Horse stance
{{Short description|Posture in Asian martial arts}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox martial art term
|title = Horse Stance
|pic = Mabu posture.gif
|picsize =
|piccap = A horse stance in wushu
|t = 馬步
|s =
|p =
|w =
|j =
|kanji = 騎馬立ち
|shinjitai =
|kyujitai =
|hiragana =
|revhep =
|tradhep =
|kunrei =
|nihon =
|hangul = 안운서기
|hanja =
|rr =
|mr =
}}
The horse stance is a common posture in Asian martial arts.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2scbFe2HTlQC&dq=Horse+stance&pg=PA58|isbn = 978-1-58394-189-8|title = The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang: The Art and Legends of the Eight Trigram Palm|date = 26 June 2007|publisher = Blue Snake Books}} It is called mǎbù (馬步) in Chinese, {{Nihongo||騎馬立ち|kiba-dachi}} (or {{nihongo||四股立|shiko-dachi}}) in Japanese, and juchum seogi (주춤 서기){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YfrtdswbjCoC&dq=juchum+seogi&pg=PA39|isbn=978-1-62212-117-5|title=Sekwondo: World Taekwondo Federation Taekwondo Initiation for Novices over the Age of Forty. A Didactical Guide for Trainers and Students|date=11 May 2012|publisher=Strategic Book}} or annun seogi (lit. sitting stance) in Korean. This stance can not only be integrated into fighting but also during exercises and forms. It is most commonly used for practicing punches or to strengthen the legs and back.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-EuW9T-Bx0C&dq=Horse+stance&pg=PA44|isbn=978-0-87728-876-3|title=Shaolin Nei Jin Qi Gong: Ancient Healing in the Modern World|date=January 1996|publisher=Weiser Books}} The modified form of horse stance, in which heels are raised, is a fighting stance in International Karate Tournaments.{{Cite book |last=Norris |first=Chuck |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F5ePvoHclicC |title=Winning Tournament Karate |date=1975 |publisher=Black Belt Communications |isbn=978-0-89750-016-6 |language=en}} The Chinese form of horse stance is a fighting stance which changes into front stance while using hip rotation to develop punching force.{{Cite book |last=Morris |first=Neil |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ghtM-jScfsoC |title=Kung Fu |date=2001 |publisher=Heinemann Library |isbn=978-0-431-11043-1 |language=en}}
Chinese martial arts
Mabu is used for endurance training as well as strengthening the back and leg muscles, tendon strength, and overall feeling and understanding of "feeling grounded". It is a wide, stable stance with a low center of gravity.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jxOdDQAAQBAJ&dq=Mabu+stance&pg=PT9|title = Fan Chin-Na the art of Countergrips|date = 30 November 2016|publisher = Igor Dudukchan}} Feet are placed 45 degree outward .{{Cite book |last=Morris |first=Neil |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ghtM-jScfsoC |title=Kung Fu |date=2001 |publisher=Heinemann Library |isbn=978-0-431-11043-1 |language=en}}
=Northern styles=
The ideal horse stance in most northern Chinese martial arts (such as Mizongquan and Chaquan) has the feet pointed forward, thighs parallel to the floor, with the buttocks pushed out, and the back "arched up" to keep the upper body from leaning forward. The emphasis on this latter point will vary from school to school as some schools of Long Fist, such as Taizu and Bajiquan, will opt for the hips forward, with the buttocks "tucked in."{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r_iuDwAAQBAJ&dq=horse+stance+Bajiquan&pg=PA207|isbn=978-0-9879028-5-6|title=Falk's Dictionary of Chinese Martial Arts, Deluxe Soft Cover|date=11 June 2019|publisher=Lulu.com}}
In Northern Shaolin, the distance between the feet is approximately two shoulder widths apart.
=Southern Shaolin=
Southern Chinese martial arts usually pronounce horse stance by its Cantonese pronunciation of "Sei Ping Ma".{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ux0NCwAAQBAJ&dq=sei+ping+ma+horse+stance&pg=PA56|isbn = 978-1-4629-1753-2|title = Complete Wing Chun: The Definitive Guide to Wing Chun's History and Traditions|date = 3 November 2015|publisher = Tuttle}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p9sDAAAAMBAJ&dq=sei+ping+ma+horse+stance&pg=PA31|title = Black Belt|date = January 1984}} In Southern Shaolin, a wide horse stance is assumed as if riding a horse. Such low postures strengthen the legs of the practitioner. The horse stance in southern Chinese systems is commonly done with the thighs parallel to the ground and the toes pointing forward or angled slightly out.
Southern Chinese styles (such as Hung Gar) are known for their deep and wide horse stance.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NdIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=horse+stance+hung+gar&pg=PA24|title=Black Belt|date=November 1981}}
See also Wushu Stances for more information.
Japanese martial arts
Image:Motobu Choki2.jpg horse stance]]
In Japanese martial arts, the horse stance (kiba-dachi) has many minor variations between individual schools, including the distance between the feet, and the height of the stance.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cdIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Horse+stance&pg=PA36|title = Black Belt|date = December 1982}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dNkDAAAAMBAJ&dq=kiba-dachi&pg=PA65|title = Black Belt|date = February 1996}} One constant feature is that the feet must be parallel to each other.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hz1kLZYjwE0C&dq=kiba-dachi+horse+stance&pg=PA41|isbn = 978-0-89750-019-7|title = Bo, Karate Weapon of Self-defense|year = 1976|publisher = Black Belt Communications}}
The horse stance differs from the {{Nihongo|straddle stance|四股立ち|shiko-dachi}}, widely used in sumo, in which the feet point outward at 45 degrees rather than being parallel.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wRh0AgAAQBAJ&dq=shiko-dachi+sumo&pg=PA11|isbn=978-1-4583-4286-7|title=Okinawa Goju Ryu|publisher=Lulu.com}}
Indian martial arts
Image:Horse Posture or Asva Vadivu.jpg
What is referred to as the horse stance in south Indian martial arts is very different from the posture of the same name in other Asian fighting styles.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5H2pjzRD8RAC&dq=Horse+stance&pg=PA100|isbn=978-1-4020-9356-2|title=Shadows of the Prophet: Martial Arts and Sufi Mysticism|date=5 June 2009|publisher=Springer}} Known in Malayalam as aswa vadivu or ashwa vadivu, it imitates the horse itself rather than the rider.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hISikpYZ9hYC&dq=ashwa+vadivu&pg=PA96|isbn = 978-1-4092-2626-0|title = Kalarippayat|date = 25 September 2008|publisher = Lulu.com}} In kalaripayat, the horse stance has the hind leg stretched completely backward while the knee of the front leg is bent ninety degrees. The horse stance is the main posture of the Shiva form and is related to the virabhadrasana (warrior pose) in yoga.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j-kDAAAAMBAJ&dq=virabhadrasana&pg=PA40|title = Yoga Journal}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u-kDAAAAMBAJ&dq=virabhadrasana&pg=PA58|title = Yoga Journal}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxAkMlXUBF4 Horse Stance Demo] on YouTube
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyHMtk4ci0I Kalari Animal Posture - Horse]—Horse stance of kalaripayat
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130909172146/http://practicalhungkyun.com/2013/08/practical-hung-kyun-28-day-stance-training-challenge-program/ Southern Shaolin Horse Stance—correct technique and training program]
{{Martial arts}}
{{Kung fu schools}}