What is the Si Bu (死步) or Death Step?

In times past, when masters were very demanding and training was intense, students were often made to train for extended periods in Si Bu or Death Step to refine their skills. By extended periods I am referring not only to the time spent in a single training session, but over many months.

What is the Si Bu?

Si Bu is a position where students are made to slowly practice various hand skills without moving their feet or legs. This is why it is called Death Step. Nowadays this is often referred to as Ding Bu (定步), Fixed Step or Fixed Stance.

What is the significance of practicing in Si Bu or Ding Bu?

Since no lower body movement is permitted in this stance, the student can focus on settling into the stance, or rooting, practice proper breathing in coordination with the technique, develop a correct posture, and work on the finer details of executing each technique. This type of training can seem tedious but in fact is very productive and it is required among traditional Shifus.

Only after students can satisfactorily perform the skills taught are they introduced to Dong Bu (動步),Moving or Dynamic Stepping.  

This traditional training method can be found within the Shaolin and Long Fist Styles as well as the Internal Styles such as Taiji Quan, Xingyi Quan, Baji Quan, and so forth.

Personally, I still practice in this manner with techniques that I favor. I find that I keep discovering nuances which would otherwise be overlooked when moving, since attention is required on many more aspects.