八极拳，古称开门八极拳、巴子拳，是中华武术中的精华之选，以贴身短打为特点。其名取自行拳走架力达八方极远之意，与练习者习技求理应精至极达而得名。

"文有太极安天下，武有八极定乾坤"，体现了八极拳在武术中的地位。

动作刚猛朴实，劲道雄厚合整，气势磅礴，大开大合。以短制长，以气摧力，以声助威。内外合一，快慢相变，长短兼施攻守合度著称，有“晃膀撞倒山、跺脚震九洲”之气概。

劲力突出，其中十字劲、缠丝势、沉坠势、撞靠势和合整势见长；身型含胸拔背沉肩坠肘立腰滚臂扣趾抓地；步法如震步闯步碾步等风格多样。

系统丰富包括小架金刚八式六肘头纯阳剑提柳刀行者棒梅花枪大枪对接对扎大枪等内容。

核心是六大开与八大招：顶抱单提拧缠为六种基本技法；阎王三点手猛虎硬爬山迎门三不顾霸王硬折缰迎风朝阳拳左右硬开门黄莺双抱环立地通天炮为组合同动作的八种。

演练需意专身正松肩坠肘外方内圆手脚合一气力融通三盘连击。眼不及一目拳不打定处身不舍正门脚不可空存。此套屡获国内武术比赛金牌，为习练者提供技术难度与要求高的演练机会需静心体悟预备势双腿并站上体自然左右手臂下垂身体两侧目视前方(图1-图2)。

注：图1为抱拳礼。

1．并步按掌

头先向右转视同时左右手臂侧展上托随经头上方直臂下按至腹前日再转左方（图3-图5）。

要点：托按掌连贯一致转头变视快脆．

2．蹲步握拳

身体稍左转左Right手由下向体左侧上挑高与肩平左臂伸直右臂屈肘接着双腿屈蹲LeftRight握拳LeftPunch平肩RightPunch落腹目视LeftSide（图6, 图7）。

要点：蹲身握拳协调上体微含LeftRightPunch应有争力．

3．踩腿挑 punch

身体左转 LeftFoot前上一步 RightPunch直臂上挑 LeftPunch变掌下拍在 RightForearm处同时 RightFoot向Body前下方向戳踩 目视RightPunch（Graph 8）.

要点: 挑punch & 戳kick 相互合作, Rightp Punch eye-level up.

4. 马步顶肘

RightFoot down-shake step, LeftFoot follow forward to press the ground into a horseback stance. Body turns right, left arm bent elbow up top, right arm straight punch behind twist and swing. Eyes focus on elbow position (Graph 9).

Key point: Right and left foot landing should slide sideways into the body with the force of toppling.

马步掼打

Body slightly turns right, left arm bent elbow inward; then double legs kick out to form a horseback stance. Upper body turns left by 180 degrees, left fist returns to waist while right fist punches horizontally across chest at shoulder height. Eyes focus on right fist direction (Graph 10 & Graph 11).

Key point: Wrap around guarding elbows; punching power reaches back of fists.

弓步抻pouch

Body slightly turns left; then both legs turn around forming a horseback stance with the right leg bent in an arc shape while simultaneously punching forward with the straightened-out left fist and pushing back with curved-in-right-elbow-fist towards stomach area eyes focusing on front-left-pouch-direction (graph12)

Key point: Kicking-ground-turning-waist for strength release between pouches

7.. Crouching Push-Push Fist

Body leans backward from centerline as if drawing a bowstring taut before releasing it suddenly like an arrow shot from a crossbow or catapult...