编者按：洪拳，广东名拳之一，威震岭南数百年。影视作品的大力倡导，使其在国内外一度繁荣，但缺乏理论建树，只是虚假繁荣；尤其是李连杰先生夸张动作，对洪拳正常发展有极大破坏性，甚至导致国际友人错误地认为李连杰所演练的风格才是真正的洪拳。这现象深感担忧，促使一些武术界卓识之士对洪拳进行深入挖掘与全面研究，以求有所建树。其中，周至誌先生文章，对洪拳有宏观把握，为代表了理论研究先进水平，有参考价值，对欲从深层次探索奥秘的武友而言，不失为满足夙愿的良机。

“小成三年中，大成十年功”。不论何家武艺，都离不开刻苦砥砺和持之以恒，是以南派称武艺为功夫。林世荣先生在《虎鹤双形拳》的自序中如是说“一道诚易学而难精”，先要明其规矩、习其标准，然后假以气力、善于接桥。“明此则功自进，更从而求其横直吞吐”等。

古人说学武先求明师，知其然和其所以然，再加力气并持之以恒，将其融会贯通，就是这个道理。洪家拳扎马碌桥开始便是一门实实在在的气力功夫，没有花巧可言。“讲桥马”，这些流行谚语突出的是离不开桥手和马步。前辈们在桥马上痛下三年五载苦功很普遍。如果没有坚固的马步和强劲的手臂怎能与人搏斗？

循着简单实用的途径入门，而能明白其中奥妙者，便已踏进殿堂了。

"Bridge and Horse" is a fundamental technique of the Hung Gar, which contains in the five external essentials. The Hung Gar has both internal and external five essentials, where the internal five are essential for cultivating one's body and spirit, while the external five are methods for applying martial arts.

Internal Five Essentials

Jing (Essence)

Li (Vitality)

Gu (Bone)

Qi (Energy)

Shen (Spirit)

The essence of life is derived from our parents; post-natal essence comes from water and grain. The process of refining these essences through digestion and absorption creates true energy that nourishes all organs, tendons, muscles, bones, etc.

Jing: Precious fluid that gives birth to vitality.

Li: Derived from jing but also depends on bone marrow.

Gu: Strengthens with adequate jing.

Qi: Energy derived from refined food.

Shen: Spirit cultivated through meditation.

The practice of qi gong helps cultivate this energy by promoting blood circulation and maintaining balance between yin-yang elements within the body.

External Five Essentials

These include stance techniques like horse riding stance or bridge hand technique used in fighting strategies based on principles such as hardness & softness:

Stance:

Bridge Hand Technique:

Horse Riding Stance:

Footwork:

Forward & backward movement,

Side stepping,

Jumping,

Punches & kicks:

Defense techniques:

These skills must be practiced diligently to achieve mastery over them. Master Yim Wing-chun said "When you have reached your limit in learning something new then it will become second nature."

In conclusion, mastering Hong Gar requires dedication to understanding its fundamentals as well as practicing its applications tirelessly until they become second nature.