Professor Lansdale's earliest students, Professors' Eugene Frizzell and Coy Harry as well as Sensei Chad Francois were taught purely "concept and principle". To this day, the core 31 Concepts and Principles are the foundation. In essence, this is Shen Chuan.

Listed below are the 31 Concepts and Principles and Philosophy of Method:

1) NATURAL STANCE / MOBILITY AND STABILITY / STANCES are common sense and balance in motion. Which in turn is FOOTWORK.

2) RELAXATION / FLEXIBLE LIMBS. Relaxation also includes mental attitude. The calmer you can become in practice, the more likely you are to be calm in a real situation. If not ideally calm, certainly more so than without training.

3) PREFER POWER SIDE OUT if position is taken (optional).

4) HANDS IN THE SAFETY ZONE (cupped hands; dive or fencing entry; kangaroo or puppy dog paws with elbows close to body).

5) SURPRISE. This can be quick strikes. Tossing of coins, coffee. Eye misdirection, etc.

6) BALANCE (see rule one). Also applied when not in motion. Applied to control opponent once locked or thrown. Equally as important is controlling the attacker's balance, or placing the attacker in a position of imbalance.

7) ECONOMY OF MOTION.

8) BODY CONTOURING or Streamlining when attacking.

9) FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED / DAMAGE ATTACKING TOOLS

10) ATTACK BODY’S WEAK POINTS / ACCUPRESSURE, NERVE POINTS.

11) PREFER WARM ZONE TO HOT ZONE: Prefer outside the opponent's arms to inside the arms. If you're behind the attacker this is an even cooler zone. If he's on his face, cooler yet. The only cold zone is when the attacker is unconscious.

12) THE TRAMPOLINE EFFECT / POOL BALL EFFECT: Striking with a ricochet motion that allows quicker more penetrating strikes.

13) CHECK AND CONTROL: Body pressure / hook, cup, and press / bicep lines, decommission of tools.

14) PUSH DRAG MOVEMENT to cover distance and maintaining pressure.

15) IMBALANCING: Goes along with rule one and six. This means the methodology to put the attacker into a position of imbalance. It's necessary to understand the Point of Imbalance. The change of balance when you blend.

16) MAINTAIN PAIN AND CONFUSION ON THE ADVERSARY.

17) CONTROL SPACE. Take away space most of the time. Create space to take away space when necessary (only when necessary).

18) FOLLOW THE ENERGY OR THE OPPORTUNITY / FLOW.

19) MARRIAGE OF GRAVITY.

20) FULCRUM, LEVER, BASE / SMALL CIRCLE CONCEPTS as applied to a variety of attacks and defenses.

21) FOCUS ON SMALLEST POINT POSSIBLE.

22) SENSITIVITY TO TOUCH / STRIKING and BLENDING with the opponents weight.

23) AVOID HEAD ON COLLISION OF FORCES.

24) INTESTINAL FORTITUDE / FIGHTING THROUGH PAIN AND FATIGUE, MAINTAINING WILL.

25) DISTRACTION or DESTRUCTION. This fits with rule five, but means use of pain or damage to eyes, bones, etc.

26) TRANSFERENCE OF ENERGY. The ability to shift thought, skill and design into your opponent.

27) WORK HIGH AND LOW.

28) UTILIZE THE ENVIRONMENT.

29) DO ONLY WHAT IS NECESSARY. But remember, respect for life begins with your own. It's better to be judged by twelve, than carried by six.

30) INCIDENTAL STRIKING. Ties in with economy of movement. As you move, clip nerves, muscles, weak areas of the body. Bump with your hips, shoulders, elbows, etc.

31) LET NO RULE RULE YOU.