The five phases fists include Chopping (Pi 劈), Zhuan (Drilling 钻), Crushing (Beng 崩), Pao (Explode 炮) and Heng (横), which are all conducted with the fist and are correlated to the five phases theory of traditional chinese Daoist cosmology. These are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth.

These are the most important foundation in Xingyiquan, whilst each of the methods apply a number of vectors and thus power, they also contain the basis of contraction and expansion, which means to the three powers (Ming, An, and Hua), the various footwork and the manifestations of the basic methods. Practice is with the various stepping variations, including advancing or retreating and also shaking body, turning body and guiding hand.