Xing Yi Quan features aggressive quick attacks and direct footwork. Most of the training and footwork are practiced on straight lines. Despite its hard, angular, and linear nature appearance, cultivating “soft” internal strength is essential to Xing Yi Quan. Like other Internal Martial Arts, much of the training in Xing Yi Quan is done in slow-motion.

Xing Yi uses movements called the Five Elements to metaphorically represent five different states of combat. These five movements make the ‘base’ of the art upon which all further combative knowledge and skill are built upon.

Each of the Five Element movements has many vectors of movement within it. Together, they are used to explore all the possible useful ways through which one could advance on a straight line. Each of the Elements may also be used as a Zhan Zhuang, a type of Qi Gong exercise.

Xing Yi Quan is developed for fighting. However, learning and practicing Xing Yi can have many health benefits. Because the training of Xing Yi involves cultivating internal energy; improving eye, hand, and mind coordination, and so on. Each posture of movement of the five elements is not just for training the right structure and techniques for fighting, they also can increase the circulation of the blood and energy around the certain organ as if massage that organ internally.  Therefore learning and practicing Xing Yi can significantly improve one’s physical and mental health condition.

The following is a brief explanation of the Five Elements.

• Chopping (Pī in pinyin), Metal Like an ax chopping down and over.
• Drilling (Zuan in pinyin), Water Drilling forward diagonally. Like two waves crashing into each other.
• Crushing (Bēng in pinyin ), Wood Like an arrow shot directly forward.
• Exploding (Pào in pinyin ), Fire Exploding outward like a cannonball, while covering at the same time.
• Crossing ( Héng in pinyin ), Earth Crossing across the line of attack while turning over.