The phrase "Flowery Arms and Embroidered Legs" in Chinese Martial Arts refers to someone whose techniques have no real power behind them. The moves look really good, like a flower or embroidery but lack any true substance or power. It is being pretty without having the ability to do any real damage.
There is always the tendency to want to be visually stimulating when doing forms or applying technique. After all it is not called "Martial Arts" for nothing. But there is a danger in getting caught up trying to look "pretty" without keeping in mind the true intent of all martial-arts: Self-Defense
"Some martial arts are very popular, real crowd pleasers, because they look good, have smooth techniques. But beware. They are like a wine that has been watered. A diluted wine is not a real wine, not a good wind, hardly the genuine technique.
Some martial arts don't look so good, but you know they have a kick, a tang, a genuine taste. They are like olives. The taste may be strong and bitter-sweet. The flavor lasts. You cultivate a taste for them. No one ever developed a taste for diluted wine. "
Bruce Lee - Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Conditioning the body with stances and exercises is one of the best ways to make sure that you don't succumb to having flowery arms and embroidered legs. Stance training, Qigong and Conditioning aren't that glamorous, no-one wants to spend hours holding a horse stance or cat stance. Nobody wants to spend hours perfecting a straight punch or a simple groin kick. We definitely don't want to spend hours doing conditioning exercises to hone the body so that we will be able to instantaneously deliver techniques with power and speed. There is a tendency to want to 'get to the good stuff'. The flashy moves that will dazzle, the crowd pleasers. Without developing the body, all techniques will simply be flowery arms and embroidered legs.
