Introduction

In BFQ our teaching emphasis is to pass on practical classical Southern Shaolin techniques and applications through forms, drills and skills. These techniques encompass the full range of physical techniques expected from classical Chinese kungfu, some techniques widely used in modern-style controlled sparring, as well as the essential and complementary internal disciplines of qigong and meditation.

The syllabus is structured such that at each grading candidates will be examined in the following areas:

  • Stance and dynamic footwork

  • Hand strikes

  • Kicking techniques

  • Contact defence and interception techniques

  • Paired drills

  • Form

  • Qin na

  • Meditation and qigong

  • Free movement, which builds from structured response drills with limited choice, through sparring to combat

  • Stick work from 4th Grade onwards

The drills introduce and practice skills which are employed also in the forms, which are in turn applied in the free movement part of the grading examinations. These skills are built in a natural and very efficient hierarchy where each grade’s techniques are employed in later grades at a higher level using the “spiral approach” to teaching. Instructors receive and study a detailed mapping of the techniques and skills in each of these specific areas onto each item in the syllabus, with appropriate supporting drills.

The syllabus is the Copyright of Ba Feng Quan, and is subject to revision from time to time.

9TH GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Classical stances held statically:

  • Feet-together/ready stance

  • Natural/upright stance

  • Horse or horse-riding stance

  • Front stance/ bow-and-arrow stance

  • Back stance/ dropping stance

  • Cross stance

  • Cat stance

  • Sparring stance

Movement drills:

  • Basic step forward/backward

  • Slide forward/backward

  • Change stance

  • Tap kar step into cross stance           

Hand strikes

Static combinations of:

  • Long-fist punch           

  • Upright punch 

  • Palm strike

Kicking techniques

Stepping combinations of:

  • Short side kick

  • Front kick

  • Instep roundhouse kick

Contact defence and interception techniques

  • Mirror block (also known as hinge out block)

  • Press in block

  • Outward grasp

PAIRED DRILLS

  • Palm strike vs mirror block

  • Horse stance, mutual grasping hand

  • Press block versus long-fist punches

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 3 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 3 specified responses

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 1 specified response

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 1 specified response

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 1 specified response

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Standing monitoring in natural stance

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Shoulder tapping

  • Shoulder and knee tapping

8TH GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Transitional drills between pairs of stances, all previous plus:

  • Crane stance

Movement drills, all previous plus:

  • Cross/switch step into cross stance

  • Breakfall/front roll from kneeling

  • Indirect step forward/backward

  • Step through forward and turn

  • Spring to switch stance

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of:

  • Long-fist punch           

  • Upright punch 

  • Palm strike

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Push kick

  • Side kick

  • Cross step versions

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • Low press down block (with fingers to side) versus kick

  • Hinge down block

  • Wing block

PAIRED DRILLS

Any previous plus:

  • Upright stance: Outward grasp to upright punch drills

  • Fighting stance: Attacker slide forward front kick, jab, cross; Defender slide backward press down, press in, press in

  • Three-way arm knocking (adults only)

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist:4 specified responses 

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 2 specified responses

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 2 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 2 specified responses

  • Head lock: 1 specified response

  • Basic wrist locks: 1 specified response

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 1 specified response

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 1 specified response

FORM

  • Three Battles 1 (San Zhan 1)

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Seated monitoring

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Use of press blocks to defend against upright punch (including to face for adults), long fist punch (including to face for adults), slide and step

  • Free sparring

7TH GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Transitional drills between pairs of stances, all previous plus:

  • Kneeling stance

  • False-kneeling/ half-kneeling stance

Movement drills, all previous plus:

  • Spring rotate forward

  • Spring rotate away

  • Step away and turn

  • Pull to point and step out with same leg

  • Pull to point and step out with opposite leg

  • Pull to point and pull back maintaining stance

  • Pull to point and step forward with opposite leg

  • Pull to point and pull off line

  • Pivot off front foot

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Knife hand

  • Club hand/backfist

  • Elbow strikes

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Short turning kick

  • Back kick

  • Knee strike

  • Jump kicks       

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • High press down block versus elbow

  • Interchange block: Press in block followed by mirror block

  • Press up block with fingers away from face

  • Outer forearm block   

PAIRED DRILLS

Any previous plus:

  • Slide, step and change stance sensitivity drills

  • Sparring stance: Press block, interchange, backfist or joint smash responses to upright punches

  • Drills using grasp out and in

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 5 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 5 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from front: 1 specified response

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 3 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 3 specified responses

  • Rear choke: 1 specified response

  • Head lock: 2 specified responses

  • Basic wrist locks: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 1 specified response

  • Elbow-up elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

FORM

  • Grasping Hand 1 (Zhua Shou 1)

