Zhou Man explained it like this, and Lu Zhixing roughly understood.
The weapon combat circle really is different from the fighting circle.
In the fighting circle, since it's a relatively popular sport, all sorts of traditions are much more systematic.
But the weapon combat circle is too niche, so many weapon combat styles that seem quite good actually lack systematic training.
Just like in fighting training, the first things you definitely have to practice are footwork, the way you deliver a punch or a kick, etc. Once these are mastered, you can apply them across the board; moving on to other fighting styles becomes much easier.
It's the same with weapon combat. The control of the weapon, the grasp of the distance, these are the most basic skills.
