XYQ's five fists are the most important aspect of moving practice. After post standing they are the next level of practice upon which every other skill is built. It cannot be said enough, along with post standing this is your foundation in Xingyi. If your foundations are not deep you will never make Xingyi effective, no amount of clever tricks and techniques can make up for a lack of foundation practice.

Below is a brief description of the five fists extracted from a classic text.

Xingyiquan takes its forms and shapes its ideas.  It uses idea, shape, and form.  It uses form combined with the idea.

Pi Quan

For instance, the form of Splitting Fist is like an axe.  It corresponds to metal.  The axe can split the arrow.  Therefore metal destroys wood.  Instantly Splitting Fist can destroy Penetrating Fist.  Splitting is also called Chopping.  Chopping down is certainly like it.  Blocking and intercepting the incoming posture.  It can attack and it can defend.

Zuan Quan

Drilling Fist's form is like drilling.  It corresponds to water.  Water can extinguish fire.  Therefore Drilling Fist can destroy Exploding Fist.  Drilling is turning energy also.  It has the shape of water's flowing motion, whirling and eddying endlessly.  It can dodge and evade.  It can control and smash.  It can knock down and it can flick up.  It can rise and it can fall.

Beng Quan

The form of Penetrating Fist is like an arrow and corresponds to wood.  The arrow can pierce when shot.  Therefore wood destroys earth.  Instantly Penetrating Fist can break Crossing Fist.  The outgoing hand is like a sharp arrow issuing forth.  The forward fist has the energy of pulling a bow.  In issuing, the fist goes out to the middle and suddenly goes up.  It appears to go up and suddenly sinks down.  Up, middle, down, to and fro, the directions are not fixed.  In attacking there is yet a penetrating defence.  In defending there is yet solid attacking.  Out of one attack there should be 10,000 ideas for defence.  The forward fist defends and also contains attack.

Pao Quan

Exploding Fist's form is like a cannon.  It corresponds to fire.  Fire melts metal.  Therefore Exploding Fist can destroy Splitting Fist.  Fire rides the wind's power.  It shoots up towards the front.  I follow the man's thoughts. Break the enemy and break his fist.        

Heng Quan

Crossing Fist's form is like a spring.  It corresponds to earth.  Earth can destroy water.  Therefore Crossing Fist can destroy Drilling fist.  What is springing?  It breaks into fragments.  Scaling and ploughing postures defend the front of the chest.  It can neutralise the advance of the incoming fist.  It can break the path of the enemy's retreat.  Outer flicking can press.  Inner cover can press.  If his stepping is flawed, then leap into the centre gate into his face.  If you come to a fissure then step to the side gate and advance.  Use the principle of the middle path.  Through arduous practice you will begin to understand.

Once a thorough grasp of the five methods has been obtained, study moves onto the combined five fists. As with the single methods, repetition and more repetition is the key.

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