形意拳简介 (Introduction of XingYi Quan)

  形意拳是中国三大著名内家拳之一(形意拳、太极拳、八卦掌)，位列中国四大名拳。其风格朴实明快、踊跃直吞，在内家拳中独树一帜。

形意拳以五行拳（劈、崩、钻、炮、横）和十二形拳（龙、虎、猴、马、鸡、鹞、燕、蛇、鼍、骀、鹰、熊）为基本拳法，其桩法以三体式为基础。

形意拳具有以下特点：

①简洁朴实，其动作大多直来直往，一屈一伸，节奏鲜明，朴实无华，富于自然之美。

②动作严密紧凑，"出手如钢锉,落手如钩竿”，“两肘不离肋，两手不离心”。发拳时，拧裹钻翻，与身法、步法紧密相合，周身上下好象拧绳一样，毫不松懈。

③沉着稳健,身正，步稳，“迈步如行犁，落脚如生根”，要求宽胸实腹，气沉丹田，刚而不僵，柔而不软，劲力舒展沉实。

④快速完整，形意拳要求“六合”，即心与意合，意与气合，气与力合，肩与胯合，肘与膝合，手与足合。动作强调上法上身，手脚齐到，一发即至，一寸为先。拳谚有“起如风, 落如箭，打倒还嫌慢”之说。

形意拳讲究“三节”、“八要”：

三节是：“梢节起，中节随，根节催”。从全身讲，头与上肢为梢节，躯干为中节，下肢为根节；上肢以手为梢节，肘为中节，肩为根节;下肢则分为胯、膝、足三节。做到三节的要求,就能保证周身完整一体，内外合一。

八要是：三顶（头上顶，有冲天之雄；手外顶，有推山之功；舌上顶，有吞象容）、三扣（肩扣，则力气到肘；膝胯扣，则全身气凑；手足指掌扣，则周身力厚）、三圆（胸要圆、背要圆、虎口要圆）、三敏（心要敏，眼要敏，手要敏）、三抱（丹田抱，心意抱,两肋抱）、三垂（肩下垂，肘下垂，气下垂）、三曲（臂要曲，腿要曲，腕要曲）、三挺（颈要挺，脊要挺，膝要挺）。这样，就可保证身体各部姿势正确舒展。

形意拳包含着丰富的技击理论和技术、战术内容，强调敢打必胜、勇往直前的战斗意识。拳谚说：“遇敌有主，临危不惧”。在战术思想上，主张快速突然，以我为主，交手时先发制人，“乘其无备而攻之，出其不意而击之”，“有意莫带形，带形必不赢”。在攻防技术上，提倡近打快攻，抢占有利位置，“眼要毒，心要奸，脚踏中门裆里钻”,“进即闪，闪即进，不必远求”。形意拳主张头、肩、肘、手、胯、膝、脚七法并用，处处可发，“远了便上手,近了便加肘；远了用脚踢，近了便加膝”,  并且要求虚实结合, 知己知人，相机而行, 不可拘使成法，做到“拳无拳,意无意，无意之中是真意”, 方算上乘功夫。

      形意拳与医道相合

      形意拳是内家拳。通医合道。道家养生有两种功法，一为静功，一为动功。通过年长日久的修炼，使得全身内气充盈、形神合一，而要使形体与气机合一，就要有真正的诀窍，真诀合于道学养生健身之法，才算是彻底灵通。

形意拳的锻炼与人体的健康与养生长寿有着密切的关系。形意拳外练五拳（劈、钻、崩、炮、横），内养五脏（肺、肾、肝、心、脾），配合中医五行（金、水、木、火、土）。练五行拳时的正确形体，与人体经脉气血运行系统是相合的，锻炼日久，可使人气血畅通、五脏坚实、精神倍增、益寿延年。

Xingyiquan, also known as xing yi quan or hsing yi ch'uan, is a Chinese martial art that is distinctive for its aggressive, linear style. It is a relatively simple system, without the flashy kicks or maneuvers of some other martial arts, and it focuses instead on subduing an opponent quickly and decisively. This martial art is primarily a form of unarmed combat, but it is built around principles similar to those of spear fighting, and xingyiquan can be used with a weapon such as a sword, spear or staff.

Certain features make xingyiquan distinct as a martial art form. The word xingyiquan translates roughly as “form and will boxing,” meaning that the form or stance that the body takes is dependent on the will or intent. The style is linear, with limbs kept close to the body and strikes moving forward.

It uses few kicks and holds, emphasizing quick, powerful and efficient attacks. Practitioners walk forward as they attack, using this forward momentum for additional power. Offense and defense are simultaneous.

Rather than a form of self-defense, xingyiquan is more accurately described as an aggressive form of attack. The system does not favor redirection, deflection or other defensive postures. Instead, practitioners combine defense with offense and strike quickly to end the confrontation efficiently, making this an especially brutal martial art.

Five Element forms

Xingyiquan uses the five classical Chinese elements to metaphorically represent five different states of combat. Also called the "Five Fists" or "Five Phases," the Five Elements are related to Taoist cosmology although the names do not literally correspond to the cosmological terms.

Xingyiquan practitioners use the five elements as an interpretative framework for reacting and responding to attacks. This follows the five element theory, a general combat formula which assumes at least three outcomes of a fight; the constructive, the neutral, and the destructive. Xingyiquan students train to react to and execute specific techniques in such a way that a desirable cycle will form based on the constructive, neutral and destructive interactions of five element theory. Where to aim, where to hit and with what technique—and how those motions should work defensively—is determined by what point of which cycle they see themselves in.

Each of the elements has variant applications that allow it to be used to defend against all of the elements (including itself), so any set sequences are entirely arbitrary, though the destructive cycle is often taught to beginners as it is easier to visualise and consists of easier applications. Some schools will teach the five elements before the twelve animals because they are easier and shorter to learn.