How to Assume The Horse Riding Stance In Soo Bahk Do

Soo Bahk Do is a form of martial arts developed by Master Hwang Kee in 1945. He combined fighting styles from his native Korea with Chinese Kung-Fu as well Confucian and Tao philosophies. The principals behind this Soo Bahk Do emphasize the importance of spiritual growth and the use of force only as a form of discipline or in the defense of oneself and others. Soo Bahk Do is broken down into a series of forms or postures which provide the artist with a series of possible attacks or defenses to choose from. One simply moves from form to form, reliant on reacting to an opponent’s stance and movement to attack. Though this technique is taught with the stern mindset that it is only be used to protect, it also ascribes to the philosophy that in order to effectively defend oneself or others it is sometimes necessary to take the initiative and actively remove a potential threat. For this reason the majority of the attacks in Soo Bahk Do are made up of powerful long range kicks, accompanied with close quarters locks and holds. Footwork is considered essential as the majority of the defensive moves rely on moving around an opponent's attacks rather than directly blocking them. Should getting around an opponent's strike not be an option, the hands are kept free for this very reason. This guide will provide the steps necessary to assume the Horse Riding Stance in Soo Bahk Do.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Practice Space
• Sparring Partner

How To Assume The Horse Riding Stance

1. Begin by turning your side to your opponent. Your off shoulder, if you’re right hand dominant this will be your left shoulder, should be pointed directly at your opponent.

2. Crouch down low, at least a foot lower than your normal standing height. Spread your legs wide so that your feet are well past the width of your shoulders. Stay on the balls of your feet and keep your weight centered rather than on either leg. Bend at the knees; keep your back upright and your fists up near your chest. This is called the horse riding stance because your legs should be bowed wide like you're on a horse.

3. Advance forward by sweeping your rear foot across the floor in an arc to stop beyond your front foot. Your legs should be crossed at this point. This cross has generated the possibility to twist at the waist on the axis of your forward (left) foot.

4. Turn hard at the waist and continue sweeping your rear leg forward until you are once again in a side-stance, except you will now be facing the other direction and your feet have switched positions. This allows for a balanced sweeping advance, keeping a low center of gravity, which will make stopping you difficult for your opponent. If done quickly it also proves to be an effective leg sweep too. The only drawback is that in this stance you will be unable to move around to your opponent’s side, you can only advance or retreat because of your wide stance makes taking a step directly to the fore or rear difficult.

Tips & Warnings

• This stance stresses the muscles of the upper legs and knees because you are lowering your center of gravity. This can be an effective exercise for those muscles until you are strong enough to hold this position for a much longer period of time. While this is a basic Soo Bahk Do stance it is one of the most effective offense stances as it allows for a sweeping advance, and because of your low center of gravity you are already in a position for several long and powerful kicks.

Resources

• Video Instructions On Assuming The Horse Riding Stance

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