Chapter 0006: Standing in Horse Stance

Well, you are somewhat older, but it is alright. As long as you practice diligently, you can still master your skills

When falling, the five fingers should be relaxed, allowing the knees to loosen, the thighs to relax, the waist to sit, and the abdomen to expand. In this ebb and flow, it is essential to continuously shift your center of gravity; otherwise, if you continue as you did before, your knees will inevitably encounter problems in the long run

Chen Kan, in accordance with Huo Yuanjia's requirements, practices horse stance for half an hour at a time, followed by a ten-minute break for breathing exercises and another ten-minute rest after each half-hour session

"Remember this feeling, the strength must be in place, and also the breathing, breathe in rhythm with me." Huo Yuanjia patted Chen Kan on the back

Stop it, you are standing like this incorrectly!" Huo Yuanjia pressed down on Chen Kan's shoulder and lifted him up, causing Chen Kan to stand up involuntarily

One of the most obvious examples is the "splits"; children can generally achieve this quite easily. However, for adults, especially those who have not practiced since their youth, it becomes very difficult to accomplish. The same principle applies to martial arts training

After approximately half an hour, Chen Kan had basically memorized all the key points that Huo Yuanjia had mentioned. Most importantly, after half an hour had passed, he no longer felt the painful sensation of standing in a horse stance as he had in the previous few minutes

You have arrived

Chen Kan had to concentrate all his mental energy at the beginning to perform adequately. Huo Yuanjia watched from the side, and if Chen Kan made a mistake, Huo Yuanjia would gently point with his finger. Chen Kan felt as if the spot being pointed at was pricked by a needle, and the inadequacies would immediately be corrected.

Yes, Master! Chen Kan nodded solemnly. He had already paid the tuition yesterday. For this intermediate package, Chen Kan chose a scholar who had fallen on hard times, and he still had some silver on him

Then Huo Yuanjia used himself as an example to tell Chen Kan about his story

Chen Kan felt somewhat embarrassed and said, "I am still later than my master"

You have not practiced martial arts before, have you? Your waist, legs, and feet are quite weak, so you need to learn. You should start with the horse stance, which is also fundamental to the Huo family boxing.

Practicing martial arts should not begin too early, as the bones and body are not fully developed, which can lead to deformities. In childhood, one can only engage in relatively simple exercises, but it should not be started too late either, as the body will age, making it difficult to perform many movements correctly

As he spoke, Huo Yuanjia stood with his feet apart and demonstrated for Chen Kan. There was indeed a rising and falling motion. If one were to only observe the upper body without looking at the lower half, one might truly believe that Huo Yuanjia was riding a horse, and it was the kind that did not require reins.

Chen Kan does not have a strong tolerance for alcohol; he can hardly manage more than five cans of beer before becoming inebriated, and he can barely take a few sips of white liquor

However, Huo Yuanjia did not say anything, firstly because he did not want to undermine Chen Kan's confidence, and secondly, it is not unheard of for someone to learn martial arts only after reaching adulthood and then achieve great success as a martial artist. Although such individuals are few in number, they do exist, and perhaps Chen Kan could become the next one!

Ma Bu? Chen Kan was somewhat puzzled; he could stand in this stance, did this also require learning?

In the future, unless you have special matters, you must get up at this time every day, understood? Practicing martial arts is a very arduous task

Huo Yuanjia stood behind Chen Kan, and he was very pleased with Chen Kan's performance this morning. He indeed did not misjudge the person. Although Chen Kan was somewhat older, his physique and talent were quite impressive

In this world, Huo Yuanjia was in poor health during his childhood, and both his father and the physician did not allow him to learn martial arts, fearing that his body would not be able to withstand it

That night, they did not indulge excessively; the three of them ate quite a bit, and their drinking was rather moderate

It is probably due to that gene repair, Chen Kan thought to himself

You give it a try

"What does it mean to conjure up a Malay out of thin air?" Chen Kan expressed his confusion regarding the meaning.

When squatting, the strength should first reach the soles of the feet. When rising, remember to firmly grip the floor with the five toes of your feet, then engage the calves, allowing the knees to naturally rise. As the knees rise, the thighs tighten, lifting the waist and contracting the abdomen; this is the essence of exertion.

Chen Kan spread his feet shoulder-width apart, extended his arms straight, and assumed a half-squat position, holding still in this manner. Huo Yuanjia said nothing, watching Chen Kan with a smile on his face

However, the only regret is that it is somewhat late; if it had been five years earlier, or even three years earlier, Chen's achievements would have been even greater

Oh!

Huo Yuanjia did not speak, and Chen Kan did not dare to stop. After about three minutes, Chen Kan felt a soreness in his knees, followed by a trembling in both feet, and a burning sensation in his calves

However, Huo Yuanjia was not one to give up. He practiced secretly on his own. Although he did not speak much about the process, Chen Kan knew that Huo Yuanjia must have endured a great deal of hardship, as his starting point was much lower than that of other children

"Not bad, you got up quite early!" Huo Yuanjia nodded in satisfaction

Stand properly, maintain a calm and composed demeanor, and follow the breathing method I just taught you. Stand for twenty minutes without closing your eyes, and keep your gaze forward.

"Give it a try!" The corner of Huo Yuanjia's mouth curled up, clearly indicating that he had discerned Chen Kan's thoughts

Paying tuition for school is something that Chen Kan considers to be entirely reasonable. Huo Yuanjia did not refuse this, as it is indeed appropriate. Currently, Chen Kan is living in the Huo family home

Chen Kan looked at Huo Yuanjia with a puzzled expression

Although I have not seen it in reality, there is something called television in later generations, which I often see

A person riding a horse relies on the power of the horse; from this perspective, one cannot discern the skill involved. However, when standing on the ground without a horse to borrow from, in order to stand out like a horse, one must integrate strength and energy into oneself

That evening, the three of them gathered at the Gu Yue Building. Chen Kan rarely drank alcohol, having only consumed some during his university and master's graduation ceremonies to thank his teachers.

En! Chen Kan learned to squat in the posture of Huo Yuanjia, who used his hands to conduct "practical teaching" on Chen Kan.

The next day, in the morning, Chen Kan got up at 5 o'clock

After listening to Huo Yuanjia's words, Chen Kan felt a surge of passion, almost as if he had consumed a motivational broth. Huo Yuanjia, despite his poor foundation, was able to become one of the top ten masters later on. Chen Kan now has no reason not to succeed; he still has the advantage of the intermediate package!

Master! Chen Kan thought he had gotten up very early, but he did not expect that Huo Yuanjia was already practicing his boxing.

Standing in a horse stance requires embodying that particular form, galloping on horseback, with the body rising and falling in sync with the horse, while coordinating with the breathing mantra. This is the foundation of internal martial arts, known as the Hunyuan stance

Today, due to taking Bai Huo Yuan Jia as his master, Chen Kan did not want to embarrass his teacher and ended up drinking quite a bit. However, it is quite strange that Chen Kan did not get drunk at all

Have you seen anyone who rides horses

Standing still like this will only lead to lumbar muscle strain; true horse stance requires one to stand as if one is creating a horse out of thin air