Yi Lu Form

I do my best here to write down the moves in terms that make sense to me - apologies in advance if I make errors or incorrect assumptions.

You will find video of this form on YouTube executed at a pretty fast pace, linking sets of steps into bursts. I am still working through this at a slower pace and it it’s been said I have ’taijed’ it!

The Form as described here is not intended to substitute for instruction by an experienced teacher, but is presented as an aide memoire for students learning the form or seeking a refresher. There is no intent here to describe application, for example, in self defence.

1. Facing N, feet together, hands by your side, resting flat on your thighs
2. Look W and cross the fists across the belly, drawing them back to the hips
3. Step out to the W into horse stance, blocking down in front of the groin with the fists crossed (R over L), then bringing them up and out in large circles to strike down in two hammer fists
4. Turn to the W in a long bow stance, punching high (with R fist), bringing the L fist back to the hip (palm up)
5. Kick mid-section with the toe of the R foot and punch mid-section with the L
6. Land in a horse stance to the S and punch mid-section with the R fist. L hand on the hip with elbow pointing behind
7. Still with the gaze to the W, then bring the fist up and out in large circles to strike down in two hammer fists
8. Still with gaze to the W, pivot into a long bow stance, punching high (with L fist), bringing the R fist back to the hip
9. Kick mid-section with the toe of the L foot and punch mid-section with the R
10. Land in a horse stance to the N and punch mid-section with the L fist. R hand on the hip with elbow pointing behind
11. Turn to the W, opening the L fist and raising it slightly, palm up, whilst bringing the feet momentarily together, then stepping through with the R foot, making an open palm strike high with the R, and bringing the L hand back to the hip in a hook
12. Open palm strike with the L, bringing the R hand back to the hip in a hook
13. Turn anti-clockwise to the SE, keeping the L hand high in a sweeping block
14. Bring the L hand back to the hip in a hook and strike high with the finger tips of the R hand, palm up
15. Slide the L palm up under the R forearm and when it is fully extended turn it into a hook
16. Look and turn to the W, bringing the R foot to hover around the L knee before landing to the W in Single Whip, R hand forward
17. Step with the L foot, bringing the feet momentarily together, then continuing into a long bow stance, make an open palm strike high with the L, and bringing the R hand back to the hip in a hook
18. Immediately execute open palm strike with the R, bringing the L hand back to the hip in a hook
19. Turn clockwise to the NE, keeping the R hand high in a sweeping block
20. Bring the R hand back to the hip in a hook and strike high with the finger tips of the L hand, palm up
21. Slide the R palm up under the L forearm and when it is fully extended turn it into a hook
22. Look and turn to the W, bringing the L foot to hover around the R knee before landing to the W in Single Whip, L hand forward
23. Turn clockwise to face E in cat stance, sunk quite low and weight back, L fist and forearm blocking overhead and R fist ‘punching’ the R knee
24. L fist drops to L hip, whilst R knee rises and R fist punches in an uppercut
25. Quickly turn clockwise by ‘opening the gate’ (R knee and hip turn to the S), landing and sinking into a horse stance with the R hand grasping / hooking and the L forearm executing an arm bar/elbow break
26. Turn to the E in a long bow stance and punch high with the R
27. Adjust to face S in horse stance and punch high with the L fist
28. Turn anti-clockwise to face E in cat stance, sunk quite low and weight back, R fist and forearm blocking overhead and L fist ‘punching’ the L knee
29. Quickly turn anti-clockwise by ‘opening the gate’ (L knee and hip turn to the N), landing and sinking into a horse stance with the L hand grasping / hooking and the R forearm executing an arm bar/elbow break
30. Turn to the E in a long bow stance and punch high with the R
31. Adjust to face N in horse stance and punch high with the L fist
32. Look to the W and transfer both hands to the W, to arrive in an open palm guard at shoulder height
33. With the L hand remaining palm down and high, turn to the E and slide the R hand down the right leg whilst dropping into ‘sparrow splash’ and hooking with the R hand
34. Turn to the E in a long bow stance, the R hand hooks to the R hip and the L executes a high palm up finger strike
35. Return the L hand to the hip in a hook and execute a high palm strike with the R and a mid-section toe kick with the L
36. Land in a horse stance facing S, executing a high open palm block to the front, and one overhead
37. Look to the W and transfer both hands to the W, to arrive in an open palm guard at shoulder height
38. With the R hand remaining palm down and high, turn to the E and slide the L hand down the right leg whilst dropping into ‘sparrow splash’ and hooking with the L hand
39. Turn to the E in a long bow stance, the L hand hooks to the L hip and the R executes a high palm up finger strike
40. Return the R hand to the hip in a hook and execute a high palm strike with the L and a mid-section toe kick with the R
41. Land in a horse stance facing N, executing a high open palm block to the front, and one overhead
42. Stand with feet together and look W
43. Face N and finish

Notes

1. L = Left, R = Left
2. Cardinal points are used to describe the direction to face or to turn, e.g. N, S, W, E, SE etc.
3. Punches use the first vertically
4. When fists are on the hip, they are palm up
5. Kicks are described as using the ‘toe’, but may in application, depending on footwear, be best applied with the toes pulled back, and so use the ball of the foot
6. I have not attempted to match my ’steps’ to those of the accompanying images, but rather to the way the steps flow in my mind