Stance | ||
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Stance
Stance is about the position of the feet relative to one another.
Think of it in terms of balance, stability and mobility.
Two feet
Students often get deeply confused about stance.
People have two feet.
It does not matter whether one foot is forward or backwards - relative to the
other - the relationship between the feet is unchanged because you only have
two feet. What does matter is balance.
How far apart?
The distance between the two feet and the angle of foot position will radically
affect balance.
A yoga person may place their feet very wide apart.
This is fine if your aim is to stretch.
Yoga is usually static after all.
Moderation
In tai chi we engage in combat so our aim is
to adjust, to move, to fight.
Under no circumstances do we want to over-stretch.
Over-stretching weakens the muscle and compromises balance.
Shoulder-width stance
The ideal tai chi stance is shoulder-width.
This can be measured by placing your shoe length-ways between your parallel
feet.
It may seem quite wide. Look in a mirror.
Problems with
shoulder-width
If a student has an inflexible groin, tense legs and balance issues, the
shoulder-width stance may be a problem.
In that case, reduce it to hip-width.
Improvement with leg stretches and horse stance will help
you to achieve a wider stance. Whatever you do, don't brace in order to
maintain stability.
Squaring the pelvis
Tai chi practitioners may seek to square their pelvis to the front during
a bow stance. If the stance is too long, too narrow or the individual lacks
the requisite flexibility, this could be a problem.
Often, exponents seek to overcome the obstacle by buckling the rear knee (or
straightening it) rather than the more obvious solution which is to
square-up only to the degree that is comfortable...
Hands?
Many
inexperienced tai chi people are concerned about their hands.
But their legs are
awry... Without a balanced foundation the
art cannot work.
The stance determines the method in which
power is generated, how the waist turns and the role of the hands.
Basics
The basic stances are easy to learn:
Parallel stance
Turning stance
Bow stance
Rear bow stance
Single whip stance
Pigeon toe stance
Empty/cat stance
Heel stance
Horse stance
Become
skilled with each.
Stability
The qigong exercises that begin a typical
tai chi class focus upon
lengthening and strengthening the major
muscle groups that support the body.
Form practice continues this, with the added
benefit of mobilising the joints.
Many students are not so keen on qigong because the exercises require stamina
and endurance.
Very few people give form practice the time, effort and
mindful training it requires.
Mobility
If your tai chi looks and feels like
karate,
you are undoubtedly doing it incorrectly.
For your joints to flex appropriately, your muscles need to be quite relaxed.
Only use the absolute
minimal amount of strength required to hold your limb in place.
In most cases this will still be far too much, because your 'faulty sensory
appreciation' will tell you that you are
relaxed, when in
reality you are far from it.
Locked muscles
produce stiff, immobile joints.
We want mobile joints, supported by a supple
framework of
elastic tissue.
If the body is clumsy, then in
advancing or retreating it cannot be free;
therefore, it must be agile.
Once you raise your arm, you cannot appear clumsy.
(Li I-Yu)
Stability/mobility ratio
Your tai chi practice must balance stability and mobility.
Without the stability and support of the muscles and a correctly aligned
skeleton, joint movement can become sloppy and careless.
Beginners work extensively upon stability and strength, only moving onto a more
dynamic performance of tai chi once the body has found balance.
Wayward joints and
exaggerated movements need to be identified and corrected long before
reeling silk and applications are introduced.
Angles
Think of your stance in terms of a triangle: two feet and crotch? An obtuse triangle would be a horse stance, whereas an acute triangle would be a
shoulder-width parallel stance.
Which is more stable?
Many martial artists would say horse stance, but they are
wrong.
The horse stance is inherently unstable because the distance between the feet is
wide; far from the centre...
and this adversely affects
balance.
Just enough
In tai chi martial terms, we need the stance to
afford us the optimal degree of mobility and strength at all times.
A horse stance is fine for low movements such as 'snake creeps down', large
rollback or for certain (bend over the thigh)
shuai jiao applications.
During everyday body use and combat, the feet need to be closer to the centre.
This makes for a more compact, natural stance that optimises the relationship
with gravity.
Tiring
In a horse stance, the angle is obtuse and the feet
are essentially sliding away from one another. The feet and ankles must work to prevent this from happening.
This compensation process costs energy and is
tiring for the legs.
Additionally, the torso mass is falling between the feet - there is
nothing underneath the trunk - no base.
Beneath
When stood normally, the feet are beneath the body so the legs are not
fatigued.
Your form stance should emulate this as closely as possible.
Make sure that there is at least one inch distance between the lead heel and the
rear toe.
A realistic combat stance does not waste energy.
3-D
Think of the body in terms of 3 dimensions.
An
external martial artist emphasis the horizontal plane (waist turn) and
shifting the weight forwards.
This is required to produce striking force.
Vertical power (central equilibrium)
External
exponents neglect the vertical.
Tai chi has no need to
exert since we only use
4 ounces of pressure.
Therefore an external stance is
redundant and
unnecessary.
We aim to combine all 3 dimensions to produce reeling
silk.
Exercise
Some people may argue that large stances exercise the legs.
Yes they do.
Walking around the room in a smaller stance also exercises the
legs.
Balance
In tai chi, balance must be maintained without tiring the legs.
If stance is to be quick, lively and nimble, it cannot be exaggerated.
A yoga posture or horse stance can be strengthened by
tensing the muscles, but this is not a
tai chi method.
The legs must be dense and strong without any
tensing.
Stepping drills
Beginners learn a variety of stepping drills:
90°
Diamond stepping
Leading & following (eyes-closed)
Relative distance (tig)
Avoiding line of force (solo & melee)
Riding the attack
These immediately prove that a compact, natural stance is highly
agile and mobile whereas a conventional
martial
arts stance inhibits free movement.
Cat-stepping
Students explore example stances from the form and how to
practice them. They come to understand what each stance
means.
Length strength
'Connection' is a major theme for tai chi students.
Without it, nothing will really work in application.
Qigong teaches basic connection by
lengthening the soft tissues of the body whilst the
feet are static.
Form explores an enormous range of dynamic
connection possibilities whilst moving.
The feet are required to step in coordination
with the rest of the body; ensuring length strength at all times.
Gaps & deficiencies
The relative position of the feet in conjunction with both the attacking
limb and the opponent will determine line of force, along with angles of
strength and weakness.
Being aware of these angles and the ability to exploit the
weaknesses in others is crucial to the
martial expression of tai chi.
Our aim is to avoid vulnerability when we can, and be willing to
adapt when necessary.
Application
Try doing form applications with both a large and a small stance.
A large stance will probably work but the effect would be classified as 'li'
- bone/muscle-based power.
Jing-based applications require a more flexible
framework. They produce vibration and whiplash,
rather than a dull thud.
The highest level of tai chi practice
is high stance and small circle. In high stance and small circle you can
conserve your energy to a maximum level. This is very crucial in battle.
Endurance has always been the crucial key to survival in a long battle.
Moreover, due to high stance and smaller shape you can reach to the
deepest relaxed stage, the mind is highly concentrated, and the sensitivity
and alertness can be extremely sharp.
(Yang Jwing-Ming)
Page
created 21 May 1997
Last updated
16 June 2023
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