練拳無樁步，房屋無立柱
Training boxing without the pillar steps, a house without stud.
練拳不溜腿，終究冒失鬼
Training boxing without kicking1, this is imprudent after all.
要知拳精髓，首由站樁起
To know the quintessence of boxing, it starts from standing the pillars.
壓而不溜不中用，溜而不壓笨如牛
Pressing but not smoothing2 is useless, smoothing but not pressing stupid as a bull.
練功不站樁，等於瞎晃蕩
Training skills without standing the pillars, it is as rocking aimlessly
拳以椿爲根，椿以拳顯神
Boxing has the pillars for roots, the pillars have boxing to manifest the spirit.
For a lot of martists and Qigong aficionados, 站樁 means holding a stance, often as long as possible. This is actually more an interpretation than a real translation, 站, meaning to stand (on one’s feet) or to halt as far as training is concerned, and 樁 pillar or stud. Hence, holding a posture is surely only one of the numerous training 站樁 refers to. Furthermore, this practice is often confused with rooting2 while it is actually, first of all, balance which is sought.
