八卦掌的基本内容是八母掌，也称老八掌，即单换掌、双换掌、顺势掌、背身掌、翻身掌、磨身掌、三穿掌和回身掌。各地流传内容不完全相同，有以狮、鹿、蛇、鹞、龙、熊、凤、猴八形代表的，也有用双掩掌、摇身掌、穿掌、挑掌等作为基本八掌的内容。其中每一掌都可以衍化出很多掌法，素有一掌生八掌、八八六十四掌之说。
ThebasiccontentsofBaguaZhangisBamuZhangorLaobazhang(old-styleeightpalms)：singlechangingpalm，doublechangingpalm，smoothpalm，reverse-bodypalm，fanshen(body-flipping) palm，moshen(body-attaching) palm，sanchanpalm，，deer，snake，willet，dragon，bear，phoenixandmonkeyandsomearerepresentedbydouble-bumpingpalm，yaoshen(body-shaking) palm，thrustingpalm，，justlikepeople'ssaying，onepalmtechniqueisdevelopedintoeightpalmsandeightisdevelopedintosixtyfourpalmtechniques.
八卦掌有单练、对练和散打等形式。根据老拳谱记载，八卦掌拳系尚有十八趟罗汉手、七十二暗脚、七十二截腿，但目前很少传习。
Eight-trigramPalm(BaguaZhang)hasformsofsingle-hand，“LaoquanPurecord”,thereareeighteenArhatHand，seventytwofeetandseventytwointerceptivelegs，butthesearehardlylearned.
八卦掌所用器械，有刀、枪、剑、戟等，练法仍体现随走随变、械随身走、身随步换、势势相连的特点。另外，还有鸳鸯钺、鸡爪锐、风火轮、判官笔等短小的双器械，这在其他拳种中较为少见。
Bagua(eighttrigrams) systemofKungfuinvolvesweaponsskillssuchasknife，spear，，weaponfollowingbody，bodychangingwithsteps，，thesystemalsoinvolvesvariouspairedshortweaponssuchasmandarinduckbattle-axes，roosterclawruies，wind-firewheelsandHell-judge'sbrusheswhicharequiterareascomparedwithothersystems.
