It is a huge pole that is literally nine-feet long and is swung with amazing power and speed by people who know how to use it. It is held out in front of the player, roughly parallel to the ground, with one end nestled into the player s side, and the other swinging freely and forcefully in circles and arcs. It definitely clears traffic. It is obviously not a practical weapon, but it is practiced to teach the student how to use the muscles of the waist. In Dragon Style Kung Fu, power is believed to emanate from the waist.
Most people use the strength of their upper bodies and shoulders.
But Dragon Style Kung Fu teaches people how to draw energy from the waist and manifest it through their hands and feet. Because this does not depend on a person s size or weight, it is an effective style for women. One of the trademarks of the style is the concept that body energy is most efficient when it is used in spiral motions. Like a dragon, who coils and uncoils, the spiral movements are interlinked so there is a continuous flow of energy. Playing a set is like connecting the dots on a three-dimensional drawing.