Help with Wushu Stances

[omneox]

Hello everyone!

I'm 26 yrs old and I'm trying to learn kung fu on my own by watching videos online as there aren't any instructors where I live
I realised that mastering wushu stances is the basic step to being any decent at any martial art.

So I would like to know how long does it take for an average person to master just the stances based on your personal experience(I can hardly hold the horse stance for 10 secs - beginner's struggles!). And I also realise that there is a proper way and improper ways to hold the stances.

I like the explanation given in the following video about subtleties involved in maintaining correct posture during the stance and I am wondering if any one knows the proper instructions (or links to them) for other stances too.

Thanks

 

[KangTsai]

Not being able to hold a horse stance for 10 seconds isn't technique, just, by what I've seen, incredibly weak legs.

If you can't find kung fu in your area, I do recommend you go to whatever place that's close. Learning by yourself... Works but has limits. Wushu may be relatively a little easier to self-teach if you aren't having fighting as one factor of learning it.

 

[Flying Crane]

It doesn't work.

Go find a good teacher in any style that is in your area. Do not try to do this by video.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I realised that mastering wushu stances is the basic step to being any decent at any martial art.

Wushu is probably not a good starting place. Most people who get into wushu are those who like performing and looking cool. Those who want to fight usually take a different kung fu system than Wushu.

So I would like to know how long does it take for an average person to master just the stances based on your personal experience(I can hardly hold the horse stance for 10 secs - beginner's struggles!). And I also realise that there is a proper way and improper ways to hold the stances.

My Sifu

 

[JowGaWolf]

Not being able to hold a horse stance for 10 seconds isn't technique, just, by what I've seen, incredibly weak legs.

If you can't find kung fu in your area, I do recommend you go to whatever place that's close. Learning by yourself... Works but has limits. Wushu may be relatively a little easier to self-teach if you aren't having fighting as one factor of learning it.

Yep there will be limits. He'll be able to learn some the basic stuff, like it doesn't take much to learn a front heel kick, a side kick, a round house, jab, hook, big wheel punch, certain elbows, certain knees, horse stance, bow stance, cat stance, maybe cross stance. Those things can be learned fairly easily especially if the student can send videos back to the instructor so that the instructor can see what's going on from multiple angles. The interaction would make a big difference in learning.

However, with that said there will be techniques that actually require in person training

If I were going to do video learning then I would want to do it where I can record what I do and get feed back from the teacher. I wouldn't do one side learning of just me watching and trying to copy what I see without feedback. That would be no different than me standing at the window trying to copy what I see going on inside a school and never interacting with the teacher. At least with a teacher there is some guidance.

Best case scenario is definitely like you say. In person training will always be the best option. If that option isn't available then at least try to get a live teacher

 

[omneox]

Wushu is probably not a good starting place. Most people who get into wushu are those who like performing and looking cool. Those who want to fight usually take a different kung fu system than Wushu.


My Sifu

If wushu is not a good place to start, then what would you recommend? I do not want to fight, just to get fit.

 

[omneox]

Not being able to hold a horse stance for 10 seconds isn't technique, just, by what I've seen, incredibly weak legs.

How can I make my legs strong?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I do not want to fight, just to get fit.

Why do you want to train MA if you have no interest in fighting?

You can train tennis, ballroom dancing, swimming, ... instead

 

[omneox]

Why do you want to train MA if you have no interest in fighting?

You can train tennis, ballroom dancing, swimming, ... instead

I like the idea of being able to self-defend but not attack anyone. I have self-esteem issues. And practising martial arts gives me a feeling of strength and autonomy which is an end in itself.

 

[JowGaWolf]

If wushu is not a good place to start, then what would you recommend? I do not want to fight, just to get fit.

This is Wushu

I wouldn't try to learn Wushu on my own. I would definitely say an "on site" instructor is needed. In my opinion the risk of getting injured in Wushu seems to be higher than what you would find in real fighting systems.

When I hear "I don't want to fight, just to get fit" this is what it usually looks like in my mind

I look at the techniques and know she's going to have injuries before long. Just looking at those side kicks make my hip joints hurt. but hey.. she's not learning how to fight right?

I'm not sure why so many people separate "health" from "training to fight" There's a reason why fighters are so fit. Just because a person trains to fight doesn't mean that they actually have to fight. You won't learn how to fight unless you do sparring. But what you can do is learn real martial arts, do it the right way so that you aren't injured, and actually have some usable skill sets that may come handy in a self defense situation. It's a win all the way around and you'll be fit.

Wushu is more acrobatic and gymnastic performance. If that's what you like then Wushu is what you want, but I highly recommend not learning it on your own. It's like Ballet. I wouldn't recommend someone trying to learn that on their own. Wushu does a lot of extra movement that other fighting systems don't do.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I like the idea of being able to self-defend but not attack anyone. I have self-esteem issues. And practising martial arts gives me a feeling of strength and autonomy which is an end in itself.

If you want to learn self-defense then don't take wushu because it won't teach you self defense. It'll make you think you can defend yourself and then you'll get punched in the face and be disappointed that your moves don't work.

Don't get me wrong. Wushu looks awesome but if you read the history of Wushu then you will see that it wasn't created for fighting or self defense.

 

[omneox]

I'm not sure why so many people separate "health" from "training to fight" There's a reason why fighters are so fit. Just because a person trains to fight doesn't mean that they actually have to fight. You won't learn how to fight unless you do sparring. But what you can do is learn real martial arts, do it the right way so that you aren't injured, and actually have some usable skill sets that may come handy in a self defense situation. It's a win all the way around and you'll be fit.

Point Taken. Thanks

 

[KangTsai]

How can I make my legs strong?

I recommend you start with bodyweight squats, but push yourself everytime. If you get to a point where you can do 40 without breaking a sweat (like me), use weights. Jumping and sprinting will have great effects too. I started off doing bodyweight half-squats for 10 minutes each night when I was much fatter.