Liuhebafa (Lokhupbafa) Standing Set

Liuhebafa (LHBF) is one of the main systems of  internal martial arts from China. It has elements of taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baquazhang in it, particularly focusing on the turning generated from core muscles such as the abdominal obliques and shoulder girdle muscles such as the serratus anterior. The particular tradition I practice and teach comes from Liang Zipeng who was also a well known yiquan practitioner, so there are elements of that in it as well.

This particular practice has much to offer for martial artists practicing with applications in mind, but the gentle turning and spiraling offers much for those interested in health and wellness. This standing set is something I put together to focus on the health aspects and it is particularly useful in online classes as many participants do not have the space to study liuhebafa when streaming in from a computer or casting to the TV. It still contains the general principles. 

Check out the video and if you are interested in attending class, click here for the schedule.

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Rotate Torso to Improve Health

Turning Pelvis, Lower Ribcage, Shoulder Girdle

In taiji and liuhebafa, rotation is evident in many of the movements. This is especially true in liuhebafa which really highlights rotation and it features rotation in three main centers in the body; the pelvis, lower ribcage and shoulder girdle.

There are many martial applications with this type of rotation, but the health benefits are evident. Included are:

• Mobilization of the the innominate bones (the main pelvic bones on the right and left) leading to better function of the sacroiliac joint and lumbar spine,
• Mobilization of the low ribcage which engages the abdominals, improves health of the respiratory diaphragm and massages the internal organs like the liver, stomach and spleen.
• Mobilization of the shoulder girdle leading to better shoulder health, a strong and stabile shoulder girdle and better health of the thoracic and cervical spine.

Check out the tutorial to start learning and practicing the basics and click here for in-person classes in Temple Terrace or my zoom classes online. 

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