stance training frequency?

[hansenator]

Are there genereal guidlines for how often and how hard to train stances?

I recently started at a kung fu class, the shorin ryu class wasn't what I hoped it would be. Anyway, the kung fu instructor really impresses me and works us hard and I'm feeling it today. Would it be counterproductive to train again if I'm still sore from the last workout?

In weightlifting they usually recommend not lifting two days in a row but stance training is different in that the intensity (measured as a percentage of 1 rep max) is lower and it's more endurance based so I wasn't sure if the rules would be different.

I welcome any advice. Thanks.

[Zaine]

I do stance training every other day but I know some people who do it every day. There seems to be a lot of different views on how often you should do them, how long, and whether or not it's good to carry weight on you when you do them. I would ask your instructor for their opinion.

Now, as far as how hard it is to train stances? It's not necessarily difficult, but it will tax your endurance. It's more about having the patience to stand in a position that is uncomfortable for an extended period of time without stopping. The only difficulty you will face is in your own mind here.

[bushido_man96]

It would be like training wall sits for an extended period of time. If you do that, guage it off that. Some stances will be more taxing, as well. A sitting stance will hit both legs well, where a back stance will focus on one leg more. Play with a timer and see how you do.

[sensei8]

Not just stances, but postures as well.

Can't have one without the other. This type of training should be done as often as possible because you can't transition and the like without having both a solid stance and posture.

[bushido_man96]

Not just stances, but postures as well.

Can't have one without the other. This type of training should be done as often as possible because you can't transition and the like without having both a solid stance and posture.

That's a good point, Bob. Also important to stance training is the transitioning from stance to stance. Make sure not to just sit in stances and work them. Move from stance to stance to get the feel for how to do so smoothly and comfortably.

[hansenator]

I found I can't train stances every day. I've been training them less than that and feel pretty worn out. I suppose it will just take some time to get used to it.

[Spartacus Maximus]

The very term of 'stance' is misleading at best. There are no such things as stances in martial arts. What came to be referred to as 'stances' are all transitions from one movement to another.

The various stances are the result of a shift at the point where the transition is complete and the feet are in the best possible position to deliver a strike with power. This not unlike a still photograph as opposed to a video.

For stance practise to be beneficial it is a better idea to do it in motion instead of just the beginning and end because the transition and weight shift are the main point. Without correct transitions there is no balance and without balance it is impossible to put power into strikes.

With this in mind, it is not really necessary to train stances in separate exercises or drills. Kata or forms are ideal for this precisely because even the most basic ones will contain parts with a series of stances or changing from one stance to another.

Simply perform the kata while focussing attention on how, where and when the weight shift should be done for each transition. To increase the emphasis further, one might perform a kata without the hand techniques.

[sensei8]

The very term of 'stance' is misleading at best. There are no such things as stances in martial arts. What came to be referred to as 'stances' are all transitions from one movement to another.

The various stances are the result of a shift at the point where the transition is complete and the feet are in the best possible position to deliver a strike with power. This not unlike a still photograph as opposed to a video.

For stance practise to be beneficial it is a better idea to do it in motion instead of just the beginning and end because the transition and weight shift are the main point. Without correct transitions there is no balance and without balance it is impossible to put power into strikes.

With this in mind, it is not really necessary to train stances in separate exercises or drills. Kata or forms are ideal for this precisely because even the most basic ones will contain parts with a series of stances or changing from one stance to another.

Simply perform the kata while focussing attention on how, where and when the weight shift should be done for each transition. To increase the emphasis further, one might perform a kata without the hand techniques.

Solid post!!

Having said that, "stances" is an acceptable term, imho, so, I don't try to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.

Isn't performing the kata a "separate exercises or drills"?? Because all through out any kata, one's in and out of one "stance" or another via the transition.

OK...tape over my mouth, sorry!

[hansenator]

The very term of 'stance' is misleading at best. There are no such things as stances in martial arts. What came to be referred to as 'stances' are all transitions from one movement to another.

You're right of course but my legs are still sore.

When I say "Stance training", I'm not referring to holding a single position for extended periods, except for the beginning of class where we hold a horse stance for a while. Then there's a sequence where you shift between the basic stances, there's like 6 or 7 of them depending how you count, that gets your heart rate up after a few times through. Drills up and down the room are all in different stances. Then forms practice. It's all very tiring.