The staff, the grandfather of all weapons. There is nothing simpler than picking up a stick to hit someone with. This is the first of many weapons I was trained on over the years, and perhaps the one nearest to my heart. Simple, deadly, and versatile. The range of skill travels the spectrum so a novice can use this to maximum effectiveness, and a skilled weapons handler can wreak havoc on a battlefield.
Strike Defense
Knowing how to block strikes is an integral part of our boxing skills. This provides for our primary defense against an aggressor, but also builds a foundation for our counter-striking skills that we add later. Dive into these skills and learn to block all manner of strikes an enemy can throw your way.
Summary Boxing Set (Zhāi Yào 摘要)
Summary Boxing Sequence
Zhāi Yào Tào Lù
摘要套路
See further below for the boxing instruction set, and links to many of the fighting applications. When learning the boxing set, you can follow my recommended training missions below each lesson. I recommend sticking to a lesson until you feel comfortable to proceed.
Lesson 1 - 1st Road - Part 1
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 1
See lesson 1 video above for sequence. It is recommended to practice this a few times in a week, or as much as you are comfortable.
1st Road - Part 1 - Perform - 3 Sets of 10
Crazy Ghost Fist
Toe Kick
Mantis Catches Cicada with Crushing Knee
Thrust Palm Closing Attack
Lesson 2 - 1st Road - Part 2
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 2
See video above for sequence.
1st Road - Part 1 - Perform - 3 Sets of 10
1st Road - Part 2 - Perform - 3 Sets of 10
Knee Hook Lapel Punch
Leg Hook - Blue Heron Spreads Wings
White Ape Falls in Hole
Tiger Tail Throw
Lesson 3 - 2nd Road - Part 1
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 3
See video above for sequence.
1st Road - Part 1 - Perform - 10x
1st Road - Part 2 - Perform - 10x
2nd Road - Part 1 - Perform - 3 Sets of 10
Double Seal
Beat down Chop
Closing Door Kick
Drilling Fist
Three-Section Step to Crush
Lesson 4 - 2nd Road - Part 2
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 4
1st Road - Perform - 10x
2nd Road - Part 1 - Perform - 10x
2nd Road - Part 2 - Perform - 20x
Ankle Pick to Lifting Hook
Crashing Tide (monkey variation)
Double Seal
Diagonal Flying
Wicked Knee
After completing all sections - perform entire set 10x
Lesson 5 - 2nd Road - Part 3
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 5
1st Road - Perform - 5x
2nd Road - Part 1 & 2 - Perform - 10x
2nd Road - Part 3 - Perform 20x
Beatdown Chop
Crashing Tide (7 Star Variation)
Double Push
Break the Chains
Twisting Hook
After completing all sections - perform entire set 10x
Lesson 6 - 3rd Road - Part 1
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 6
1st Road & 2nd Road together - Perform - 10x
3rd Road - part 1 - Perform 20x
After completing all sections - perform entire set 3x
Twisting Hook
Rowing Hook (7 star variation)
Piercing Hook
Point at Star
Leg Hook - Change Moon
Lesson 7 - 3rd Road - Part 2
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 7
1st Road & 2nd Road together - Perform - 5x
3rd Road - part 1 - Perform 10x
3rd Road - part 2 - Perform 20x
After completing all sections - perform entire set 3x
Double Clinching Hooks w/ Crushing Knee
HookTemple Step to Lifting Hook
Tiger Tail Throw
Crashing Tide
Lesson 8 - 3rd Road - Part 3
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 8
1st Road & 2nd Road together - Perform - 5x
3rd Road - part 1 - Perform 10x
3rd Road - part 2 - Perform 10x
3rd Road - part 3 - Perform 20x
After completing all sections - perform entire set 3x
Monkey Steals Peach
Circle, Scrape
Heel Kick
Mantis Captures Prey
Blocking Hook
Lesson 9 - 4th Road - Part 1
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 9
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Roads together - Perform - 5x
3rd Road - Perform 5x
4th Road - part 1 - Perform 20x
After completing all sections - perform entire set 3x
Seizing Hook
Shoveling Hook
Inside Elbow
Circle Punch, Heel Kick
Tame Tiger
Lesson 10 - 4th Road - Part 2
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 10
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Roads together - Perform - 3x
4th Road - part 1 - Perform 10x
4th Road - part 2 - Perform 20x
After completing all sections - perform entire set 3x
Rowing Hook (single leg)
Spinning Hook
Hanging Hook L/R
Crashing Tide
3 Section Step to Crushing Strike
Lesson 11 - 4th Road - Part 3
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 11
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Roads together - Perform - 3x
4th Road - part 1 & 2 - Perform 15x
4th Road - part 3 - Perform 20x
After completing all sections - perform entire set 3x
Cross Kick
Side Kick
Circle Punch to Clinching Hook w/ Crushing Knee
Guillotine to Rising Choke
Lesson 12 - 4th Road - Part 4
Zhai Yao - Training Mission 12
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Roads together - Perform - 3x
4th Road - part 1, 2 & 3 - Perform 15x
4th Road - part 4 - Perform 20x
After completing all sections - perform entire set 3x
Over the Knee
Clinching Hook to Dragging Hook
Anchor Drop
Close
fin
Quán Pǔ (拳谱)
A quán pǔ (boxing set 拳谱) is a list of instructions, a chart outlining the system, or piece of the system. Most Chinese martial arts forms are accompanied with an instructional list of moves such as this. Unique names to help one remember what to do next — mnemonics.
