The Arts We Teach

We offer classes in Taijiquan and Baguazhang. Both are internal styles of Gong Fu that utilize whole-body connectedness to power their movements. The methods involved in internal training are profoundly transformative, making them powerful practices for achieving inner harmony and robust health in addition to producing superlative combat skills.

Taijiquan 太極拳

Taijiquan (T’ai-chi-ch’üan) produces power by mobilizing force through the soft tissues of the body and cycling it down into the ground and back up through the body again. By cultivating a body free of fixed tension, the Taiji practitioner becomes skilled at neutralizing an opponent’s power, capturing them in a vulnerable state before returning the power into them for a counterattack. While Taijiquan employs the full arsenal of empty-handed combat techniques of kicking, striking, throwing, and locking, its emphasis on connecting and sensitivity is most conducive to grappling applications.

Baguazhang 八卦掌

Baguazhang (Pa-kua-chang) uses coiling and spiraling mechanics to knit the body together into a singular serpentine unit. Unlike Taijiquan, Baguazhang does not route the opponent’s power into the ground and back up again, but instead winds force in spiraling pathways across the body, returning the force to the opponent in unexpected ways. Each point of contact with the opponent becomes the new pivot point for your movement. The unique internal training of Baguazhang allows the practitioner to step and change directions freely while attacking the opponent’s flank and back. Baguazhang’s peerless mobility makes it particularly well-suited for dealing with multiple opponents. Our style of Baguazhang excels in unorthodox grappling and striking techniques, all executed while in constant motion.

Training at Upper Valley Martial Arts is comprehensive of all aspects of classical internal Gong Fu training. No matter which art you choose to study here, you will learn:

  • Authentic classical Chinese internal martial arts that can form the basis for vibrant health, spiritual cultivation, and formidable fighting ability

  • A systematic approach to building internal mechanics into the body that dramatically augments physical and mental performance across all aspects of living well

  • Clear and specific training methods to develop sustainable power that does not rely on size or strength and a deep resiliency to stress, physical or otherwise

  • The key principles for rejuvenating the mind and body so that you may live life in your prime regardless of your age

  • Traditional forms or sets of movements that exemplify how to apply internal power in versatile and effective ways

  • Combat applications based on each art’s principles as well as their underlying theoretical frameworks to empower you to make the art an expression of who you are