QI MA-BU, THE STORY OF A HORSE STANCE AND THE BOY WHO LOVED HIM...

 By Yang Xuangxing

I couldn't resist it...one of my senior students (literally thousands of moons ago and his name is John Morrow) blurted those words whenever it was time to practice the horse-riding stance. It didn't make the junior students feel any better but it got more than a few chuckles out of me... Got your attention, didn't it?

Arthur Lee was a dear friend and probably the world's highest authority on the style of Fut-Ga Gong-Fu. A stickler for mastering the basics, he especially focused on the importance of the “ma” (he was referring to the familiar horse-riding stance, often called “ma-bu” or “qi ma-bu” in Chinese and “kiba-dachi” in Japanese). He would say that “no root” also meant “no (martial arts) strength.” He insisted that regular practice of the “ma” would help lower the qi to the dantien (tanden in Japanese); that such training was the most effective way to accomplish this task.

I've been teaching the martial ways for just over 50 years and to this day, I stress the importance of the proper “ma.” Many moons ago at a national event, a world-famous gong-fu teacher (who shall remain unnamed) approached Sifu Lee and asked if he'd teach some of his senior students. Arthur told me that he declined. “They have no 'ma'”, he said with a frown. Gesturing to his chest and arms, he continued, “Their strength is up here. They fall over easily. No real power.” Then he flattered me...”Your students have a very good 'ma.' Would any of them like to learn Fut-Ga?” Fut-Ga is the style that Arthur taught. It's a very old form (perhaps the oldest) of shaolinquan, and Arthur was likely the world's highest authority on it.

I remember my own teacher, Master W.C. Chen, emphasizing the same thing and over the years, I have found it to be true. Those who fail to develop a strong “ma” invariably rely wholly on upper-body strength to generate power and it is insufficient. They may THINK they're doing well enough, but it's an illusion and without a proper “ma” they will never develop a high level of skill.