 Regular Martial Edge columnist and Yilichuan kung fu founder Phillip Starr talks us through one of the most common, and misunderstood, of all the Chinese conditioning exercises. Ma-Bu - the Horse Stance...
Ah, the horse-riding stance. Everyone's favorite. The most basic stance of all...and probably the most misunderstood stance of the lot. The horse-riding stance (also known as the "straddle-leg stance") is used in almost every form of kung fu and karate. Its height and width vary from one style to another but one thing is certain; it's the most fundamental stance of all, the "mother" of the other stances. And since it's often the first stance learned by the beginning student, it tends to be the most neglected. How to ride the horse Many styles use a width that is two-shoulder's widths. Others use only one shoulder's width. Naturally, many novices assume that their shoulders are enormous because their horse-riding stance is so wide that it functions primarily as a stretching exercise. In the kung-fu system that I teach the width horse-riding stance is measured by starting with the feet together, then: -
Turn the toes outward 45 degrees (some people have a real odd notion of what 45 degrees is...it's not very wide!) -
Then turn the heels out 45 degrees so that you stand in a pigeon-toe stance. The distance between the knees is one fist's width. -
Turn the toes out 45 degrees again. -
Finally, turn the heels out until the feet point straight ahead. The forelegs should be about vertical so that the weight rests directly on the yangchuan points on the soles of the feet. The toes grip the ground. Back is straight (but not stiff) and the coccyx is tucked slightly inward with the sphincter mildly contracted. The crown of the head should push straight upward, as if trying to lift your ears up off your shoulders slightly. This aligns the cervical vertebrae with the thoracic vertebrae. The knees should be directly over the big toes. The depth of the stance varies...we'll get to that in a minute. The upper body must be kept relaxed. The lower body is likewise relaxed. Breathe from the area of the lower abdomen known as the dantien (in Japanese, tanden).  Proper Depth
Many contemporary wushu as well as kung fu stylists squat too deep in the ma. If you stand with your buttocks lower than your knees, you're putting excessive strain on the knees and you'll eventually pay for that. In fact, standing with the buttocks level with the knees shouldn't be done for more than a minute or so. The buttocks should be on a level higher than the knees. Bend your knees and begin by standing with your butt halfway down to knee level. With practice, you can get the stance a bit lower. Combative Function This has been an argument in martial arts circles for a long time. Does the horse-riding stance actually have combative function or not? Obviously, it's bloody well stupid to stand in a ma and punch something that's directly in front of you. The ma isn't terribly stable to the front or rear and the reaction force of your own blow can easily unbalance you. On the other hand, it's very stable to the sides and strong techniques can be delivered in those directions. The biggest problem is that the ma is "double-weighted." That is, the weight is placed evenly on both feet (unless you're riding your horse lopsided like a tipsy cowboy). This means that it's not terribly mobile...and mobility is a crucial factor in combat. Other Functions This is where the real value of the ma lies. In the old days (and some schools still do it today), students were made to stand in the ma for extended periods of time. This tedious and painful training routine actually has several very important functions: 1. It strengthens and toughens the legs, ankles, and hips; a crucial factor in being able to generate real striking power. 2. It teaches you how to stand in the ma properly. If you're tilted or otherwise standing incorrectly certain muscles, usually the quadriceps muscles on the fronts of the thighs, have to work extra hard to keep you upright. As your upper body is unstable, the quads and other muscles of the legs and hips are constantly contracting to various degrees to compensate for your upper body positioning and the legs become fatigued very quickly. When they get really fatigued, they get angry and create lots of pain... 3. If you concentrate on proper breathing, the chi (intrinsic energy) will eventually sink to the dantien. This has always been heavily stressed in martial arts training. Most people walk around with the chi up high in the chest. That's one reason they're so unstable. People who have jobs that require a lot of mental work often get too much chi stuck in the head, which can cause headaches. When the chi is raised up high, the breathing naturally tends to be high and shallow as well. Standing in the ma helps to lower the chi and breath down to the lower abdomen. This has a calming effect that also promotes the development of internal and external strength. 4. Standing in the ma has long been recommended in martial arts circles as a form of healing exercise. It has positive effects on the circulation, respiration, and overall functions of the viscera. When students began to feel ill, teachers would often have them stand in the ma. In days gone by, teachers would sometimes test an applicant's resolve by having them stand in the ma for a long time. If the prospective student stood up, he failed the test and the teacher wouldn't accept him. In ma training it's acceptable if you fall down but you must never stand up because that shows weak spirit. I tell my students that it's alright if they fall down (so long as they get back up and start again) because that just means that they have weak legs and we can fix that. If they stand up, they have a weak spirit...and that’s a lot tougher to fix. Nowadays, most martial arts students don't do much ma training. They want to hurry and get to the more exciting parts of practice. They fail to understand the importance of this simple stance and many teachers, worrying about losing students (and consequently, income), allow them to just brush over this important aspect of training. It's too bad. It's one of the great secrets of martial arts. It's been said that if you really want to hide something valuable, hide it in plain sight. Thus, the ma. Phillip Starr is the founder of Yilichuan kung fu and lives and teaches in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
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