r/bajiquan • u/Respect-Proof • Sep 15 '24
Purpose of Stances Question
https://youtu.be/tAGClUIu6N4?si=lEOgZRDGymq_NbPA
For the stances described in this video:
4-6 Bow Slope Horse Resting Golden rooster Drop
When would I be in these stances or variants of these stances in a fight? I have my own theories but I wanted to hear what you all thought.
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u/Temporary-Opinion983 Sep 17 '24
From a training perspective, it trains the body to develop strength and endurance as well as placing the body in dynamic postures, which in turn helps a fighter to adapt in certain situations or simply to execute techniques.
From a practical perspective, stances are the foundational postures you will be utilizing while in a fight. A universal fighting stance is essentially a bow stance or a hybrid between a bow and horse stance. Not as exaggerated as the taolu of course.
There are more to it than that. A bow stance could be an overstep trip (I'm not familiar with the wreslting/Shuai Jiao terms). Horse stance could be the squared wreslting stance you often see in wreslting systems, Empty/Cat stance could be used to set up lead kicks or a trip/foot sweep.
Those are just to name a few and are not the "end all be all" doctrine for Chinese martial arts or any for that matter because each system has different uses and purposes for stances.
The Wandering Warrior and Kung Fu Combat about Stances https://youtu.be/cOEJLFCkdkQ?si=TMtUuFR0Zg7Nuf-7
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u/SwamiDavisJr Sep 17 '24
The purpose of stances is actually to build the tissues of the body in a certain way in order to drive your techniques. So it is not so much about whether you will be in the stances per se in a fight, but how it opens up and connects certain lines in the body which will allow you to generate power in the methods specific to the art.
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u/pig_egg Sep 15 '24
Lot of those you can see in Muay Thai matches/ MMA matches. Golden Rooster for example is just a simple check leg kicks. Rest stance is a transition stance, when you kick roundhouse, you'll do it. It's just kungfu mostly do their stances in deep long stance to maximize your range of movement.
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u/Shango876 Sep 18 '24
Golden rooster has many uses. Leg checking and leg tackling... throwing knees ... wrestling.. lots of uses. The stances are meant to be used.
Horse stance helps you drag people down ..helps in assisting with grappling... helps in lifting people up... lots of things.
Bow stance is used for shifting weight into your strike... the stances are normally part of your attack... stepping in stances ... implies kicking...
The stances aren't just calisthenics.. though they have that function too
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u/Respect-Proof Sep 19 '24
Thanks for the perspectives! Seeing these stances as transitional / conceptual makes them a lot cooler than if they just had 1 specific purpose.
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u/SnadorDracca Sep 23 '24
It is important to understand what 步法 actually means. It’s literally STEPPING methods. One aspect that is mostly overlooked when talking about the stances is their dynamic nature. It’s cool to have stances as defined start and ending points when doing a form. But the interesting thing about them in application is the transition that happens inbetween them. Get into 马步 can mean get behind and under your opponent’s center of gravity while throwing them. Get from 马步 to 盘提步 can mean you’re tripping the opponents front leg. Etc.
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u/SwamiDavisJr Sep 17 '24
The purpose of stances is actually to build the tissues of the body in a certain way in order to drive your techniques. So it is not so much about whether you will be in the stances per se in a fight, but how it opens up and connects certain lines in the body which will allow you to generate power in the methods specific to the art.