Horse Stance

Discussion in 'Kung Fu' started by Guerilla Fists, Apr 22, 2004.

  1. Guerilla Fists

    Guerilla Fists New Member

    Hey guys,
    Coming out of lurker mode to post this thread. Does anyone know any good lifts to strengthen the horse stance?
    Before Tuesdays group class at Shou Shu (two hour of horse stance) I was severely mistaken as to which muscles we actively use. Turns out you use everything, from the legs to the core, to keep you stable. I want a stronger, much stronger horse stance and any input is greatly appreciated.

    Would have posted it on the other two Shou Shu threads but they're locked! I understand why "about shou shu" was locked but not "moore's shou shu"? Oh well. Nice to see the new faces. Welcome to MAP B B. Heard your father is killer at the style.

    Later,
    GF
     
  2. G_Man

    G_Man New Member

    Squats
     
  3. MichaelV

    MichaelV New Member

    Umm...practicing horse stance would probably be good for developing horse stance.
     
  4. dustIn credible

    dustIn credible Valued Member

    i had to stand for 21/2 hours in horse stance to rank up in bak fu do but as for actually combat i dont see the use.......i mean with your legs that far apart (deep stance) your open to a vicious groin shot........as far as conditioning it horse stance all i can say is just stand in stance for long periods of time or weight yourself down.....squats like Gman said or lunges should help you

    hope this helps
     
  5. Indestructible

    Indestructible New Member


    The Shou Shu fighting horse stance is about shoulder width apart and you keep dynamic pressure in your legs, not unlike a coiled spring. The practice stance is much deeper but allows you to develop the muscles for the fighting stance.

    I don't know any specific exercises, but I used to hold my horse stance while watching tv for 20-30 minutes, then take a break and do it again. Legs really get to burning after that but it does stregthen them up.
     
  6. Guerilla Fists

    Guerilla Fists New Member

    Oh yeah, horse stance sucks when you hold it for days. After I tested for low purple I spent an hour in the stance while Shun Shifu T tested the other higher ranking students. It burned, I was asleep and violently woke up my girlfriend that night when I was flailing and whipping around from a cramp that hit me in the dead of night.

    As far as the practicality in a fight...We shift through many stances to put drive behind certain strikes depending where our opponent is. Heel palm to hard bow, cobra punch to soft bow, rams head from a horse stance is traditionally devastating, but it's not like we pose for the camera...I'll agree that sounds stupid to do.
     
  7. JohnnyX

    JohnnyX Map Addict

    I do a lot of running and don't have any problems with Horse Stance.
     
  8. Shou Tu

    Shou Tu New Member

    GF,

    If you transition from one stance to the next low and slow you will get a great work out.

    horse, hard bow, soft bow, chinse step, spin to horse and repeat. Holding each stance for a predetermined amount of time before moving to the next.
    Also you can do horse, knife edge kick to the right, back to a horse stance shift to a soft bow facing left and then transition and do a front snap kick with the back leg landing in a horse and do it on the other side.

    Give it a try it truely gives new meaning to burn.

    Salute,
     
  9. B_Bottimore

    B_Bottimore New Member

    thanx, anyway maybe try and do 100 snap kicks on each leg from a horse then stand in a deep horse for as long as you can stand it. :D hurts!!
     
  10. Guerilla Fists

    Guerilla Fists New Member

    Shou Shu Red,
    Sounds kind of like Tai Chi but more rigid.

    B Bottimore,
    I'm impressed, you seem to know a lot about training just shou shu knowledge. That's why my legs were cramping up because we did well over 100 snap kicks when Shun Shifu Krieger came in to give us a 2 hour group. It made me realize how much I need to condition more rather than just rely on skill. Cause with multiple opponents, I learned the hard way, that you will get burned out.

