# Horse Riding Stance - Good for legs?



## Withered Soul (Apr 17, 2003)

My teacher makes us do horse riding stance but my question is: is it good for your legs? After doing them my legs feel slow and clumsy. Often I find that I can't walk/run proberly after doing them for a long time.

What's your views on the horse riding stance?

P.S. This will be my last topic in this folder for a while


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## Matt Stone (Apr 17, 2003)

Holding a horse riding stance is very good for developing strength in the upper legs and hips and "root" in that stance.  You should practice standing in _*all*_ stances to strengthen the muscles when they are in that particular position.

However, static training produces static strength.  Just because you are able to hold a horse stance for a period of time doesn't necessarily mean you are stable while moving.

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:


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## ECYili (Apr 19, 2003)

What he said!

For me, to help build strength in my legs besides horse stance is to do some exersices that involve range of motion i.e single leg squats/dips, coil snake punches etc..  This way I build strength that's also condusive for movement as well as static position.


dan


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## yilisifu (Apr 19, 2003)

It's crucial that the body structure be aligned very precisely.  Otherwise, muscle groups fight against each other and all you do is wear yourself out and get sore legs......


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## FLY (Apr 20, 2003)

> _Originally posted by ECYili _
> *What he said!
> 
> For me, to help build strength in my legs besides horse stance is to do some exersices that involve range of motion i.e single leg squats/dips, coil snake punches etc..  This way I build strength that's also condusive for movement as well as static position.
> ...



Would you be so kind as to describe what a coil snake punch is, please?

FLY.
:asian:


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## ECYili (Apr 21, 2003)

Sure, no problem.

  You might already know it as something else.  
  Get into a long bow and arrow stance/front stance or whatever you might call it.  
  Then shift all your weight to your back leg as you squat down and try to touch your butt to the floor.   Your front leg should be straight with the foot either flat on the floot or on your heel with toes up.  
  Then push on off the weighted leg back up to your bow and arrow/front stance while executing a punch (which is optional).
  To make it a little more evil, as you are coming back up step forward with the back foot (that will now be your front foot).

That's it, pretty simple but yet you'll feel the burn.  


dan


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## lost_tortoise (Apr 21, 2003)

Years ago, when I studied Tai Chi and Hsing I, we trained static horse stances and postures (seven star mantis for instance) in a kung fu class that I took at the same school.  My legs were like tree trunks.  I used to attribute that development solely to the static postures because it was such a struggle to hold them for a good long time.  However, like many of my revelations (tranlated DOH!), I matured and thought to myself, oh yeah, I was also doing Tai Chi and Hsing I for hours everyday....I wonder if that had anything to do with.......
In short, I am agreeing with above posters; static and dynamic, both good, both necessary.

geoffrey


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## ECYili (Apr 21, 2003)

I couldn't agree with you more :asian: 

As you, I trained static stance, dynamic and trained for hours everyday and my legs were also like tree trunks.  I also attributed to doing both!

dan


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## FLY (Apr 21, 2003)

> _Originally posted by ECYili _
> *Sure, no problem.
> 
> You might already know it as something else.
> ...



Thank you very much...I'm going to have to try it next group class  

FLY.
:asian:


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