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Wudang Daoist Traditional
Kungfu Academy
Wudang basic training (基本功, Ji Ben Gong) refers to the foundational practices that every martial artist must master before progressing to more complex forms. At WDTKA, basics are not "beginner exercises" to be rushed through — they are the lifelong practice that underlies mastery at every level.
Every training day at WDTKA begins with 1.5–2 hours of basic training, regardless of the student's level. Even advanced practitioners return to basics daily as the foundation of all internal martial development.
Basics
What is Basic Training?
Components of Wudang Basic Training
Stances (马步, 弓步, 虚步)
Low stances that develop leg strength, rootedness, and the ability to generate power from the ground up. Key stances include:
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Ma Bu (Horse Stance) — deep, wide, rooted
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Gong Bu (Bow Stance) — front-weighted, lunging
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Xu Bu (Empty Stance) — balanced, light, ready to move
Stretching & Flexibility
Gentle, progressive stretching that opens the hips, spine, and shoulders — essential for the deep, flowing movements of internal martial arts. Wudang stretching emphasizes joint health and meridian flow rather than forced flexibility.
Coordination Drills
Movements that develop the connection between upper and lower body, left and right, hand and foot. Coordination is the foundation of internal power — without it, the body moves in fragments rather than as one unit.
Kicking Practice
Low, controlled kicks that build balance, flexibility, and precision without sacrificing stability. Wudang kicks emphasize accuracy and timing over height or flashiness.
Breathing & Qi Cultivation
Basic breath work that coordinates inhalation and exhalation with movement. Students learn to breathe deeply into the Dantian (lower energy center) from the very first day.
Standing Meditation (站桩)
Wuji standing meditation — standing motionless in a low stance while cultivating awareness of body alignment, breath, and Qi flow. This is the most important basic practice in the Wudang system.
The Master Yuan Method: Soft to Hard to Soft
Master Yuan's approach to basics follows a precise progression:
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First: Soften the body — release tension, open joints, cultivate flexibility
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Then: Strengthen to correct hardness — develop functional strength without rigidity
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Finally: Fuse soft and hard — become able to issue explosive power from a relaxed body
This three-stage process cannot be rushed. Attempting to skip stages — training hardness without first establishing softness — leads to rigidity, injury, and the inability to generate true internal power.
Benefits of Daily Basic Training
Students who consistently practice basics report improvements in:
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Leg strength and rootedness
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Hip and spinal flexibility
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Balance and body coordination
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Breath control and lung capacity
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Mental focus and emotional stability
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Overall health and longevity
In Wudang wushu, the training first focuses on “form” and then “intention”. Master Yuan’s training regime is to first soften the body, then to strengthen it to the correct hardness (“hard” here does not mean stiff or rigid), then from the correct hardness to the correct softness, and to finally fuse the soft and hard to become one.
Hardness without softness is like steel: it is strong, but can be broken with a single twist; jumping and spinning in modern wushu with large overly expressed movements, while at the same time adding regular combat training, usually causes injuries to the students. Similarly, if students train only softness but not hardness, they lose the basic defensive power that is trained for in actual combat, as well as the power for attack; losing both of these means losing the meaning of the practice of wushu.
Master Yuan believes that for internal wushu, one needs to first build the right basics of body mechanics and movements and the movements must be repeatedly practiced until there are ingrained in the practitioner. After one has trained in the correct body mechanics and movements, one can begin to regulate breathing and cultivate “qi” through standing and sitting meditation. Only when both training systems have been attained can one combine “form” and “intention” together. When this is done, forms and movements can flow uninterrupted like clouds and running water. Looking from the surface there is no force, only “intention”, but in the true practice there is a full power hidden within, without fully expressing itself. If one continues to practice there will be unlimited “qi” congregated in the “dan tian’’ (the “dan tian” is the physical energy center of the body) ready to be used and can destroy all hardness.
To accomplish this, Master Yuan strives to keep the traditional training basics as part of the main practice here at WDTKA. Every class begins with a focus on a variety of basic stances, kicks, fighting patterns, coordination, flexibility, balance exercises, jumps, internal work, and more in order to give the students a full spectrum of ways in which to practice.
Following the seasons and the natural phases of life, we continue our basics throughout the year. Learning and mastering the basics of wushu takes time and practice. They provide a foundation from which we build to and learn different styles. Not learning basics is akin to building a house without a foundation. This house will not be strong and stable. But if we diligently practice the basic exercises, our health, balance, flexibility, coordination, power, endurance, stamina, longevity, circulation, and clarity can all be improved while simultaneously we can rid our body and mind from bad habits, poor posture, unstable emotions, and many health imbalances.
Is Basic Training Right for You?
Basic training is the foundation of all Wudang martial arts practice. It is included in every program at WDTKA — from one-week beginner programs to multi-year advanced training.
No prior experience is required. Basic training is designed to be accessible and beneficial for students of all ages and fitness levels.