Stance Training

[Frost]

The range where strength is developed is probably the key to stance training. It's not about over all strength development like doing squats - it's about developing the ability to hold that low stance comfortably for long periods of time. This skill is particularly useful for the throwing arts where it's better for you to be in that low posture to both get under your opponent's center of gravity and to keep them from getting below yours. The main benefit of this type of stance training is that as you gain the ability to hold these postures, you'll find that you exert less strength to do them, this allows you to "free up your hips" and relax - again this is very important to the throwing arts, but it's also useful for the striking arts. My teacher amazes everyone he meets with his ability to apply mantis. When showing the applications and trying to teach us to do what he does, he always says to relax the hips - something that students never really can do thus they can't achieve his results with the technique. I observed that this ability actually comes from his ability to maintain low postures comfortably - ie leg strength from stance training - something that westerners just don't want to do.

and yet wrestlers seem to be able to throw people just fine, not to metion get under their hips

[MightyB]

and yet wrestlers seem to be able to throw people just fine, not to metion get under their hips

they use different techniques like the shoot to double or single leg, or low single leg which it is better to hit the gym and do squats or Olympic lifting to train for - plus duck walk.

If you're playing tai chi wrestling, you're going to need to be able to hold low stances and move in them comfortably.

[MightyB]

they use different techniques like the shoot to double or single leg, or low single leg which it is better to hit the gym and do squats or Olympic lifting to train for - plus duck walk.

If you're playing tai chi wrestling, you're going to need to be able to hold low stances and move in them comfortably.

Watch some of the Chen Bing stuff online where he's wrestling.

[wenshu]

The main benefit of this type of stance training is that as you gain the ability to hold these postures, you'll find that you exert less strength to do them, this allows you to "free up your hips" and relax - again this is very important to the throwing arts, but it's also useful for the striking arts.

Up thread it was argued (as it is on every other thread that this trope gets repeatedly beaten to death on) that stance training wasn't a good means of increasing flexibility. A bit of a half truth.

When I was working towards the side splits the best way I found to warm up was holding horse stance for a minute or a little more. In and of itself horse stance does little to greatly increase range of motion in the hips but there was nothing I found that made the stretching itself easier.

[Frost]

they use different techniques like the shoot to double or single leg, or low single leg which it is better to hit the gym and do squats or Olympic lifting to train for - plus duck walk.

If you're playing tai chi wrestling, you're going to need to be able to hold low stances and move in them comfortably.

they also hit head and arm throws, body lock throws etc all which need your hips lower than your opponents to work

[David Jamieson]

That was my fav line from Forbidden Kingdom.

That being said, I use Horse Stance applications every day. I take a dump every day. Sometimes more.

It even works in the street.

I would find it very difficult to take a dump in a horse stance. There's a lot of dynamic tension going on that would make it difficult to evacuate the bowels in a relaxed manner.

[Kellen Bassette]

When I was working towards the side splits the best way I found to warm up was holding horse stance for a minute or a little more.

I mentioned some other stances that are used for stretches, but actually the horse stance is a common stretch in itself. Instead of staying static, you put your elbows inside your knees and push the knees out, while shifting the weight some, from leg to leg, while getting a bit of hip rotation.

[MightyB]

Up thread it was argued (as it is on every other thread that this trope gets repeatedly beaten to death on) that stance training wasn't a good means of increasing flexibility. A bit of a half truth.

When I was working towards the side splits the best way I found to warm up was holding horse stance for a minute or a little more. In and of itself horse stance does little to greatly increase range of motion in the hips but there was nothing I found that made the stretching itself easier.

It's not about stretching, it's about your level of comfort to maintain a low stance. It's a pretty simple concept, stand low for long periods of time and it gets easier to stand low. Moving comfortably while standing low is something that TCMA does, if you don't like doing it, that's on you.

[18elders]

Frost- so if stance training has no use, then why the **** would anyone do yoga?
post some pics of you doing all your stances, bet your structure is not perfect.

there is much more to it than holding a stance for 5 minutes, you continually do them for proper structure and alignment, transitions, breathing, mental.

[Frost]

Frost- so if stance training has no use, then why the **** would anyone do yoga?
post some pics of you doing all your stances, bet your structure is not perfect.

there is much more to it than holding a stance for 5 minutes, you continually do them for proper structure and alignment, transitions, breathing, mental.

Where did i say they were useless, please quote

I said it depends on what you use them for, but structure for a fighting art cant be built in a vacum and you need outside pressure not static work for that

[sanjuro_ronin]

why would people do yoga?
Well...

[MightyB]

One thing I'll say though is that stance training seems to be pretty specific to a certain type of TCMA game and that's really pushing hands. It's a fun game that requires you to hold low stances. If that's your thing, or if low stances are required to facilitate the applications of your style, then you have to do stance training. Otherwise you probably don't have to do it unless you like doing it.

[IronFist]

stand with your feet together. bend forward as of trying to touch your toes. that standing pole stretch is used, as it's the ending position of their shoulder throw.

That's not a stance; it's a standing toe touch

[IronFist]

The range where strength is developed is probably the key to stance training. It's not about over all strength development like doing squats - it's about developing the ability to hold that low stance comfortably for long periods of time. This skill is particularly useful for the throwing arts where it's better for you to be in that low posture to both get under your opponent's center of gravity and to keep them from getting below yours.

While I will admit that stance training in a low stance will give you more stability and endurance to hold a low stance, how is that going to help you develop the strength to throw an opponent? During horse stance you're still only supporting your own weight. If you're going to need to apply extra strength from a low position wouldn't it be better if you could do barbell squats with your bodyweight or more?

The more strength you can generate, the smaller percentage of effort it takes to move a finite weight. In other words, if I can squat 150 pounds, squatting 150 pounds will be hard. If I can squat 300 pounds, squatting 150 pounds will be easy.

How is holding a low stance for long periods of time going to make it easier to throw someone? Are you spending a lot of time in that low stance when you're sparring?

If you're only dropping your stance down for a moment to throw someone, I fail to see how stance training and the increased muscular endurance that comes from stance training would be more beneficial than a strength development exercise.

If you're spending a lot of time in a low stance, then yes, I see how stances training would be more effective.

[MightyB]

While I will admit that stance training in a low stance will give you more stability and endurance to hold a low stance, how is that going to help you develop the strength to throw an opponent? ...

How is holding a low stance for long periods of time going to make it easier to throw someone? Are you spending a lot of time in that low stance when you're sparring?

It's sport specific:


If it's not part of your sport, don't do it. It's just one aspect, and that being get lower than the other guy's center of gravity.