Basic Stances: Shaolin Longfist Kung Fu

Within Shaolin 'Longfist' Kung Fu and Wu Shu, all motion, offensive or defensive, towards or away from opponents, involves certain key stances. These are the foundations of all Changchuan ('Longfist') martial movement and four basic essential examples, requiring students' initial attention are analysed below. Two key principles apply to their design and usage.

Stability

Lower an object's centre of gravity and it becomes harder to displace or knock over. Deep stances, thus, endow Students with stability. Bending the knees and keeping the back straight aligns the torso with the body's natural centre of gravity and balance at the Dan Tien (an inch-and-a half below the navel) and further enhances this.

Deep stances, obtained by regular practice, enable students to move more swiftly, smoothly and efficiently.

Safety

High Longfist stances, exposing more of the body, including its vital parts have inbuilt safety-features to minimise risk being usually transitional in nature and held only briefly to facilitate counter-attack or escape. Low stances conceal and protect these vital areas, making them easier to defend.

Ma Bu: Horse-riding Stance

Sometimes abbreviated to 'Horse Stance' in Ma Bu the feet, toes turned slightly inwards, each bearing 50% of the body-weight, are positioned approximately twice shoulder-width apart. The knees are bent to lower the torso, which remains upright.

A load-bearing stance enhancing balance and stability, Ma Bu exposes minimum body-area to attackers (via the side-on 'silhouette' it presents). Backwards and forwards movement or solid immobility are all equally possible from Ma Bu, as are powerful side-kick attacks.

Horse-stance practice has many benefits for beginners. This develops leg-strength, kicking abilities, balance and even will-power. Many Kung Fu Schools have their own 'Secret' methods which can be remarkably effective. Longfist Ma Bu Training includes routines almost 1500 years old, introduced into Shaolin Temple Monk Training in the 6th Century CE that are still in use there today.

Deng Shan Bu aka Gung Bu: Mountain Climbing or Bow Stance

The front foot turned 20% inwards protects the groin as the leg bends forwards until the knee is directly over the toe. The back leg is kept straight with foot turned inwards 20%. Rear and front foot are offset and never in line (this causes instability--advancing from this position you may trip yourself up).

An attacking Forward Stance ideal for Lunge and Reverse Punching. Requiring 70% of body-weight on the front-foot and 30% on the rear, it is sometimes also called the 70/30 Stance. In Gung Bu (Bow Stance) the arched lead-leg is the bow and the straight rear-leg an arrow which can be fired forwards from this position.

Xuan Ji Bu:The False or Tricky Stance

All the body-weight is on the back foot, which is placed at right angles to the front, with heels approximately 18" apart. The front foot's toe rests lightly on the ground and turned 20% inwards (protecting the groin). Sometimes also known as the 't' stance, in Xuan Gi Bu the back leg is always slightly bent.

This defensive and counter-attacking Back Stance catches the unwary by surprise. The rear foot location of body-weight, removing the head from danger, gives time to anticipate threats and deliver surprise front-kick counters from the 'False'/weightless front leg, ideally positioned for this 'trick'.

This stance encapsulates many of the essential principles of back-foot fighting which is refined into a fine-art in Shaolin Kung Fu..

Jin Gi Du Li: Golden Rooster Stands on Its Hind Leg

From the False-Stance, straighten the rear supporting-leg. Standing on this draw the front foot backwards, inwards and upwards until adjacent to and covering (but not touching) its knee, toe pointing downwards and knee above waist-height.

This protects the knee, groin and supporting leg, enabling quick 'chambered' kicking. A high transitional stance, jin Gi Du Li is only held briefly for kicking purposes as a counter-attack, or as a prelude to withdrawal or escape.

Overall

The protective, risk-reducing features of these four basic 'Longfist' stances allow their safe use for attack, counter-attack and defence. Pre-arranged practice sequences or 'sets' of continuous transitions between various stances help to highlight their dynamic inter-relation. Beginners may find stance practice initially irksome but may even relish it after a time.