The earliest reference to this technique, in an ancient work on military strategy, refers to jumps of over seven or eight ch'ih in height, equivalent to over two meters today.
根據「范蠡兵法」，古時軍中有「投石超距」的訓練。「投石」是擲重十二斤的石塊，練臂力和準頭；「超距」則是要跳過七、八尺高的橫木。這是有關「輕功」最早的記載。古制一尺約等於現在的卅公分，七、八尺相當於二公尺多。