Pu 扑 or to Pounce is an aggressive energy that allows you to encapsulate and overcome your opponent. Like a tiger jumping on their prey this energy is similar in aspect. It is very similar to Pi, or chopping energy but there is more too it. It is curved, circular, to attack and overwhelm. Pu has a light energy to it, the ability to cover ground quickly and envelop your opponent. It is nimble yet aggressive. It overpowers and overwhelms. It is a strong energy but not stiff.
The pounce starts with the legs. The contract–knees bend and ankles flex. The energy lunges forward quickly as you spring forward. You push from the ground firmly through the foot, allow the ting (straight) energy to accelerate through the knees and into the upper body. As you arrive at your opponent you root again with a curve in the legs ready to move again at moments notice. The leap can be long or short, depending on the distance between you and your opponent but It ends close to them. When practicing learning to lengthen your leap is important to strengthen skill and legs. Also with most calisthenic exercises it must be trained to react quickly yet firmly. It must be trained to react in any direction at a moments notice. Agile and swift while returning to root easily.
The energy is curved. It contracts and expands. It loads like a bow and explodes straight like shooting an arrow. It should maintain the basic internal principles of head held high, chin tucked, chest hollowed, buttocks slightly tucked. Qi/Lo and Kai/He principles should be expressed distinctly but with coordination and unity throughout. The body should move as a unit.
While the energy itself is the leap it can lead to powerful strikes. When striking with Pu it is usually expressed through the palms similar to Pi Quan (but doesn’t necessarily have too). It is more complex however. It holds a yuan type body, curved throughout, especially between the elbows. It expresses a wave power, or Bo Lang Jin. While Bo Lang Jin can start Hi or Low, in regards to Pu it starts at the root. It travels up the back and expressed out the arms in a circular type power. It does not burst through a defense or opponent but overwhelms them. If the strike is being blocked it should work to come over the defense and strike the opponent. The opponent should be suppressed, enveloped and confused as the wave is difficult to comprehend.
Training this energy can be accomplished several different ways. Weight training, jump training and calisthenics are simple ways to strengthen tendons and muscles to increase capability. Basic line drills are the most important however. Repeatedly conducting Xing Yi line drills. To begin, start with regular stepping, loading into it and releasing then quickly re-establishing root. Focus on the movement. Work on quickness. From there work towards your gum bu or advancing step. Again focus on the fast movement, cover ground quickly yet always maintain a firm root. Work on covering more and more ground. Have a standard size room and analyze yourself. If it takes you 10 moves to get to the other side work on getting across the same area in 9 moves then 8 moves. Maintaining the principles and using the intent of Pu energy is important though, just don’t leap without reestablishing root or using uncoordinated body movements. Slow and methodical, progress slowly yet with disciplined consistency.
One must always be involved in their training, never let it become idle. You must work to improve different aspects, either individually or several at once. However you best train if you do not use conscious effort little progress can be made!
Now there are many different methods to developing stepping, and I will always recommend drilling the basic methods and steps within each system but perhaps one of my favorite methods is the triangle stepping method. Its simple but develops quick action, angles, and retreat capability. Starting from the central point one will step out at 45 degree angle to their left (if they are a right handed fighter) then they will step step back to the central point and quickly step with their left 45 degrees to their right. This can then be repeated with the rear foot, again alternating between rear 45 degree steps. This will create a slight “bouncing” effect between points but can be modified to be more even, stable, or fluid depending a particular persons style. After this simple method is trained more triangles and angles can be added to further add to a fighters movement method–forming pivot points and a circular pattern around an opponent. Work on driving the front foot forward with the rear foot and reverse method for stepping back. Work on quickly and firmly planting the foot. Work on staying centered yet mobile; able to change direction and angles at will. Work on relaxing as much as possible while still obtaining maximum results of the drive, quickness, and movement. The sky can be the limit on this method as then different footworks can be added and steps, creating passing steps, hooking steps, and twisting steps… all based off a central point and triangle angles.