Learning the proper horse riding stance

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Feb 11, 2006 11:04

It seems that I do not have the ability to stand in the horse stance properly as I cannot stand more than a 1 minute with knees below the hips.

Now the book says if one finds this difficult to gradually develop the flexibility and strength of the thighs, hips, and lower back in the horse riding stance. Does this suggest that I should assume the horse stance position prgoressing slowly by time factor? For example attempt 1 minute then next time increase to 2 mintues and at what frequency?
Or am I misunderstanding?
Another question is that when I have the hips below the knees the more I try to keep my feet pointing forward the more my back tends to lean forward, any remedy for this?

DanBor · Post by **DanBor** » Feb 12, 2006 10:18

Hey Moe, the same thing with me. When I stand in a 3 step horse stance with hips below knees, I have trouble with keeping my torso upright, and at the same time my toes slighlty point outwards. I just can't have my chest up - like in the book. I guess I will progres with time.
As for your 1. question - I think it will be difficult to progress from 1 minute to 2 minutes directly. For me its improvement if I stay 10 sec. longer in the position (10 sec. longer almost every week,). So in my experience the progres is slow. And when thigs are starting to tense I contract them (isometric) and get out of the position without using my hands. I will progress to 5 step when will be able to stand comfortably 2 minutes - so one or two month from now, cause currently I struggle with 1.30 minutes.
So, this is just my experience. CHEERS.

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Feb 13, 2006 06:13

I can do 2 mintues as a maximum, pain kicks in and booty starts to shake

DanBor · Post by **DanBor** » Feb 13, 2006 06:37

2 minutes - that's something. How wide (or low) are you, 3 step, 5 step...?

maxattack · Post by **maxattack** » Feb 13, 2006 12:30

hmmmm, If you are having trouble holding the horse stance for under 5 min with thighs parrallel or below knees, you really need increase your leg stregth, try sumo squats they work wonders, I my self can hold a 4 or 5 step horse stance thigh parrallel for 10. some of my class mates can do 40min. All you have to do is add 15sec every week, not much but in a month you have a an extra minute

. it will take time, but all things do

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Feb 13, 2006 15:13

I do 5 step, it's more comfortable. When doing 4 step I can't keep my back straight at all.
Is it ok to have your butt sticking out while on the five step horse stance or do you gotta tuck it in?

So you can increase 15 secs every week? how about every other day?

How do you do sumo squats?

maxattack · Post by **maxattack** » Feb 13, 2006 15:53

15 sec a week, if you can add 15sec ever other day, welll grats. One thing to keep in mind when you stop is it because of pain? When the pain sets in concentrate on your breathing, put the pain out of your mind, as my teacher says if you stand up out of the horse stance you gave up mentally, if you fell down you won. meaning your legs gave out and you landed on ur backside

, but you you did not give in to the pain. If you can do this you may add minutes on your horse stance.

sumo squats are deep squats but with a wide stance, greater than shoulders, and feet rotated out abit.

DanBor · Post by **DanBor** » Feb 13, 2006 16:05

I will try that (15 sec -every week). I guess I was wrong with my aproach: I concertrated on doing more sets (like 5 sets, each 1 minute) instead of just one or two longer (like 2+ minutes). When the pain set in I stoped, because I wanted to be prepared for the next set.

Thanks.

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Feb 15, 2006 07:46

Wow to be able to block out pain would be cool, except I can't do that

I have really big thighs and skinny legs

Max when you try to keep your toes pointing forward do you feel a stretch in your soleus? I know mine is very short.

Also is it safe to do the horse stance twice a day?

maxattack · Post by **maxattack** » Feb 15, 2006 10:42

You just need to consentrate on your breathing and keep your mind empty to block out the pain, Do not think of the pain, think of nothing but your breathing, you will find that the pain will eventually go away

. yes its true, you will then have wobble legs, still hold it, think of nothing, it may help to visualize a flame, nothing else exsists but the flame and your breathing. and yes when i first started i had trouble with my feet rotating out, keep working on it, nothing is easy, thats why we train.

I will be the first to admit it is hard to do and often I lose focus, and then im done, but again thats why we train. There is always tomorro.

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Feb 20, 2006 05:45

Tired the breathing and after several tried i noticed it does help but I lose focus very quickly. Another question, should my butt be sticking out while on the stance? Thats what happens when I sink lower, or should I tilt the pelvis so that it gets tucked in?

maxattack · Post by **maxattack** » Feb 20, 2006 15:43

while I do not study Wushu ( i train in choy lee fut ) this is a good link we also do the 5 stance training, anyway this may help

http://www.greatlakeswushu.com/stance.html

and yes it is hard to keep focus, just keep at it, it is a active meditation exercise, when you incorporate the breathing control. Just clear your mind with practice you will get better, no doubt.

DanBor · Post by **DanBor** » Feb 22, 2006 02:45

I realy can't go beyond 2 minutes in horse stance. But I found out that can stand in deep front stance much longer. Yesterday i was realy low, with back leg completely straight (like in the front split) and was able to comfortably stay in that stance 3 minutes. The only "problem" with front stance is that you have to switch sides. So I will stick with this for a while, 'till I gain some more strenght and than back to horse stance.

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Feb 22, 2006 04:50

Well I just noticed something strange, my horse stance is wide already!!
What I mean is, I can't stand in the 4 step horse stance properly, I have to bend my back to an extreme and feel a stretch in my soleus. I could do a five step or seven step easily with my back almost straight but at this point my thighs are not parallell, right?

The other day in class I asked my friend if my stance was correct and he was like man that is too wide and was very surprised I could stand that wide.

maxattack · Post by **maxattack** » Feb 22, 2006 11:33

Danbor remember you only need to add 15 seconds per week, by friday try to stay in the stance for 2min 15sec, then next week use 2min 15sec, till friday then do 2min 30sec. Let me know how this works for you. And do not quite alot of things are more mental then pyhsical in the martial arts, plainly said if you think you cannt do it YOU will not do it. e.i. board breaking.