The Thirteen Postures Big Spear Form
太极十三大枪
Preparation 预备势
- Single Ward-Off Staff/Spear 绷一杆
- Green Dragon Emerges from Water 青龙出水
- Child Praying to Guanyin 童子拜观音
- Hungry Tiger Pounces on Prey 饿虎扑食
- Blocking Road Tiger 拦路虎
- Twist Step 拗步
- Diagonal split down 斜劈
- Wind Sweeps the Plum Blossoms 风扫梅花
- Center Soldiers Send Troops 中军出队
- Veteran Bird Returns to Nest 宿鸟入巢
- Pull Staff Defeating Posture 拖枪败势
- Agile Cat Catching Mouse 灵猫捕鼠
- Hand Playing Lute 手挥琵琶
Closing form 收式
The Thirteen Postures Spear 49 Movements
太极十三枪四十九式
- Preparation 预备式
(Four Sticking Spears) (四粘枪)
- Level Stab to the Chest 平刺胸
- Downward Stab to the Leg 下刺腿
- Diagonal Stab to the Arm 斜刺膀尖
- Upward Stab to the Throat 上刺咽喉
- Level Roll Back Right and Backward 右后平捋
- Neutralize Left and Downward 左下捋化
- Level Roll Back Right and Backward 右后平捋
- Neutralize Right and Upward 右上捋化
- Step Forward Lan, Na, Za 进步拦拿扎
- Turn Body, Pluck Down, Thrown Up 转身下采上扔
- Step Forward, Coil the Spear and Thrust Foward 进步缠枪前刺
- Bow Step and Push the Spear 弓步推枪
- Empty Stance and Chop the Spear 虚步劈枪
- Hight Brush Off Spear with Defeating Posture 败势上拨枪
- Turn Body and Level Stab 转身平刺
(Four Non-sticking Spears) (四离枪)
- Monstrous Python Drills through the Chest 怪蟒钻心刺心窝
- White Crane Swings Its Head and Pecks to the Arm 仙鹤摆头刺膀尖
- Hawk Captures the Sparrow and pecks to the foot 鹞子捕雀刺脚背
- Swallow Flies Back to Its Nest and Staps to the Face 飞燕投巢刺面门
- Block Up to the Right 右上格挂
- Block Up to the Left 左上格挂
- Block Down to the Left 左下格挂
- Block Up to the Right 右上格挂
- Coil the Spear and Thrust Upward 缠枪上刺
- Lie Upward and Dian (Pointing) Downward 上挒下点
- Beng (breaking) Up Spear 上崩枪
- Bow Stance and Uplift the Handle 弓步托把
- Turn Body and Cross Stance, Thrust with Bow Stance 转身倒叉步弓步刺
- Bow Stance and Thrust Downward 弓步下刺
- Cross Stance, Thrust with Bow Stance 倒叉步弓步刺
- Bow Stance and Thrust Downward 弓步下刺
- Cross Stance, Thrust with Bow Stance 倒叉步弓步刺
- Low Brush Off Spear with Defeating Posture 败势行步下拨枪
- Return Body and Level Stab 回身平刺
- Step Forward, Coil the Spear and Thrust Foward 进步缠枪平刺
- Cover with the Handle 盖把
- Turn Body and Level Stab 转身平刺
- Step Forward Lan, Na, Za 进步拦拿扎
- Hook Left and Uplift Forward 左挂前托
- Crouch Stance and Press the Spear, Step Forward and Level Stab 扑步压枪，进步平刺
- Low Brush Off Spear with Defeating Posture 败势行步下拨枪
- Turn Body and Level Stab 转身平刺
- Step Forward, Coil the Spear and Thrust Upward 进步缠枪上刺
- Turn Body and Cai Downward 转身下采
- Step Forward, Thrown and Pluck Spear 进步扔采枪
- Cover Stance, Coil the Spear and Cai Down 盖步缠枪下采
- Fix Step, Thrown and Pluck Spear 定步扔采枪
- Closing Form 收势
TheThirteen Postures Spear 2 person Set
太极粘黏十三枪
The 2 person set contains 13 postures, there are 4 sticking spears, 4 non-sticking spears, 4 disarming spears, and one circling spear.
The 4 sticking spears set (四粘枪 – Si Zhan Qiang)
- Level Stab to the Chest 平刺胸
- Downward Stab to the Leg 下刺腿
- Diagonal Stab to the Arm 斜刺膀尖
- Upward Stab to the Throat 上刺咽喉
The 4 non-sticking spears set (四离枪 – Si Li Qiang)
- Monstrous Python Drills through the Chest 怪蟒钻心刺心窝
- White Crane Swings Its Head and Pecks to the Arm 仙鹤摆头刺膀尖
- Hawk Captures the Sparrow and Pecks to the foot 鹞子捕雀刺脚背
- Swallow Flies Back to Its Nest and Pecks to the Face 飞燕投巢刺面门
The 4 disarming spears (掷摔四枪 – Si Zhi Shuai Qiang)
- Chop (劈採 – Pi Cai)
- Split (挒挂 – Lie Gua)
- Thrown (扔擲 – Reng Zhi)
- Break (崩鏟 – Beng Chan)
The Circling Spear (缠枪 – Chan Qiang)
This one is the 2 person set of coiling, circling with the sticking spear. We can use this technique to link all the other techniques together.
The Yang Family Taiji spear/long pole has two training methods:
- Training with a spear/pole with a spearhead attached.
- Training with a spear/pole without a spearhead.
In the four sticking spears, it is essential to practice the training without the spearhead, even though the techniques are still using the spear principle. This is different from the Gong Li training, which uses the long pole principles and explains why the Gong Li training does not include the typical “Lan,” “Na,” and “Zha” often associated with spear training.
About the Pole
• The pole used in Taiji spear training is made from white wax wood. This particular type of wood has good elasticity and ideal weight.
• For the Thirteen Big Spear and long pole shaking, we need to use a pole that is at least 3.3 meters in length. (3.5 ~ 4.0 meters are ideal as well) Using a spear/pole that is too long for the thirteen sticking spears would not be ideal as the weight and length make it too difficult to train. The pole/spear used for the Thirteen Sticking Spears should be 2.5 meters in length.
• Regarding the Small Flower Spear training, including the 24 movements spear set and its 13 techniques, we can use the spear (with spearhead) shorter than 2 meters.
• For the Thirteen Big Spear and long pole shaking, we need to use a pole that is at least 3.3 meters in length. (3.5 ~ 4.0 meters are ideal as well)