The horse step is the basic skill of many sects. The horse steps of each sect are similar. The standing horse step has two main purposes. One is to practice leg strength, and the other is to practice internal strength. Zhanzhuang means gathering Qi. Now we will introduce the horse stance method of Tai Chi.
Stand your legs parallel to each other, with the distance between your feet three soles of the foot, and then squat down with your toes parallel and forward, without leaning outwards. Push your knees outward, your knees should not exceed your toes, and your thighs should be parallel to the ground. At the same time, draw your hips forward and inward, and do not protrude your buttocks. This can make the crotch into an arc shape, commonly known as a round crotch. Hold your chest and pull your back. Do not lift your chest. The chest should be flat and the back should be round. You can wrap your hands around your chest like a ball. The virtual spirit is pushing hard, and the head is pushed upward, as if the top of the head is suspended by a thread.
This is the basic requirement of Mabu. It is not easy to stand for a long time at first. Being able to stand for 5 minutes is considered good, but persistence is important. Standing for half an hour is already considered an achievement.
Mabu generally does not need to focus on the Dantian. Over time, Qi will naturally gather in the Dantian. The one-legged horse stance is a Kung Fu stage that can be reached naturally after mastering the double-legged horse stance. It is the result of practice. On the other hand, if you don't stand properly in the two-legged horse stance, you won't be able to do the one-legged horse stance. Your question also makes it very clear that this is the stage of Zha Ma Bu, which is the level of Kung Fu.
The Horse Step Kung Fu that I know has three stages: standing firmly, standing firmly, and standing empty. The one-legged Horse Step you mentioned is also the stage of standing empty. What it means is that the standard movement of standing upright is to stand up straight, without moving the body but shifting all the weight to one foot, and the other foot can be lifted freely.
So it’s better to keep your feet on the ground. It’s good if you can stand on both feet. Once you improve your skills, it will come naturally.
Additional: Two feet shoulder-width apart or three and a half feet are acceptable. The Siping Da Ma of Northern Shaolin requires a distance of four feet, while some schools of Southern Quan require a narrow horse (feet equal to shoulder width). The parts exercised by wide horses and narrow horses are different. In addition, the movements of narrow horses are relatively difficult, especially the low and narrow stance. It is easy to develop problems such as crotch and swollen chest, and it is difficult to standardize movements. If the movements are wrong, of course you will not be able to increase your skill, and you may even be injured. When first practicing, you should stand with a long stride, three or three and a half feet is more suitable.
Medium-high horse stance method: stand parallel with feet 2 feet apart, knees buckled inward, and the angle between the thighs and thighs is 120 degrees, hips turned backwards, sitting in a horse position, waist upright, perineum level slightly Lift up and pass through Baihui.
Technical requirements: Knees should be perpendicular to the toes (it is ineffective if the knees are forward and over the toes), the chest should be protruding forward, and the lower abdomen should be sucked in. The chest should be empty and the lower abdomen should be strong, that is, the heart energy should sink into the Dantian, and the whole body should be absorbed into the bones. , especially the big and small legs, you should focus on the bones, flatten the feet, focus on the ankles, and hold the knees with both hands. At this time, imagine opening upwards from the joints on the soles of the feet to Baihui; from Baihui to the meat joints of the neck, chest, buttocks, thighs, and calves to relax downward. The initial standing time is 5 minutes, and then practice the second step every 10 minutes. Two and four times are a one-day cycle, and you practice for one hour a day. This is the initial adjustment, and you can complete it in about ten days.
The above are the requirements for horse-riding stakes written by senior Ma Guoxing. I think the wording is very appropriate and concise, so I took it directly for everyone's reference.
“Buck your knees inwards, turn your hips back, sit in a horse position, keep your waist straight, lift your perineum slightly upward, run through Baihui, your chest is weak and your lower abdomen is strong, your feet should be flat, the strength is intended to Bi-ankles”, these are particularly noteworthy.
As for the requirements for the hands, I practiced a little differently, with both hands standing and extending forward. By the way, the requirements for the upper body: the center is relaxed, and the 2 shoulders and clavicle are slightly flat. Many people think that horse stance is just for practicing cross-leg strength, but that is because they have not really practiced it or practiced it incorrectly. I think that only when you can feel it in your upper body and feel comfortable, can you start to step into it. The advantage of horse-stepping is that it takes a short time and produces quick results. Sometimes I just practice this mainly because I don’t have time, which is considered lazy. The training method of Ma Buzhuang is roughly like this. My expression ability is average, and what I said is only my personal opinion. I welcome your criticism and questions.
Horse squat essentials:
Squat down with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and try to squat until your thighs are level with the ground (don’t force yourself if you can’t). Keep the trunk upright and not out of shape (this is the basics, the key, the most important thing), the trunk must be upright and not out of shape! Then relax the strength of the crotch and knees, and exercise the strength of the calves and thighs. The crotch and knees must be relaxed, otherwise you will be injured (especially the knees) and the effect will not be good. Stretch your hands forward as hard as you can. Be careful not to make any accompanying movements with your body. Only stretch your arms and keep your trunk still. Stretch your palms and spread your fingers. Palms forward.
Be moderate when exercising. Because the intensity is relatively high, the time can be extended as much as possible one after another.
First stand upright, prepare yourself mentally, relax your whole body, stand with your left foot open, and your feet parallel (no front and back figures) and shoulder width apart, raise your arms flat, and then slowly squat down with both legs. Keep your upper body straight, and do not lean forward, backward, or tilt left or right. While squatting, your shoulders should naturally droop, and your hands should be gently transformed into a clasping position, with your ten fingers facing each other, leaving a gap of about five centimeters, facing your chest. The palm of the hand is spherical. Persevere until you stand still, step by step, and gradually increase the time. This is the essentials of horse step exercise.
It doesn’t need to be so complicated, especially for beginners. If you don’t know how to use your mind, don’t use it indiscriminately, otherwise it will cause abuse and cause endless harm. So just relax your body when standing and keep your knees from going past your toes.
Keep your body upright, hold your chest and straighten your back, slightly retract your chin, lift your major vertebrae, and look ahead. Master the height of the horse stance according to your physical fitness, properly grasp the time, and persevere, and you will get good exercise effects.