WATER PALM INSTRUCTIONS

1. Open: face south, heels together with the toes pointing outward at 45 degree angles. Your arms hang loosely: place palms on thighs. Relax, empty your mind, focus, and sink your breath below the naval. Breathe naturally throughout the solo exercise.
2. Raise your arms with the palms up, opening the lower lungs.
3. Continue circling the arms above your head; your breath will sink.
4. Carry on, circling the arms down, and perform double pressing blocks as you step forward (south) with the right foot; and lower your weight (bending knees).
5. Circle the right arm up, palm facing in.
6. Immediately, place your left hand below right elbow (left palm up), and...
7. begin to slide your left palm up your right arm, then look left, covering east.
8. Beginning movements: take 8 steps.
• ripple step forward with your lead leg (right foot south)
• step with left foot to the southeast (beginning normal heal-to-toe walking)
• step with right to the east
• step with left to the northeast
• step with right to the north
• step with left to the northwest
• step with right to the west
• step with left to the southwest. Cover to the south.
Notes: when walking, keep the lower back & hips tucked in or forward---don't let the back slouch or sway. The spine stays straight, though as already mentioned, cupping it like a fighter's crouch is more natural & practical. Both methods are correct and used when appropriate.
9. Single Change Palm: take a step, toeing in with your right foot (pointing southeast). At the same time, fade your upper body to the right rear (northwest) and perform a left high hooking block using the back of the hand (tension stance south). Then turn left palm outwards.
10. Take a small step east with the left leg as you sweep the arms to the left side (east) as shown (ball position). Finish by transferring the weight onto the left as you
11. begin compressing the imaginary ball with your palms. Immediately...
12. take a step with the right leg to the east. At the same time, slide and swing your arms into the cover position southwest (twist/sink). Time your arm movements so that they arrive to this front cover position when the right finishes the step.
13. Take a toe-in step south with your left foot. (Don't leave your groin area open when you step---the left leg rubs against the right leg.)
14. Fade head east as you perform a right low (inside) foot sweep to the south (ending west)---while also executing a right low and left high palm block (1/2 circle block).
15. End stepping west with the right foot, the right palm west and left pressing block south.
16. Step north with left foot, the palms extended: right palm southeast, left low to the west.
17. Double Change Palm: take a step to the W (performing a toe-out) with your R foot while performing a R low hooking block SE; a high L hooking block NW.
18. Pivot on balls of feet, twisting L: begin with L high hook block, turn head to see, then with a R high palm block (takeover)---all towards SE. When pivoting with L high hook block, R arm is briefly tucked behind your back, then slides (arcing) into the R high palm block. End in a L fight stance SE.
19. Perform double pressing blocks, bending knees; weight is mostly on R leg.
20. Slide step forward (shift) with your L to the SE performing a double palm strike chest level arcing downwards to crush. Time these movements. (Both arms circled vertically down for the block & then continued up, striking.)
21. Perform a 1/2 circle block (double blocks): a R low palm block; a L high palm block to the SE. Don't forget to fade your upper body/head to the NE.
22. Continue circling the palms until the L palm touches your R biceps.
23. Slide the L palm downwards, and move the R arm (leading with the elbow) into the positions shown as you either pivot the ball of the R foot or take a step W: the L palm executes a low pressing block SE; the R goes into a ball position (palm facing into the body) W---same direction where you stepped.
24. Keep arm positions as you step N with your L foot (L low W; R high E).
25. Deflection Change Palm: look E & step N with R as you position your arms for a circle block E. As you roll your mass from heel-to-toe, complete L high/R low palm blocks E.
26. Toe in with your L (E), at the same time, circle block R high/L low hooking blocks. Then circle the L up into high palm block to the E while fading the head NW---transferring the weight onto the L foot (toe-in position).
27. Perform the classic deflection: the R hand slides (E) under the L forearm as you place the R foot back (W) on the toe, HS position, mass remains on L.
28. Lead with your R arm and then with the L following, from the E to the W. The palms and arms are out at 45 degrees and the knuckles in line with your fore-head---the arms move with your body (W) and weight transfers to the R leg.
29. The weight is on the R foot, palms out to the W.
30. Circle arms into your body, while bringing L foot to the R.
31. Step S with L foot, then transfer weight onto L as you cover to the E.
    (Toe in to the E with your R, at the same time, perform a L high hooking block (E). Don't forget to fade your head SW. Weight is mostly on R foot.)
32. Perform double low pressing blocks E, while pivoting on the balls of the feet to put yourself in a R fighting stance (E) with lower body fade---mass on L.
33. Step up with the R foot (E), as you perform a scooping action with the R palm below your navel. Hand-cover east with your left hand.
34. Step up with your L foot into a R fighting stance, implementing a slide-step shift. At the same time, the R circles up executing a shortened hooking block, then flowing into a high guard (end with palm facing SW); and the L cover arcs up and forward (E) as a recoiling willow palm strike (twisting body R).
35. Spinning Change Palm: spiral out, taking a small step W with your L (or pivot on the heel; note that your weight is on the R at this point). While taking this toe-out step, perform a R low palm block E, & L high hooking block W; as you turn the body N.
