[Martial Arts] The Way of Standing Posture, The Foundation of Learning

Autor: Jeffi Chao Hui Wu

Fecha: 17-8-2025 Domingo, 4:32 a.m.

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[Martial Arts] The Way of Standing Posture, the Foundation of Learning
To strike someone, one must first stand firm. No matter how exquisite the hand techniques or how splendid the routines practiced, if one is knocked down, it is a failure from the perspective of competition rules, and from a practical standpoint, once on the ground, all techniques become useless. Only by standing firm can one strike; if unable to fight, one can still escape. Without a solid foundation, everything is in vain.
In ancient times, the first lesson in martial arts was not flashy movements, but standing postures. Masters often required disciples to stand in posture for three years before teaching any techniques. The most common scenario is that the first technique must be practiced for another three years. Every martial art has its foundational form, which seems the simplest; apprentices find it tedious, yet masters insist on long-term repetition. The starting posture of Tai Chi appears soft and without power at first glance. However, after facing my master in a technique breakdown, I understood its essence. Xing Yi Quan is even more so; the duration of standing in the San Ti posture is unnecessary to mention, and many predecessors have silently practiced the chopping punch for over three years. Because of this, ancient martial artists had a solid foundation, while today, those who can truly stand in posture with focus are rare.
Returning to the most basic horse stance today, it used to be practiced daily, but nowadays, it is seldom heard that masters still require students to stand in posture. The reason is simple: students lack the patience, perseverance, and willpower to endure the monotony of standing practice. However, the rarer something is, the more valuable it becomes. The difficulty of standing practice lies not in the movements, but in the mindset. The effects of standing practice do not manifest overnight, but accumulate over time.
As the saying goes, as people age, their legs weaken first. Many elderly individuals can still serve tea with their hands, yet struggle to move due to weak legs. Standing practice is particularly suitable for middle-aged and elderly individuals. It can strengthen leg muscles and bone density, and cultivate mindset and focus. Its characteristic is that it does not harm the joints, making it safer compared to running or fitness training. Running indeed exercises the heart and lungs, but excessive vigorous exercise after the age of thirty-five often injures the knee meniscus. Standing practice, on the other hand, focuses on internal cultivation, remaining still externally while moving internally, without placing excessive burdens on the joints.
I often use a metaphor to illustrate the difference. Vigorous exercise is like putting a frozen food item in a microwave; the outer layer quickly heats up and sweats, while the inside remains cold. The warmth from standing practice comes from within, first warming the internal organs, then reaching the surface, and finally causing the entire body to sweat evenly. Even if one does not sweat, the body's heat engine has already been activated. The beauty of standing practice lies in its ability to stimulate potential and solidify the foundation from the inside out.
My personal experience is the best proof. In February 2025, I developed carpal tunnel syndrome due to an old injury, causing numbness from my elbow to my fingertips in my right hand. I had no sensation when gripping a sword. However, I did not stop practicing. I continued to stand in posture, punch, practice swordplay, and walk the Lingzi step daily. At first, the numbness persisted, but gradually it diminished, from the entire arm to the forearm, from the forearm to the palm, and from the palm to the fingers. During this process, if I encountered a cold wave or intense training, the numbness would rebound, but afterwards, it would be lighter. By August 13, 2025, I found that my right hand was completely free of numbness, the wood grain of the sword hilt was clear, and my writing was sharp. This is the effect of energy striking the source of the ailment; the root cause is the effectiveness of standing practice.
Similarly, during training, in a seaside environment with temperatures between six to nine degrees Celsius, I wore summer clothes and felt my entire body heat up in three minutes, sweat in five minutes, and evenly sweat in ten minutes. While others felt the biting cold wind, I felt no chill. I could stand in the horse stance steadily for thirty minutes, my legs trembling but not sore. I could easily walk the Lingzi step for three hours, maintaining a steady rhythm. In contrast, a forty-four-year-old Brazilian boxer tried to hold a ball with both hands at his chest and could not last a minute. The difference lies not in age, but in the foundation.
In the past, I doubted whether practicing alone would lead to stagnation, whether having fewer routines meant no improvement, and whether the horse stance was merely a simple posture. My senior often said, "Just stand in posture when you have nothing to do." Until one day, Senior Lin Wenhui said to me, "Congratulations, you have become one in ten thousand." At that moment, I understood the value behind years of monotonous persistence. Being one in ten thousand does not lie in flashy tricks, but in the foundation.
Standing practice also has another layer of rarity. Modern people generally seek quick results, favoring "seven-day combat training" or "one-month results." In the era of short videos, the more complex something is, the more it attracts attention; the more restless, the more popular it becomes. However, standing practice is a confrontation with time; it tells us to practice one technique for three years and to hone one sword for ten years. It guards the roots of martial arts and the value of time and patience. In today's commercialized martial arts and performance-oriented routines, standing practice is the last line of defense against alienation.
I also see the scientific potential of standing practice. Its impact on bone density may relate to preventing osteoporosis. The ability to endure low temperatures may be associated with the activation of brown fat. The process of energy striking the source of the ailment may be the process of nerve and muscle reconstruction. These directions are worth further research in the future.
From my experiences, I have distilled several insights. First, old injuries are the body's memories that can be activated at the right moment, reminding us to heal. Second, discomfort when energy impacts the source of the ailment is often a signal of the body's reconstruction pathways. Third, recovery cannot be rushed; it naturally manifests through long-term correct practice. Fourth, rebound is not regression, but a fluctuation in the healing process that needs to be accepted. Fifth, persistence is the only catalyst; interruption only prolongs recovery. Sixth, the disappearance of symptoms is not just about symptoms vanishing, but about overall optimization. Seventh, no matter how exquisite the martial arts, if the foundation is unstable, it is of no use; one must stand firm to strike, and if unable to fight, one can still escape.
Standing practice may seem simple, but it is the deepest knowledge. It will not immediately provide you with flashy movements, but it can help you stand up again, steady as a mountain, after many years. It is the root of martial arts and the root of health preservation. Those who truly understand it are becoming fewer, and those who can persist are even rarer.

Source: https://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=697236