Ma

It cannot be stressed enough the importance of your Ma! It’s a foundation on which to build your upper body on so make it a strong one.

It can be easy to forget about the Ma when you are concentrating hard on the complexities of what is happening with the upper body. So before you start any upper body training, set your Ma first.

Training your Ma

Train to setup your Ma after every step you make. Start very slowly and gradually build up speed.

Pu Ma (Pronounced Bu Ma)

Setting up your Pu Ma

When asked to stand in Pu Ma this is always accompanied by which foot will be placed forward e.g. stand in a right hand Pu Ma.

4 Aspects to the Pu Ma to have in mind when setting up.

1. Toes in
2. Knees out
3. Sacrum forward
4. 90° of your weight in the front leg

Detailed breakdown.

• Line 1, Image 1, shows the direction the knees should be pressing out.
• Line 2, Image 1, shows how the feet are slightly angled inward.
• Line 3, Image 1, shows how the outside of the foot is straight.
• Line 4, Images 1 and 2 shows that the feet should be placed your shoulder width apart.
• Line 5, Image 2 shows how the Sacrum should be pressing forward.
• Line 6, Image 2 shows how the knee should be placed over the foot, so it lines up with the end of the toes.

Right and Left Hand Ma

• When asked to stand in a Right Hand Ma this means that your right leg will be forward, as can be seen in Image 3.
• When asked to stand in a Left Hand Ma this means that your left leg will be forward, as can be seen in Image 4.

Yang Foot

Is your front foot, Line 1 in Images 3 and 4.

Yin Foot

Is your back foot, Line 2 in Images 3 and 4.

The Yin and Yang Sides of the Body

The position of the feet set up the naming of the different Yin and Yang sides of the body.

• The front foot position will determine the naming of the Yang side of your body, Line 1 in Images 3 and 4.
• The back foot position will determine the naming of the Yin side of your body, Line 2 in Images 3 and 4.

Examples

If you are standing in a Right Hand Ma, Image 3, and I asked you to raise the arm on the Yang side of your body, you would raise your Right arm. If I said, raise the arm on the Yin side of your body, you would raise the Left arm.

If you are standing in a Left Hand Ma, Image 4, and I asked you to raise the arm on the Yang side of your body, you would raise your Left arm. If I said, raise the arm on the Yin side of your body, you would raise the Right arm.

Da Ma

Setting up your Da Ma

• Line 1, Image 5, shows the instep of the feet are spaced your shoulder width apart.
• Line 2, Image 5, shows the insteps of the feet will be parallel with each other.
• Lines 3 and 4, Image 6 shows the knees should be slightly bent, so the kneecaps are in line with the toes.

Lao Ma

• Spread feet twice as wide apart as the Pu Ma as shown in Image 7.
• Line 1, Images 7, shows the angle of the thigh will be just above parallel to the floor.
• Line 2, Images 7, shows the feet out on 45° angles.
• Line 3, Images 8, shows the spin will verticle.
• Line 4, Images 8, shows the heels of both feet will be inline with each other.