Bow and rest stances
Ready when: Loosen up, then horse stance (b1) self-check met.
What you are learning
Two more stances. The bow stance is a forward lunge with both heels down, front knee bent and back leg straight. The rest stance crosses one foot over the other and sits low onto the back knee, legs close together. With the horse stance, these three are the base of every routine.
Words on this card Horse stance, Bow stance, Rest stance, Fist
- Horse stance
- Feet wider than the shoulders, knees bent as if sitting on a horse, body upright.
- Bow stance
- A forward lunge, front knee bent, back leg straight, both heels down.
- Rest stance
- One foot crossed behind the other, sitting low onto the back knee.
- Fist
- The three hand shapes: a closed fist, an open flat hand, and the fingertips pinched together with the wrist bent.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Bow stance: step one foot forward into a lunge, back foot turned out slightly, both heels down, front knee about a right angle, back leg straight, eyes ahead.
- Rest stance: cross the right foot over the left and sit down onto the left knee, legs touching, left heel up, fists at the hips.
- Do both on the other side.
Your part while they practise
Call the stance; check the heels.
Step by step
- Bow stance: forward lunge, back foot turned out slightly, both heels down, front knee about 90 degrees, back leg straight, eyes ahead.
- Rest stance: cross the right foot over the left, sit onto the left knee, no gap between the legs, left heel up, fists at the hips.
- 5 of each, each side.
How much: 5 each side 8 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Stance call
You call "horse", "bow" or "rest" in any order; the child changes on the call.
Who plays: the child against their own best; you call.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The child starts in the horse stance
- Call a stance; the child moves into it and holds still
- Check the heels and the legs, then call the next
- 10 calls
- Fair play
- A grown-up calls faster only after 5 good stances.
- Points
- 1 point for the right stance; 1 more point for the heels and legs right.
- Fouls
- No points for that call
- The back heel lifts in the bow stance
- A gap between the legs in the rest stance
- The wrong stance
- Winning
- Beat your best from 10 calls.
- 10 points for 1 star
- 15 points for 2 stars
- 20 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Hold a wall for the rest stance.
Change faster.
What you will see, and what to say
- the back heel lifts
Both heels down
Press the back heel. - a gap in the rest stance
Legs close, sit down
Knees together.
Self-check
10 calls answered with the right stance.
Stop and get a coach when
Knee pain in the rest stance.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains stances, balance.
awiseathlete.com/sports/wushu/wushu-b2