What is Stance Training?

[HammockRider]

I've been practicing Qi Qong for a few months in order to improve my health and a few days ago after my latest class my teacher told me that he thinks I'm ready to take things up a level and begin a little training in kung-fu(Seven Star Praying Mantis.) I've been working for a few months to hear this so I was very excited. I asked him what I could expect and he said that I'll start with some stance training. I asked what stance training involved and he just smiled and said "Sweating and pain."

I'm still really looking forward to starting kung-fu training, but his answer begs a question of my own. Tell me Oh Martial Talk Forum, What have I gotten myself into?:idunno:

 

[Touch Of Death]

I've been practicing Qi Qong for a few months in order to improve my health and a few days ago after my latest class my teacher told me that he thinks I'm ready to take things up a level and begin a little training in kung-fu(Seven Star Praying Mantis.) I've been working for a few months to hear this so I was very excited. I asked him what I could expect and he said that I'll start with some stance training. I asked what stance training involved and he just smiled and said "Sweating and pain."

I'm still really looking forward to starting kung-fu training, but his answer begs a question of my own. Tell me Oh Martial Talk Forum, What have I gotten myself into?:idunno:

If you do this stance training stuff, you will find that your knees don't ache as much when doing a form. In short, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.
Sean

 

[Flying Crane]

sweating and pain. that's pretty good. summs it up well.

you will probably begin with various specific stances that you hold for periods of time, which become longer as you go. This is designed to make your legs stronger, and to teach you to relax into your stance, which enables you to hold it longer with less effort. But that's a process and takes time to understand and figure it out. In the mean time, your legs will burn and shake and hurt, and you'll crawl/hobble home after class is done. Eventually, you will realize your legs are much stronger and, as Sean mentioned, you'll wonder why you never did this before.

As you progress into learning the movements of the basic techniques and forms that make up the curriculum of the system, you should be taught how your power in every technique comes from the ground-up. You don't simply want strong legs for the sake of strong legs. You want strong legs for strong stances, which actively drive your technique. You learn to actually use your stances actively, to power everything that you do.

In essence, you are ALWAYS doing stance training when you are doing gung fu, even when you arent' just doing "stance training".

It's a fun process, but yes, it is painful.

you are in for a rough, but good time.

 

[David43515]

You`ve already read great explanations of what you`re in for, and why we do it. I`m not sure there`s much I can add, but I`ll try anyway `cause I love the sound of my own voice.

One way to acheive a big goal is to break it down into several smaller goals. In Kung Fu we don`t fight "from a stance" so much. We begin in one posture, move through others to generate power in movement, and we finish in another posture. The goal is to be balanced, mobile, and powerful in all our movents. To do that we break big movements into small positions (ie stances) and practice holding them. Then we practice moving from one to another.You spend alot of time standing still so you can move smoothly.

 

[ggg214]

most of CMAs are based on the strong lower limbs, including your feet, legs, waist and crotch.
stance, do not only strengthen this part of your body ,but also smoothen your power floating way through your lower part to your striking part.it's really useful.
but IMO, it's just the basic technique, if you want to use this power collected from your stance, you need to use them frequently. i mean stance is not all your training,how to use them is another necessary training.
wish you have a good time in this training!

 

[clfsean]

A real simple Chinese saying (paraphrased) concerning horses pretty much sums up the whole thought process...

If you don't have a good horse (stance), you don't have good gung fu.

 

[East Winds]

At first, two minutes will seem like two hours!!! Five minutes will seem like five weeks. Initially it is like hitting your head off a brick wall - it's wonderful when you stop!!!!!! But EVENTUALLY you will begin to enjoy it. And as others have said, you will wonder how you managed without it. It is one of the "keys" to the internal arts (and some of the external too I have no doubt).

Very best wishes and keep us informed of your progress.

 

[Xue Sheng]

"Sweating and pain."

Yup that about sums it up :EG:

And it is immensely important…. You should try Xingyiquan and Santi Shi… now THERE is some painful stance training… but very very cool and ever-so-important :EG: :ubercool:


Ma Bu

Santi Shi

 

[oaktree]

Pain and sweat. Maybe you will feel as if lava is running
down your leg making you want to jump.

But if you can hold it you will feel a calmness
over you more stability in body and mind.
There are many good benefits of standing practice.

I look forward to hearing your experience
and journey with it.

 

[HammockRider]

Thanks for your responses everyone. I definitely have a much better idea of what to expect yet I'm still looking forward to it. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[WC_lun]

I like your sifu's answer of, "Sweating and pain."

Like a building, kung fu must have a really strong base to stay standing under high stress. Your lower body is that base and stance training is the buidling of that base. There are no short cuts. Beginning stance training will suck. It just does Eventually you'll be able to push past the pain and realize the myriad of things that you are getting out of it. Good luck!!