Baji quan



Ba Ji Quan (八極拳, Eight extremities fist), is a Chinese martial art that features explosive, short range power and is famous for its elbow strikes. It originated in Province in Northern China. Practitioners are encouraged to learn techniques that are aimed to defeat opponents with a single strike, and low stances to develop strength in the legs.

A feature of this art is the loud stomping action that is designed to scare opponents while at the same time developing the practitioner’s internal energy. Attacks are released at close range, using eight different parts of the body are used to deliver them: head, shoulders, elbows, hands, hips, buttocks, knees, and feet.

Ba Ji Quan was once called Ba Zi Quan (巴子拳 or 鈀子拳; rake fist), due to the fact that when not striking, the fist was held loosely and slightly open, resembling a rake, and also because the art involved many downward strike moves, like a rake's movement in the field. The name was considered to be rather crude sounding however in its native tongue, so it was changed to Bajiquan.

Ba Ji Quan Practitioners

 * Akira Yuki
 * Kokoro

Trivia

 * As a testament to the complementary nature of the Ba Ji Quan and Pi Gua Quan styles, there is a proverb that goes: "When pigua is added to baji, gods and demons will all be terrified. When baji is added to pigua, heroes will sigh knowing they are no match against it." (八極參劈掛，神鬼都害怕. 劈掛參八極，英雄嘆莫及).
 * Besides Akira and Kokoro, other fighting characters that uses Ba Ji Quan include Li Mei of Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance, Arima Miyako of , and Leo Kliesen from the Tekken series.