Stone River Kung Fu
The Single Leg Stance


The Single Leg Stance is one of the more difficult and missunderstood stances. Used mainly as a transition stance in real arts and as some sort of pogo stick with kicks by less knowledgable people, the stance requires balance. This balance goes beyond simply standing. This balance requires you to be able to balance the power moving through you and change its direction. This is something that many people think they know how to do. The Horse stance does not require balance as its physical alignment removes the need for that. The Bow stance does not require the ability to change direction since its alignment focuses not only your power in one direction but the power of your opponent as well. The Cat stance, when done properly, will actually turn the body toward an advantageous position since its alignment causes power to equalize around the body.

The Single Leg Stance starts with standing and feeling balanced. Once that is achieved, the Punching is used to build a root. This Root is necessary for the development of kicking power. After kicking is developed, these skills are used to improve the stepping. The Single Leg Stance is also the first Stance which develops the sesitivity to the energetic qualities of the root. Obviously you can focus at any time on any thing, but the Single Leg requires the focus. Without Focus, the Stance falls apart in the slightest breeze.

Many styles use the Single Leg Stance for their hardest hitting punches. Mainly because You might fall over if it is unsucceessful. A Bow Stance would usually break the hand where the Single Leg would cause you to fall back or to the side without injury to yourself. A useful quality to have during a fight. Obviously a broken hand is not going to strike again. As the styles improve, the leaping single leg is phased out and more stable stances are used. This requires that the arms and hands become stronger which usually comes from iron palm training and body hardening.



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