The names of each move can be extremely difficult to translate. Guessing at times to the creators intent/meaning. If one is going by the name alone it can be close to impossible to crack the code. In many cases these names have localized meanings connected to a village, region, time period of origin, mythical backstory, local legend, or they are specific to the boxing founder themselves. In many cases they reference some movement, for example an animal.
If an outside viewer is not familiar with each of these names then it has no meaning to you other than assisting the learning process. An example from my life could be the word ‘hornpout’, a term we used for catfish while growing up in New Hampshire, USA. It wasn’t until I was in the military and stationed in other parts of the country that I realized no one else knew what a hornpout is. Even more aggregious, they had never had a fluffernutter!!!
Therefore, keeping the applications of the moves intact with each of the moves found in a set is of utmost import.
Roads
These boxing sets were typically divided into sections which we refer to as roads. The end of a road is, like most boxing sets, demarcated by a 180 degree direction change.
Zhāi Yào Lexicon
See ‘Applications’ section for combative methods.
1st Road
Crazy Ghost Fist
Toe Kick
Mantis Catches Cicada w/ Crushing Knee
Thrust Palm Closing Attack
Knee Hook Lapel Punch
Leg Hook - Blue Heron Spreads Wings
White Ape Falls in Hole
Tiger Tail Throw
2nd Road
Double Seal
Beat down Chop
Closing Door Kick
Drilling Fist
Three-Section Step to Crushing Fist
Ankle Hook to Lifting Hook
Crashing Tide (monkey variation)
Double Seal
Diagonal Flying
Wicked Knee
Step fwd Beat Down Chop Fist (right)
Crashing Tide - 7* variation
Waist Chop/Double Push
Break the Chains
3rd Road
Twisting Hook
Rowing Hook (7 star variation)
Piercing Hook
Point at Star
Change Moon
Double Clinching Hooks w/ Crushing Knee
Temple Step to Lifting Hook
Tiger Tail Throw
Crashing Tide
Monkey Steals Peach
Circle, Scrape
Heel Kick
Mantis Captures Prey
Blocking Hook
4th Road
Seizing Hook
Shoveling Hook
Inside Elbow
Circle Punch, Heel Kick
Tame Tiger
Rowing Hook (single leg)
Spinning Hook
Hanging Hook L/R
Crashing Tide
3 Section Step to Crushing Strike
Cross Kick
Side Kick
Circle Punch to Clinching Hook w/ Crushing Knee
Keyword Combo - use enter—strike—connect—stick—hook—clinch—pluck—to strike with knee.Guillotine to Rising Choke
Over the Knee
Clinching Hook to Dragging Hook
Anchor Drop
Close
Summary Set Applications
Road 1
01 - Crazy Ghost Fist
03 - Mantis Catches Cicada
Timestamp - 02:12
04 - Thrust Palm Closing Attack
06 - Leg Hook
02:48 - Blue Heron Spreads Wings Variant
02 - Toe Kick
Mantis Catches Cicada - Con’t
Timestamp - 04:00
05 - Knee Hook Lapel Punch
07 - White Ape Falls In Hole
Timestamp - 02:00 - Hammerlock Takedown
08 - Tiger Tail Throw
Summary Set Applications
Road 2
01 - Double Seal
03 - Closing Door Kick
02 - Beatdown Chop
04 -Drilling Fist
05 - 3 Section Step
06 - Ankle Hook to Lifting Hook
Timestamp - 00:50
09 - Diagonal Flying
11 - Beat Down Chop
13 - Waist Chop
Timestamp - 3:41
07 - Crashing Tide
Timestamp - 02:57 - Monkey variant
10 - Wicked Knee
Timestamp - 00:49
12 - Crashing Tide - v2
14 - Break the Chains
Summary Set Applications
Road 3
01 - Twisting Hook
Timestamp - 02:20
03 - Piercing Hook
Timestamp - 02:48
05 - Change Moon
07 - Lifting Hook
Timestamp - 00:50
09 - Crashing Tide
Timestamp - 02:57
11a - Circle
Timestamp - 01:55
12 - Heel Kick
Timestamp - 01:14
02 - Rowing Hook w/ 7 star
04 - Point At Star
06 - Double Hooks with Crushing Knee
Timestamp - 1:04
08 - Tiger Tail Throw
10 - Monkey Steals Peach
11b - Scrape
Timestamp - 01:18
13 - Mantis Captures Prey
14 - Blocking Hook
Timestamp - 01:43
Summary Set Applications
Road 4
01 - Seize Leg
03 - Inside Elbow
Timestamp: 05:59
05 - Tame Tiger
07 - Spinning Hook
coming soon…
09 - Crashing Tide
Timestamp: 02:57
11 - Cross Kick
13 - Circle to Clinch
Timestamp - 00:22
15 - Over the Knee
02 - Shoveling Hook
04 - Circle Punch - Heel Kick
06 - Rowing Hook (single leg)
08 - Hanging Hook
Timestamp: 01:00
10 - 3 Section Step to Crush
Coming soon…