Stances are the base of our execution. Stances can be loosely defined as frozen motion. Without properly articulated stances, the execution of Short Form Two can never be perfected. The most commonly overlooked item among stances is proper positioning. Positioning includes a large number of elements. These include foot/leg alignments, body alignments, arm/hand alignments, and neck/head alignments. One should become comfortable with the knowledge of proper alignments and dimensions of the stances and proper positioning of the upper body in relation to the intended stance. Even though the upper body positioning is not directly related to the stance when analyzing the stance as a basic, the upper body positioning becomes extremely important when analyzed in relation to the execution of the form. The proper dimensions and alignments of each of the stances is highlighted in detail in SGM Parker's book, "Infinite Insights into Kenpo - book #2 (Physical Analyzation I)."
Short Form Two exposes six (or seven) stances during it's execution, depending upon how the form is executed (not including the salutation): the Meditating Horse, Neutral Bow, 45 degree Cat, Offset Horse, Wide Kneel, Forward Bow, and potentially the rear 45 degree Cat.
It is very common for the practitioner to start out with proper alignments, but quickly lose the alignments once any foot maneuvers are executed. One good exercise for drawing attention to the stances is to perform the entire form without the use of the upper body - rather execute the entire form with both hands on hips or in chamber. This exercise allows the practitioner to pay exclusive attention to the stances and foot maneuvers without having to split their attention on proper block execution.