Warm Ups

The purpose of internal warm-ups is getting your chi to circulate. They do this by linking
many different aspects of your energy into one coherent flow. In short, warm-ups allow you
to perform bagua and tai chi movements dramatically better.
Warm-ups will:

Make your practice time more efficient and ultimately save you time in the long run.
Reduce your body's internal resistance to physical movement. They metaphorically oil
your body's machine. Otherwise, you might spend much more time practicing to arrive
at the starting point of diminished internal resistance.

Internal warm-up one: Crossover

The first of the Baguai Warm-Up exercises can be practiced
with the palms at either the throat notch or heart height. The
function of Crossover is to cross the energy from the left side
of the body to the right side of the body and vice versa.
Crossover is a standing posture that only needs to be practiced
for 5 to 10 mins at a time to achieve the desired result.

Internal warm-up two: Kwa pump

The Vertical Kwa Pump compresses and expands the joints
and cavities of the body to create an internal hydraulic pump.
The practitioner stands either with feet parallel or, in the more
advanced stage of the practice, in a Ba Stance or pigeon toed.
With each close and open of the Vertical Kwa Pump energy
sinks down the body to the feet and back up from the feet to
the crown of the head.

Internal warm-up three: Spine stretch

The third of the Baguai Warm-ups, the Forward Spine Stretch,
is practiced in the same stance as the earlier two warm-ups. In
the Forward Spine Stretch the space between the vertebrae of
the spine is increased as one bends forward keeping ones
spine straight. The hands are extended forward to assist in this
process of opening up and lengthening the spine.

Internal warm-up four: Dragon body

In the forth Baguai Warm up warms the body both physically
and energetically for turning into the circle and eventually
develops the Dragon Body that Baguazhang is famous for.
This exercise twists the leg muscles and engages the Kwa of
ones whole body in a side to side fashion. This Warm-Up also
helps to prepare the body for the spiraling coiling motions of
Bagua.

Internal warm-up five: Turning spine stretch

The fifth Baguai Warm-Up is the Turning Spine Stretch. This
Warm-Up is only meant to be practiced by individuals who
can practice the earlier four Bagua Warm-ups easily and
without strain. This exercise combines the motions of the
Forward Spine Stretch and the Dragon body turning into one
motion and is an important Warm-Up for those who want to
take their Bagua practice to the next level.