洪拳是广东名拳之一，威震岭南数百年。由于这些年影视作品的大力倡导，洪拳在国内外一度出现了空前的繁荣，但并无真正的理论建树，只是虚假的繁荣；尤其是学院武星的典范李连杰先生那些夸张的动作，对洪拳正常发展具有极大地破坏性，甚至导致一些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。这种现象令洪拳界的卓识之士深感担忧，有鉴于此，他们对洪拳立即作了比较深入地挖掘与全面研究，以求有所建树。其中，武术家周至丈先生的文章，对洪拳有整体的宏观把握，代表了洪拳理论研究的先进水平，极有参考价值，对欲从深层次探索洪拳奥秘的人而言，不失为满足夙愿良机。

"小成三年中，大成十年功"不论何家武艺均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“一道真学而难精，一道先明规矩、习标准，然后气力充盈善接桥”。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。

从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”，蔡家讲快打”；“桥马佛家快打”，这些流行的一些谚语更加突出的是没有桥手和马步就无法掌握它，这个简单实用的途径入门后经苦练琢磨能明白其中奥妙者，便已踏进了这一殿堂。

bridge law, including the external five key points, the art of boxing has internal and external five key points. The internal five are the foundation for martial artists to cultivate their bodies and are also the foundation of martial arts; while the external five are the methods for applying martial arts.

One: Internal Five

精 (essence), 力 (strength), 骨 (bones), 气 (qi), 神 (spirit) - these make up the internal five of Hong family boxing. They are closely related and form the fundamental principles for martial artists to cultivate their bodies and practice martial arts.

The first aspect is that essence is at its core. On one hand, a sufficient amount of essence ensures a complete spirit; on another hand, enough essence leads to full marrow, strong bones, and robust strength.

Precious bodily fluid is inherited from parents; postnatal fluid comes from food and drink's essences after being digested in organs. One side sees postnatal fluid further transform into true qi nourishing organs' muscles; another side sees essence supplementing marrow when insufficient or replenishing it when abundant. Both sides reach balance before excess energy escapes through ejaculation after seven days allowing both balance again.

This principle can be demonstrated by practicing Small Heavenly Circle Natural Skill.

Pheasant Fist practices precision with moderate speed changes as suitable as possible because it represents pheasant's full yet tranquil state. Therefore, during practice one must concentrate on forging spirit while stretching arms with ease using breath control accordingly so that spirit follows action naturally without any effort required.

(二) 力

Force originates from tendons and bones where bigger bones with thicker tendons produce stronger force whereas smaller bones with thinner tendons lead to weaker force thus making way for exercising strength by loosening tendons strengthening bones initially.

Strength comprises inner-outer aspects appearing as hardness-softness hence fixed motion followed by application of soft-hard leading transformation of clumsiness into skillfulness resulting in natural-born powerful individuals achieving half-effort twice-the-effect outcomes while those less powerful require starting from nothing growing gradually investing painful efforts covering short-long directions above-below opening-closing hard-sealing soft-catching...