36. Take a toe-out step SE with your R. Both palms face up & out to the SE.
37. Step rearwards (SW) with the L into a MH stance. At the same time, swing the R arm over the L, as you twist, arms are crossed, palms up pointing NE.
38. Unwind into R HS (NE), rendering a L high hook block; sink & cover (NE).
39. Note that you are now in a right horse stance and covering---both to the NE. Spinning change: step back in-behind with your L into a M horse stance NE. Simultaneously, render a R high palm block NE, fading head/upper body SE.
40. Continue circling the R high palm block down, also hooking/bending down your palm then circling it behind your back (palm up). At the same time, lift your L palm SW (like a high hooking block). Also at the same time, drop your weight down and bend a bit forward. See picture above for guidance.
41. Unwind (pivoting anti-clockwise on the balls of the feet). As you unwind, both arm/hand positions swing around too, but the R moves much faster.
42. End up with taking a step NW with the R foot, with the R palm down & extended SW. The R is on top of the L and note the L palm faces up.
43. Put your weight on the R foot as you perform a L high hooking block. You are now in a L lean-away horse stance (larger L circle stance), covering SW.
44. Trapping Change Palm: with the L foot, take a step SW while performing a L low hooking block.
45. Circle L up rendering a high palm block putting weight on L.
46. Do a R low circle (hooking/trapping) kick to lock the foe's leg at the knee. at the same time, press L palm down & pierce with R palm over L to throat.
47. Circle R up & down to palm strike groin, as you step SW with L into MHS.
48. Straighten your back as you twist L, head 1st, rendering a L swing palm W.
49. Dropping Change Palm: follow with R lowering palm. Note that you are positioned in a L forward power stance to the W. (You have now completed the 5th change-palm.)
50. As you begin to lower this R lowering palm strike, raise your left cover hand to prepare for a 1/2 circle block consisting of a L high/R low palm block.
51. Perform a L high palm block (fading head S), R low palm block, & bringing the R foot in, readying for an inside leg trap---all at the same time, west.
52. Explode out with a R high guard to the N (ball position, palm facing in); take a step N with the right; L low pressing block SW---all at the same time.
53. L tight step E, look E, maintain hand positions: L low to N, R high S.
54. R tight step to S, turning head to W. L low to E, R high to W.
55. L tight step to W, looking W. L low S, R high to N.
56. Perform a R front thrust kick W, and at the same time, perform a L high palm block W and retract the R palm.
57. Retract kick, land down in a R power stance W. As you land down heel-to-toe, you put 60% weight forward & twist, then discharge a R lowering palm.
58. Pivot R ft to SE as you hold imaginary ball to the south.
59. Left foot steps in behind (SW) into a MHS as you raise L into high guard (S).
60. Drop down into low HS with L dropping palm straight down to west. Note that this horse stance is angled: a straight line from toe to toe, SW to NE, but note further that the L toe points W, and the R toe points N (approx.).
61. Pivot R foot W, then change step back (E) and raise the R palm.
62. Drop down with a right dropping palm; right toe points west, left points south (approx.).
63. Pivot right foot (pointing S). Left steps into a mother horse stance (west). As you step, use the right shoulder to protect your face and left high hook block to the east, R low palm bl W---using backhand.
64. Unwind until the left foot points SW. Keep L hand up while swinging R hand around.
65. Right foot steps E, L points S. Note R arm over L arm towards the east.
66. Left foot steps NE as you cover towards the NW (beginning of 7th palm).
67. Bow Change Palm: R step to SE (leaning SE) & perform L low hooking bl to NW. R covers.
68. L foot steps SE and perform R high hook bl to NW. Note, L arm stays low.
69. Step back (SE) with R doing a L high palm bl NW. Lean body back (SE). Time the movements: while stepping back retract R palm and perform bl.
70. Snap back, transferring more # to L foot, performing a R palm strike (NW).
71. Over Head Change Palm: perform a R high hooking block to the N as you take a Step N with the R foot. Also as you do this, begin lowering or circling the L arm downwards.
72. Lean the weight well forward as the L now circles above the head & then blocking/pushing N. (R forward power stance & R palm up below navel.)
73. Lean weight back, to your L leg, and strike up with the back of the R wrist.
74. Take a long step S with your R foot (HS); ball position to the S (L over R).
75. Drop down, twisting, and kidney strike to N with L horizontal palm strike.
76. Step back (S) with L (MHS) into HS; R high strike to ear. More mass on L.
77. Ending movements: right foot circle steps west, as you perform double hook blocks: right to north, left to south. Note: as you transfer the weight (heal to toe), lower the blocks into covers.
• take a step with your left foot to the NW.
• step to the N with your right. (Maintain double covers.)
• step northeast with your left foot.
• take a step east with your right foot.
• step southeast with your left foot.
78. Close: (7th step) place your right heel against your left heel, while raising the arms up, thus stretching the spine.
79. Lower the arms with double pressing blocks (south), then bring your arms to your sides.

Once a degree of profiency has been occomplished, breath out with strikes. With good explosion, sounds such as the Ha and Hmm sounds will come naturally acompaning the strikes. Body is rounded or curved with chin down (protecting throat). And keep knees bent throughout. These instructions should be used in conjuction with BaGwa Video #1. This video also includes the Yang Palm form, along with apps and some basics.