiority in order to survive. And speed is also an important pursuit for all the practitioners of martial arts. Why does Six-Points-and-a-Half Pole emphasize it particularly? This explanation is superficial too. In fact, the connotation of each action of the Pole should be taken into consideration.
Generally speaking, Liu Dian Ban Pole's methods base on six main movements---Qiang (Thrust), Ge (Cut), Chou (Take out), Tan (Flip), Quan (Circle), and Dian (Point). Learners should practice the actions as much as possible. Moreover, players should learn to lead the force frontward, backward, leftward, rightward, upward and downward as conversant as possible in order to master all the movements well. The following passages will be the introduction and requirement of these main actions.
Qiang (Thrust)---- Hold the pole that has only one attacking point with both hands. Stand at attention, push the people are step one foot forward. Each hit should be on the same point. The pole should be kept horizontal constantly, the player must send out his power with his waist strength and make sure that the point can initiate the most powerful attack with his will.
Ge (Cut)----Raise the front point up to the height of one' s head, draw the foot back to the beginning stance of the movement, press the pole down in front of the thigh like cutting. The whole movement looks like fishing. Players should hold their breath, tight up their waist muscle and drop down their bodies a little. The purpose of practicing Qiang and Ge together is to help learners to master and control of power forward and backward.
Quan and Dan (Circle and Point)
Practicing Quan is aiming at realizing different inner circles of one's body. Besides the circles described by the pole, the player must build the inner circles of waist, chest and hands, which means coordinating each movement and treating each part of the body as a whole like a unified circle. The practice can also help the player to master the tenacious force controlled highly by the player's will moving powerfully and skillfully. According to the movement Tan, there is a good method for training. Putting a core of Chinese olive on the ground, the learner should touch and hit it with the pole point more and more. It's helpful for us to learn attacking with the point of that Chinese olive with our inner force actually as the strength under your will, since you could never smash the core without the right usage of strength. The distance between the pole and the core of the olive should be as close as possible.
Chou and Tan (Take out and Flip)
Hold the pole with both hands in the same direction, keep the same distance between hands as that of shoulders and jerk the pole points backward alternately maintaining the body straight and facing forward. Commence the force with chest muscle, reach the strength to the point of the pole, keep the paces moving as "ÄË" forward or backward. The movement looks like the method "Chou" (Take out) and "Tan"(flip). It helps us master the forces rightward or leftward and the approaching gait.
The learner could find out and understand the secret of the "Half' by practicing the above movements if he can pay much attention to the start, the will and the usage of inner strength. According to my own opinion of the Six-Points-and-a-Half Pole, we can only comprehend it in the internal aspect rather than the appearance. The method can be considered as a kind of one's will training because the player has to move under the certain will to reach certain effect. After practicing hard for a long time, we will find that the will is as powerful as an additional movement, which is the real meaning of the so-called "Half."
