07/09/2026
🐉 Mastering the Groundwork: Wudang TaiYi Swimming Dragon (太乙游龙拳) Basic Stances 🥋
In Chinese martial arts, power rises from the roots. The coiling fluidity, waist articulation, and sudden directional shifts of Swimming Dragon Boxing depend directly on a solid, versatile foundation.
Here are five core stances every practitioner must master:
1. Horse Stance | 马步 (Mǎ Bù)
Structure: Feet roughly 2 to 3 shoulder widths apart, knees bent out over the toes, thighs sinking toward parallel, spine upright, and pelvis tucked naturally.
Focus: Grounding root, hip/groin opening, and deep lower-body endurance.
2. Bow Stance | 弓步 (Gōng Bù)
Structure: Front knee bent to roughly 90 degrees directly above the ankle; rear leg extended with the heel firmly anchored into the floor.
Focus: Generating forward-driving mass, stretching the rear hip flexor, and pushing power through the spine.
3. Crouching Stance (Drop / Sweep Stance) | 仆步 (Pū Bù)
Structure: Deep squat into one leg while the other leg extends fully out to the side, both soles flat on the floor.
Focus: Pelvic mobility, low level evasion, and setting up sweep attacks.
4. Three-Seven Stance (Half Horse Stance) | 三七步 / 半马步 (Sān Qī Bù / Bàn Mǎ Bù)
Structure: A modified, lateral horse stance where both feet remain grounded, but the weight distribution shifts to 70% on the rear/loaded leg and 30% on the lead leg.
Focus: Seamless defense-to-attack transitions, sitting the hip back to yield while keeping the lead leg anchored yet ready to spring forward.
5. Resting Stance (Cross-Legged Stance) | 歇步 (Xiē Bù)
Structure: Cross one leg behind the other and twist downward into a deep squat, resting the hips near the rear heel while keeping the torso coiled and upright.
Focus: Spiral rotational power, dodging under high strikes, and exploding upward from a compressed base.
💡 Internal Cue: Keep the sinking weight anchored at the Yongquan (涌泉) point, relax the hips (松胯), and let the waist direct the transition between every shift!
Which of these stances challenges your balance the most? Share below! 👇
#太乙游龙拳
