[Martial Arts] One year of Horse Stance, a complete transformation!

Author: Jeffi Chao Hui Wu

Time: 2025-07-03 Thursday, 7:31 PM

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[Martial Arts] One Year of Horse Stance, Rebirth!

Starting from June 2024, I practice systematically by the seaside every day around 5 a.m., regardless of wind or rain. Even in the coldest weather, I stand in the horse stance by the sea for half an hour. At that time, my body was extremely cold; when the temperature dropped slightly below sixteen degrees, my knees would feel tight, and my feet were icy. I had to wear two pairs of thermal pants plus jeans, along with a down jacket and knee pads, just to barely cope with the morning chill. Yet even so, my feet never warmed up during practice; my whole body was at most "slightly warm."

Now, in the same morning seaside temperature of 6 to 8 degrees, I wear only a thin pair of sports pants, a long-sleeve T-shirt, and a light windbreaker, and I can stand in the stance for 13 minutes while sweating evenly all over. My blood and energy flow smoothly, and my feet, knees, and palms are warm throughout. Especially my knees, which used to be the coldest part of my body, can now generate heat, indicating that my internal energy can penetrate to the extremities.

Over the past year, I progressed from initially shaking after five minutes in the horse stance, with sore waist and stiff body, to being able to stand steadily for over twenty minutes, with stable hip strength and knees aligned with my toes, creating a naturally stable structure. In the past, after each standing session, to prevent the "energy" from dissipating, I had to immediately practice Tai Chi to maintain a bit of energy sensation. But gradually, the energy sensation transformed from "exhausted and dissipated" to "growing stronger with movement." I went from being able to perform half a set with energy to completing three sets of Tai Chi and then a set of Tai Chi sword, maintaining the flow of warmth and energy throughout, truly entering the stage of "practicing martial arts with energy."

Looking back, most people learning martial arts only focus on forms and movements, finding stance practice tedious and skipping it, as if building a house without a foundation, believing that height alone signifies skill. But no one knows that what truly connects the meridians, opens the flow of energy and blood, and adjusts the rhythm of the internal organs is not flashy techniques, but profound stance practice. The horse stance is not "sitting on a toilet," but a reconstruction of the entire structural system, reshaping my legs, hips, waist, spine, and even the pathways of nerves and energy.

Now, I stand facing the wind by the sea at six in the morning without any warming tools, with the temperature only five or six degrees, feeling even colder, yet my feet are as steady as a rock, and my hands are warm and smooth like jade. I know this is not merely an "improvement in resistance," but the structure of my internal energy is gradually taking shape. It is not as simple as external training of the flesh; the internal system has truly begun to operate.

Therefore, this year of horse stance practice has not only cultivated my energy and strength but has also made me thoroughly understand that the root of martial arts is never about the quantity of movements, but about how deeply the roots are planted. One year of horse stance, a complete transformation!

Source: http://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=696659