    Salute to the both of You,
    Guerilla Fists
     
  11. Shou Tu

    Shou Tu New Member

    yes i would agree it has a Tai Chi essence to it. its a drill we have done in Group a couple of times. SSJ Showed us the same workout he put us through and i can say im not ready to give it a try. LOW stances and no rising and sinking just constant movement at the same level throughout. I was like Dang is that what its suppose to look like.

    It really does give the lower body a workout. it only takes 20 minutes and you hit all the stances. along with snap kicks, knife edge, crescent, thrust, rear. the kicks can be added if you want for more rigorous training. we only did the outlined drill up above.


    Salute,
     
  12. Jik Cheung

    Jik Cheung New Member

    i was taught that the horse stance helps you "root". i just started wing chun about 6 months ago. i have a problem with not rooting after i step to 3. the horse stance helped me immensely with that. mainly because you're not used to standing that low, so your muscles screaming when you get that low makes it feel unnatural. the more you do it, the more natural it feels, and that carries over to all motion.
     
  13. Starman

    Starman New Member

    Why would anyone want to "root" themselves or do horse stance for hours? fighting is about flowing movement the ability to change quickly. The only time horse stance is useful is when doing the forms (in Wing Chun anyway)
     
  14. Shou Tu

    Shou Tu New Member


    by practicing stances lower than normal for hours allows you to move seemless without strain on your joints and muscles.

    Flowing comes after practicing your stances. if you arent practicing your stances to be low then you wont be able to move in a flowing manner it will be jerky and to much up and down.

    Salute,
     
  15. Starman

    Starman New Member

    its not making sense to me, by practicing low stance you will be very solid in that stance, I have tried pushing some practitioners of WC while they are in horse stance, in fact one even raised one leg and still i was unable to push him back. Very impressive. but how dose that help in a fight?

    lower your stance the more slow and solid (rooted) you are the higher your stance the faster yet unstable you are, so the best stance is legs bent just right. and at that level you should not be straining your joints or muscles.

    flowing comes from moving, maybe thats why dancers practice moving and not the horse stance. (LoL)

    sorry, about the tone but, I think Wing Chun is a fabulous art but full of ********. Takeout the bull and youre left with a masterpiece.
     
  16. Shou Tu

    Shou Tu New Member

    just as when you are fighting if you practice long stances your stances get longer while fighting. so you practice shorter stances and you stances become just right while fighting.

    practicing lower stances longer periods strengthens the muscles to longer periods of training at the correct hieght can be accomplished.

    Salute,
     
  17. B_Bottimore

    B_Bottimore New Member

    starman-
    you are correct in that standing in a deep horse makes you unable to move fast or react quickly. in shou shu, at least, we practice the horse in a shoulder width, heel toe (your front toe is lined up with your back heel), manner. this gives us the ability to move quickly but it has the strenght so that if you choose not to be moved you wont be, like you were reffering to. when and if we practice in a deep horse its strictly for muslce building and strength.
     
  18. Jik Cheung

    Jik Cheung New Member

    starman -

    because you practice something, doesn't mean it's practical in a real life situation.

    knuckle pushups don't help you in a fight, but i do them every damn day. wing chun is about an economy of motion, if you're dancin' all over the place, you're doing it wrong anyway. in other words, i highly disagree with your assessment.
     
  19. Andy Murray

    Andy Murray Sadly passed away. Rest In Peace.

    Did Ma Bo for many years without really thinking about it.

    Last year I went along to a Shotokan class, and everyone commented on my 'rooting'.

    Maybe there's something in it?

    *Shrugs.
     
  20. Jik Cheung

    Jik Cheung New Member

    absolutely there is. power comes from the legs.... and red bull.

    if you're not rooted, there is no sense in throwing a punch, you're just going to fall off balance and put yourself in a precarious situation. wing chun is all about having your adversary in your chute, well, central line wing chun is, and it would be counterproductive to do anything in which you lose control of position.

    oh and andy, i know a lot of scots from my f1 forum, you a DC fan?
     

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