Actually, I don’t want to come across as just the hard nosed old school guy who says if you’re not on your death bed you better still be training.

The point is that there is always something that will be interfering with optimal training. Live with it! You either do it or don’t. I couldn’t stand up - I did the houtian sitting and did more meditation. I can move my arm right now, I still do circle walking, zhan zhuang, lower body conditioning, etc.

Guess what? We all get older.

Guess what else? If you are practicing MARTIAL ARTS (not tai chi for health or yoga bagua or whatever else someone will promote) - you’re going to get hit or tossed on your ass! If you aren’t, YOU ARE NOT DOING IT RIGHT!!!

Again, just sayin’…

Everyone’s “all” is always different. Everyone’s “all” will be different at different points in their life. Everyone’s “all” will change not only through a necessity to keep constant improvement, but unfortunately, sometimes it is forced upon us. Keep your emotional glass half full and find a “new” way to train and improve.

Circle on.

The more I look at Bagua, the more it seems the martial, therapeutic, and strengthening (systemic) effects are inherent in every movement.
It’s which aspect you emphasize in your practice that determines the outcome.

The best thing about Bagua, though, is that the benefits transfer. As long as you practice different aspects (or all of them) frequently enough, a few days of “light” training (i.e., not doing fa jing or full power expression, etc) can still have a positive impact on your overall performance when you come back…

I think this is overlooked a lot of times.

I don’t think I’ve had a day where I’ve been 100% in the past 10 years. My back was fractured (break, herniated disk, ligament tears, etc.), I broke and separated my shoulder, injured my ankle seriously, my knee, hip, neck… all this stuff pops up again later. I didn’t have insurance when much of it happened and that, coupled with youthful bull-headedness to train through injuries, leads a lot of that to come back to me now that I’m older.

I still train and move everyday. Baguazhang has proved to me to be one of the most all-around training and healing regimens out there. Sure, there are things that need some extra help from doctors, but then I go back to Bagua to help align, strengthen and balance my body.

When I hurt my ankle in Taiwan and couldn’t walk on it for 4-6 months, I would come to class just to listen and learn. I couldn’t physically do anything, I could barely stand. My senior taught me to do the houtian with just my hands and upper body, sans stepping, so that I could do them sitting down. I did this, a lot, and found out that I got much more fluid at my houtians as a result. I would emphasize more meditation in my practice at home. Another senior told me to put my mind and intent into healing my injuries while meditating and practicing qigong/neigong. Again, I couldn’t walk, but I was improving.

Anyways, to put this ramble short - just because you are not 100% doesn’t mean you should not be putting in 100% effort. It may not be the same type of effort you might have been able to do last week, or last decade, but we grow, things change. The Dao and all…

Buddy