From Dr. Xie, San Francisco, CA 1999 --[After noticing frustration during the applications training.] "The applications that we are training and the one's shown on the videos are what we call the 'large frame' applications, it is not the only way that this art is applied, there are ''middle frame' and 'small frame' but the middle and small are contained inside the large frame, while the large frame applications aren't neccesarily inside the the small and middle. The 'large frame' applications are taught and trained because they require that the waist is used to move the arms as the applications are difficult to do if only using the strength of the arm. The applications are supplemental to the striking and line drills, they are meant to help develop the waist and 身法 'shen fa' (torso methods) that are being taught and trained with the striking drills. The 'large frame' applications are difficult to execute without proper use of the waist but they are viable applications that can be used in a fight but in all likelihood more of the small frame applications will comprise the main applications in self-defense. Look at me I'm very small but I can fight with the lion. [demonstrates some applications that are compact versions of the large frame 'opening sweep strike' and 'inward sweep strike' and go directly towards the neck to strike rather than throwing the opponent.] The problem with practicing the small frame apps is first that it is dangerous to your training partner but more importantly the small frame apps don't express or develop the waist and as soon as the art is taught with small frame apps the solo practice and striking drills will also become 'small frame' and the strength, body development, and 'shenfa' of this art will begin to be lost. The 'small frame' applications are simple, they are inside the large frame, if you can properly apply the large frame, you will know the small, they don't have to be taught.

"Bagua Zhang is a 身法 'shen fa' (torso methods) based art, using the waist and spine to deliver strikes and for throws is crucial, the applications are secondary to the body. Anyone can be taught some of our 'small frame' applications and be successful with them but they will always be stuck at the same level and never progress. It is said in bagua that the new student is locked inside the school for 3 years as this is roughly the amount of time it takes to train and properly develop Yin style Bagua's 'shenfa', if the student tries to go out and apply the art before they have developed the proper methods they will likely lose and misrepresent this style's full capabilities."

From Dr. Xie, Winterpark, CO 1999 -- "On the videos and in our practice we have the 2nd way of practicing the forms 'Practicing with Power' (emitting the power 發力 'Fa Li'), this is done with the back. First the tailbone (sacrum) tucks, and rolls under with a quick force, this jolts the Dantian, and sends the force out of the dantian through the 'Mingmen' point (GV4) in the lower back, the force then travels up the back where it meets 'Dazhui' point (GV14) at the base of the neck [if the crown of the head ('Baihui point' (GV20) is raised and the chin is tucked and held strong then 'Dazhui point is closed off.], the force is then diverted out through the shoulder and to the hand. [This combined with the turning of the waist is Yin style Bagua's 身法 'shen fa' (torso methods).] It is important that the hand and foot arrive at the same time so that the force reaches the hand, if the foot lands first only a small portion of the force will be in the hands."