In Xingyiquan training, the Chicken Step (Jibu) is a crucial linking movement. Many beginners think that the Chicken Step simply means “extend the front foot and bring the rear foot next to it,” but in reality, the internal structure and mechanics go far deeper than what is seen on the surface.
How Beginners Usually Practice the Chicken Step
For most beginners, the sequence looks like this:
Extend the front foot forward Lift the rear foot Place the rear foot next to the front, pausing in the chicken-step stance
This method may look correct, but in practice it relies mostly on the quadriceps muscles.
The True Core of the Chicken Step
In Xingyiquan, the Chicken Step is not powered by the thighs alone. Its essence comes from the hip muscles and pelvic floor contraction.
The mindset is not “stretch the front foot forward,” but rather:
Imagine the navel as the center, and open both legs like a pair of compasses Keep the weight on the rear leg As the legs open, the front foot naturally “flies” forward
Here the key principle is opening and closing:
Opening: the hips and fascia expand outward, driving the whole body forward Closing: the hips naturally contract, pulling the body together and drawing the rear leg forward
This whole-body cycle of opening and closing is the real essence of the Chicken Step.
Half Step vs. Chicken Step
Half Step: when both legs open and then close, the rear leg is pulled only to the middle position. This advances only half a step. Chicken Step: when the rear leg is drawn up to the front, instead of stopping, you immediately seize the momentum and open again, letting the rear leg continue forward into a full stride.
The Chicken Step is the transitional link:
The rear leg contracts to the chicken-step stance—one leg on the ground, the other slightly raised, parallel to the floor From this point, the rear foot extends forward to connect seamlessly into the next step
It is similar to skating on ice: when the front foot glides out, the rear foot must pass through a “chicken-step moment” before sliding forward.
Why Pause in Practice?
In actual fighting movement, the Chicken Step should not linger—it is only a passing connection.
But in practice, teachers often require students to pause in the Chicken Step to ensure they do not neglect this key linking point.
Only by making this transition solid can one achieve smooth, continuous steps later.
✅ Summary:
The Chicken Step is not merely a leg maneuver. It is the linking point of whole-body fascia and hip opening/closing, the rhythm that powers forward motion in Xingyiquan.
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