How to Do the Cat Stance in Kung Fu

The cat stance is used extensively in Chinese martial arts. In addition to being used in tiger and leopard styles, it can also be found in non-cat-based styles such as crane. It allows for mobility and quick lead leg strikes and blocks. Given the wide variety of kung fu styles, there may be some slight variations in certain schools. Generally, northern-based styles place more distance between the feet than southern schools.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a lead hand. Typically your dominant hand is not used as the lead hand. The lead-side shoulder and hip should face your opponent.

2. Standing with your feet shoulder length apart, turn your lead foot so your toes point toward the opponent.

3. Bend your knees to lower your center of gravity. Your rear leg should bend slightly more than the lead so that the rear leg supports the body's weight.

4. Keep your lead leg loose, ready to spring up to block kicks or strike out at open targets.

5. Stand on the balls of your feet, not the heels. Most styles teach students not to stand flat-footed in the cat stance. You should be ready to spring forward or backward at will and remain balanced.

6. Raise your hands into the desired guard. As stances are based on foot and body position, a variety of guards may be used with the cat stance.

Tips & Warnings

• The key to finding your balance in this or any stance is to adjust at the knees, raising and lowering yourself and shifting weight between one leg and the other until balance is found.

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