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Static qigong breathing

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Breaking out of grasps

  • Free sparring

6TH GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Transitional drills between pairs of stances, all previous plus:

  • Examiners’ choice

Movement drills, all previous plus:

  • Drop to floor with knee and hip down

  • Drop to floor with knee down, hip up

  • Lift leg with cover/block and rotate backward/forward

  • Reverse step through

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Spear hand

  • Inner club hand

  • Hammer fist

  • Inverted (Luohan) punch

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Stamp kick

  • Roundhouse kick with shin

  • Reactional kicks

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • Cross block: Simultaneous outer forearm block and hinge down block

  • Inward grasp

  • Hard hinge down block

  • Hard hinge out block

  • Hard outer forearm block

  • Hard bar block, including use as descending smash against prone elbow

  • Rising club hand/kow chiew as rising smash against prone elbow

  • Hard rising block

PAIRED DRILLS

Any previous plus:

  • Three-directional dynamic off-the-line drills

  • Drills using cross block

  • Pushing hands drills: Direct block and counter

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 6 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 7 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from front: 3 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from behind: 1 specified response

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 3 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 3 specified responses

  • Rear choke: 1 specified response

  • Head lock: 2 specified responses

  • Basic wrist locks: 3 specified responses

  • Goose neck wrist locks : 1 specified response

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-up elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Figure 4 locks: 2 specified responses

FORM

  • Grasping Hand 2 (Zhua Shou 2)

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Five Qi Gathering Exercises

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Pushing hands

  • Use of press and cross blocks to defend against upright punch, long fist punch, front kick and roundhouse kick: no face contact for children

  • Free sparring

5TH GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Advanced dynamical transitional stance and movement drills using all previous plus:

  • Cartwheel

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Ridge hand

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Front leg sweep

  • Front sweep from back leg (180/360/etc deg)

  • Back sweep from back leg (180/360/etc deg)

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • Shin block

  • Stamping block

  • Knife hand hinge out block

  • Single/double low press down block with fingers to front versus kick

  • Simultaneous press down and press in block

  • Press up block with fingers toward face

PAIRED DRILLS

  • Three-directional dynamic off-the-line, keep hand contact, and re-enter drills

  • Drills for hard block and counter

  • Pushing hands drills: Indirect block and counter

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 6 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 7 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from front: 3 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from behind: 3 specified responses

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from front: 2 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from front: 2 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from behind : 1 specified response

  • Under-arm bear-hug from behind: 2 specified responses

  • Rear choke: 2 specified responses

  • Head lock: 2 specified responses

  • Basic wrist locks: 3 specified responses

  • Goose neck wrist locks: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-up elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Figure 4 locks: 2 specified responses

  • Hammer locks: 2 specified responses

FORM

  • Intercepting Fist (Lanjie Quan)

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Breath following

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Pushing hands

  • Non-impact joint locks in response to grab

  • Free sparring

4TH GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Advanced dynamical transitional stance and movement drills using all previous plus:

  • Breakfall/front roll from standing

  • Boxing slip

  • Boxing duck

  • Boxing roll

  • Ba Bu Quan (Eight Stance Drill)

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Boxing jab

  • Boxing cross

  • Boxing hook

  • Boxing upper cut

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Oblique front kick

  • Axe kick

  • Front hook kick

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • Boxing parry

  • Boxing absorb/ “telephone” block

Stick work

Stepping combinations of:

  • Basic strike

  • Overhead strike

  • Thrust strike

  • R mirror block, L hook block

  • L/R press block

  • Cross block

  • Press up/down block

  • Diagonal guards L/R forward

  • Single hand guard L forward

PAIRED DRILLS

Any previous plus:

  • Three-directional dynamic off-the-line with kick and re-enter drills

  • Interchange and control drills

  • Pushing hands drills: Open main door entry

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 6 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 7 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from front: 3 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from behind: 3 specified responses

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from front: 3 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from front: 2 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from behind : 2 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from behind: 2 specified responses

  • Rear choke: 4 specified responses

  • Head lock: 3 specified responses

  • Basic wrist locks: 3 specified responses

  • Goose neck wrist locks: 4 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 3 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-up elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Figure 4 locks: 2 specified responses

  • Hammer locks: 2 specified responses

FORM

  • Eight Winds Form (Ba Feng Quan)

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Small circulation

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Free response to grab from attacker

  • Free sparring

3RD GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Advanced dynamical transitional stance and movement drills using all previous plus:

  • Spring rotate to switch stance

  • Spring rotate 360 degrees to land in same stance

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous Grades’ hand strikes

(Focus on stick work at this Grade)

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Back swing kick

  • Front slice/crescent kick

  • Back slice kick

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • Soft rising block with forearm muscle or point of wrist

