WAH LUM®

At Wah Lum Kung Fu, when we think “horse stance,” most people picture low legs and burning quads, because that is the ideal way Grandmaster Chan shows us how to do it. 

Let’s break down the meaning of Sei Ping Ma (四平馬) so we can see that it is more than just a posture or basic stance.

It’s a lesson in balance, awareness, and control.

四 (sei) means four.

平 (ping) means level, even, balanced.

馬 (ma) means horse stance.

So Sei Ping Ma = the Four-Level Horse Stance.

Why “four”?

Because the stance teaches you to level and align the four main checkpoints of the body:

• shoulders
• hips
• knees
• feet

From above, the stance creates a square. From within, it builds evenness. If you study the Chinese character for the number four, you’ll see the structural similarity.

In our Kung Fu practice, this stance teaches you how to root, breathe, and stay centered even when the legs get tired. It’s both a martial arts stance and a practice of staying balanced in all four directions. 

You can also see your mobility (ankles, hips, and thoracic spine) revealed in how well you can hold this stance.

For our extra-mobile students: a strong Sei Ping Ma isn’t about how low you go, it’s about how level you stay.

How Tai Chi Differs

In Tai Chi, our open stance is a horse stance, or Ma Bo, but at a slightly higher elevation. Tai Chi emphasizes softness, relaxation, and ease, so Sei Ping Ma’s structure and tension would be counter to what we’re trying to accomplish in Tai Chi practice.

Cantonese Terms

• Horse stance: Ma Bo (馬步)
• Sei Ping Ma: Sei Ping Ma (四平馬)

How’s your horse stance training going lately? Next time you drop 

into Sei Ping Ma, check those four checkpoints and see what your body is telling you.

See you in training, 

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Feel like your hips or knees are too stiff to hold a stance? You can fix that from home. I have a remote coaching program called Active Mobility designed to help you build the flexibility and strength you need for life (and Kung Fu). Email kungfu@wahlum.com with MOBILITY and we’ll send you the info.