Written by Horse Stance (aka Mabu)
A tree's roots are it's anchor to the ground, helping it form structure and growth, as it ages and faces harsh elements that threaten its stability. We must invest in forming the same thing for our own rooting.
Horse Stance Exercise
What is the most common stance used by practitioners of Qigong and the martial arts?
Answer: Mabu. Or better known as the Horse Stance.
When we use this exercise, we do so to help develop our root, center, and balance. This in turn lets us feel relaxed, natural, and comfortable.
Also, we’ll have the added benefit of this exercise helping to strengthen our legs.
Rooting will be a key theme for us throughout Attilius Mindset.
Horse Stance, an Overview
There are two different Chinese martial styles of the horse stance:
Northern and Southern.
If we use the Southern style, our feet width will be narrow. This is because the Southern styles emphasize short range fighting techniques. A wider stance would be more open and dangerous while using short range techniques.
If we use the Northern style, our feet width will be wider. This is because the Northern style emphasizes the use of long-range techniques. In this scenario, a larger posture is seen as more advantageous.
In the end, regardless of which style we train with, the purpose, training principles, and theory will always remain the same.
Footnote: Bodyweight distribution
With both horse stances, both of your legs share your weight equally.
Footnote: Martial Arts Horse Stance
It is seen that if we stand lower, our leg muscles will be more tensed. This makes it harder for our Qi to flow to the bottom of our feet. If we stand to high, our center of gravity will be higher. This will affect our root, which will be shallower and less stable. Yet, our Qi can be led easier to the bottom of our feet.
Footnote: Qigong Horse Stance
The feet width of our stance depends on our feeling. If we stand too narrow or too wide we will have an uncomfortable feeling. Its best for us here to try out different widths to see which feels more comfortable and natural for us.