  • Outward “chicken fist” hook

  • Inward “chicken fist” hook

  • Downward “chicken fist” hook

Stick work

Stepping combinations of all previous plus:

  • Diagonal block

  • Inward and outward strikes to head

  • Up strike

  • Scissor strike

  • Pump

  • Sweeps (knee down or in back stance or as low block)

  • Reaps

  • Smashes/discharges

PAIRED DRILLS

Any previous plus:

  • Cover/Absorb/Duck/Slip/Roll

  • Pushing hands drills: Closed main door entry           

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 6 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 7 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from front: 3 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from behind: 3 specified responses

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from front: 3 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from front: 2 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from behind : 2 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from behind: 2 specified responses

  • Rear choke: 4 specified responses

  • Head lock: 3 specified responses

  • Basic wrist locks: 3 specified responses

  • Goose neck wrist locks: 4 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 3 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-up elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Figure 4 locks: 2 specified responses

  • Hammer locks: 2 specified responses

FORM

  • Eight Winds Form (Ba Feng Quan)

  • Southern Stick (Nan Gun)

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Seated iron belt gathering

FREE MOVEMENT

  • One step free response

  • Free response to grab and strike from attacker

  • Free sparring

2ND GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Advanced dynamical transitional stance and movement drills using all previous plus:

  • Backward roll from standing

  • Drop to floor with knee and hip up

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Phoenix eye fist

  • Crane fist

  • Hand swipes to ankles

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Reap

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • Intercepting jab punch

  • Intercepting knife hand

  • Intercepting uppercut punch

  • Intercepting Luohan punch

Stick work

Stepping combinations of all previous plus:

  • Smothering blocks

  • Redirecting blocks

  • Sweeping block

PAIRED DRILLS

Any previous plus:

  • Close-range strike/trap/escape drills

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 6 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 7 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from front: 3 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from behind: 3 specified responses

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from front: 3 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from front: 2 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from behind : 2 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from behind: 2 specified responses

  • Rear choke: 4 specified responses

  • Head lock: 3 specified responses

  • Basic wrist locks: 3 specified responses

  • Goose neck wrist locks: 4 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 3 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-up elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Figure 4 locks: 2 specified responses

  • Hammer locks: 2 specified responses

FORM

  • Eight Winds Form (Ba Feng Quan)

  • Southern Stick (Nan Gun)

[New form for this Grade is in the Meditation and Qigong section]

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Iron Belt Form

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Two step free response with takedown

  • Two step free response with lock/choke

  • Two step stick response

  • Free sparring

1ST GRADE

SOLO DRILLS

Stances and Dynamic Footwork

Advanced dynamical transitional stance and movement drills using all previous plus:

  • Butterfly legs from floor to stand

Hand strikes

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Shadow hand

  • Dummy hand strikes

Kicking techniques

Stepping and/or pad work combinations of all previous plus:

  • Dummy kicking techniques

Contact defence and interception techniques

All previous plus:

  • Intercepting horizontal palm-down spear hand

  • Intercepting horizontal palm-up spear hand

  • Intercepting vertical spear hand

Stick work

Stepping combinations of all previous plus:

  • Examiners’ choice

PAIRED DRILLS

Any previous plus:

  • Stick responses 1-6

  • Empty hand drills using bracketing

  • Examiners' choice empty hand drills

  • Examiners’ choice stick responses

QIN NA

  • Same-side grasp to wrist: 6 specified responses

  • Cross-body grasp to wrist: 7 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp single wrist: 4 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from front: 3 specified responses

  • Both hands grasp both wrists from behind: 3 specified responses

  • Single-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Double-hand strangle from front: 4 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from front: 3 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from front: 2 specified responses

  • Over-arm bear-hug from behind : 2 specified responses

  • Under-arm bear-hug from behind: 2 specified responses

  • Rear choke: 4 specified responses

  • Head lock: 3 specified responses

  • Basic wrist locks: 3 specified responses

  • Goose neck wrist locks: 4 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from outside: 3 specified responses

  • Elbow-down elbow lock techniques from inside: 2 specified responses

  • Elbow-up elbow lock techniques from outside: 2 specified responses

  • Figure 4 locks: 2 specified responses

  • Hammer locks: 2 specified responses

FORM

  • Eight Winds Form (Ba Feng Quan)

  • Southern Stick (Nan Gun)

  • Three Battles 2 (San Zhan 2)

MEDITATION AND QIGONG

  • Iron Belt Form

FREE MOVEMENT

  • Three step free response with takedown

  • Three step free response with lock/choke

  • Light contact stick sparring

  • Free sparring

DESTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

  • 2 x wooden boards