horse stance

Yin Yuzhang (Yin Fu's 4th son) in a horse stance

Last Saturday, Teacher recommended that I should do more horse stances. He made his first comment when we were doing the hose stances in the Pao Chiu form. He made his second comment when we were doing the two-man form. My 2.4 miles Friday run definitely affected my Saturday practice. I seemed to be weaker. So my goal for this week is more horse stances and no Friday running.

Sunday morning in the backyard, I did 2 sets of horse stances in the Pao Chui form, holding each stance for 1 minute. Then I did the whole 64 form without pausing. I felt the usual strain in the thigh and calf muscles. My whole legs were burning and shaking. In the end, my whole shirt was soaking wet. The neighbors were probably wondering what I was doing.

Here's He Jinghan's article on horse stance.

Last Saturday, one of my brothers mentioned about noticing the form creeping into his daily life. He said he went to pick something up from the floor and noticed that he was doing a horse stance. I also have similar experiences. Just as simple as opening a door, for example. I grip the handle of the door, I open the door towards me and I end up with the reverse bow and arrow stance. And if the door opens away from me, I end up doing the single palm.

Even interacting with people seems to be different nowadays. I seem to be more open and non-judgemental to ideas. I can see the argument of the other side easier. I also see people's postures, their turtle backs and tight shoulders, and how it affects their walking, and their lives. Several months ago, I told my wife that her shoulders were too high all the time. She told me yesterday that she did not notice it until she saw herself in a mirror the other day while pushing the baby stroller.

Teacher said that "Bagua is about change. We don't change for the worst. We change for the better."