Rooting - Help me Shaolin People!

[blackmantis]

Okay, here's the problem my friends.

I mostly practise Xingyi these days but also have been doing Shaolin exercises (and used to practise Lohan a lot!) since I was 14 (now 18). So...

1. I practise Mabu (Horse Stance) a lot, and used to to it A LOT.

2. I practise Xingyi's San Ti

3. I practise Qigong to help me connect to the ground.

However - I just cannot get a good rooting no matter how hard I try, and I think this is one of my main problems. I was sparring a 5 Ancestors person the other day, and although we were similar in terms of skill, I was lifted onto tiptoes quite a few times.

So, how do I get rooted??? What's the secret??? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Thank you,

S

[Royal Dragon]

Tuck the tail bone, round the shoulders, keep the spine straight and sink.

Hold the ball....correctly.

Also, learn to take your opponents power off center to your own. Find a good Zhao Bao teacher, they are really good at this stuff.

[brucereiter]

Tuck the tail bone, round the shoulders, keep the spine straight and sink.

Hold the ball....correctly.

Also, learn to take your opponents power off center to your own. .

hey thats what i was going to say :-) ... good advice there ... also understand where your hands are in relation to your center as you move. when he push on you try not to let your shoulders come up in the socket ...

keep practicing :-)

best,

b

[Sal Canzonieri]

Tuck the tail bone but in a relaxed way, forcing it is just as bad as not doing it.
It naturally tucks in if you relax your waist and lower yourself so that your center of gravity is near the navel area.

Also, the MOMENT you lift you chin at all, you lose your center.
Try this, have someone push down on your arm while you resist lightly with your chin down, unless they lift your arm, they cannot push you .

But soon as you lift your chin, bam! you can go flying, as you lose your root.
Raising the chin moves your head back enough to upset your balance.

For the very best place to read CLEAR and very workable ways to learn to achieve rootedness go here and read the articles posted:

http://www.iay.org.uk/internal-strength/peng-index.htm

You should print them out and read them til you memorize them!

[The Xia]

I'll add to the already said good advice that you can check your stance by having a partner push you and after this you should make corrections as needed.

[brucereiter]

I'll add to the already said good advice that you can check your stance by having a partner push you and after this you should make corrections as needed.

that is a good idea xia ... have them place their palm on your chest for example and apply steady pressure so you can adjust and feel where your root is.

[Royal Dragon]

that is a good idea xia ... have them place their palm on your chest for example and apply steady pressure so you can adjust and feel where your root is.

Reply]
I do this with my Zhao Bao friend from time to time. We push from all angles in succsession. It really helps tune you in.

[Jingwu Man]

In addition, you should practice gripping the ground slightly with your feet.
This is done by pushing down into the ground with your feet and twisting them inwards ever so slightly, so that all the muscles in the legs are working to hold you in that stance instead of the quads or hamstring/abductors. After a bit of practice, you will do this naturally and your stances will "stick" to the ground when you wish.

It also gives you wicked calves! :D

[Shaolindynasty]

The best thing to do is learn the proper strructure of YOUR system. Every stance or position has strong and weak points.

Take the horse stance for instance. Most people think that just by doing it for countless hours you will magically be able to resist people from all sides. The truth is that the horse stance is weak "head on". If you stand faceing someone in the horse stance they can push you off balance. If you face them sideways your horse stance will be able to support the pressure.

It's difficult to explain over the internet but a qualified sifu can show the secrets(science) in minutes. For years I thought I just didn't practice it enough. My first day training with my Choy Lay Fut sifu (sifu Sam Ng). I learned how to "root" in a few minutes. It was nothing mystical but pure body structure.

Xing Yi has it's own structure. So training other systems won't help you develop you root in xing yi.

[Lamassu]

Tuck the tail bone but in a relaxed way, forcing it is just as bad as not doing it.
It naturally tucks in if you relax your waist and lower yourself so that your center of gravity is near the navel area.

Also, the MOMENT you lift you chin at all, you lose your center.
Try this, have someone push down on your arm while you resist lightly with your chin down, unless they lift your arm, they cannot push you .

But soon as you lift your chin, bam! you can go flying, as you lose your root.
Raising the chin moves your head back enough to upset your balance.

For the very best place to read CLEAR and very workable ways to learn to achieve rootedness go here and read the articles posted:

http://www.iay.org.uk/internal-strength/peng-index.htm

You should print them out and read them til you memorize them!

Sal, I just finished reading that article you mentioned and it clarified a lot for me in terms of closing and opening when doing my tai chi forms. Thank you, you and Shaolindoiscool have really helped me improve my internal studies. The kwoon where I learned from, focused mostly on kung fu or the external and therefore when I was learning tai chi from the same instructers, it would have a rigid, or external frame of mind when taught. The amoeba analogy really put things in perspective for me! :D

[brucereiter]

Xing Yi has it's own structure. So training other systems won't help you develop you root in xing yi.

i think that is an important point :-) that each system has its own method so until you understand more than one system you should not blur them together ...

[Wong Ying Home]

Ching Gung / Hau Ching Gung is a term used for developing root in the feet

[blackmantis]

"Ching gung", I've always been fascinated by the stories of ancient masters flying around! Could someone describe some Ching Gung methods? Would be verrrrry much appreciated!

Thanks a lot,

S

[Shaolin Wookie]

Let your pelvis drop.

Sounds wierd, but you'll understand when it happens. We walk around all day with muscular tension in the pelvic region. We almost don't even know it. But when you're in a rooted stance, you have to relax the area under the most strain. Again...I know it sounds stupid. But for balance, you can't be tense about the tension.....you have to relax with it. And when you let your pelvis drop/relax, you'll feel your center of gravity drop significantly. This helps establish a root (i.e. it's not all in the legs and feet). And always make sure your back is straight.

Other thing---try creating structure through the whole body. But where it concerns your knees and feet, try pushing down towards the feet from the knee. If someone pushes you hard from ma bu's weak point in the front, you shouldn't tumble or totter, you should just kind of "hop" back while in structure...like they just pushed a stone statue across the floor.

You can practice this with San He Chien drills. Or maybe some research into those would do you some good.

Just my 2 cents.

[Shaolindynasty]

If someone pushes you hard from ma bu's weak point in the front, you shouldn't tumble or totter, you should just kind of "hop" back while in structure

No you shouldn't. You should switch to a more stable position like gongbo (which also redirects the force from the push and will off balance the pusher). Stances are transitional. If you have to switch positions then you just have to switch positions.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Maybe I misunderstood, but I believe he's talking about not switching stances. In all reality, you shouldn't "hop" back....you shouldn't move at all. But if you're trying to "develop" a root, that's what's going to happen. In that case, don't switch stances, just learn to dig in.

[David Jamieson]

So, how do I get rooted??? What's the secret??? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Thank you,

S

First, there is no secret. Practice and use the methods taht bring results in the area you are looking for results in.

second , be patient, just because you are weak now, doesn't mean you will always be weak. You will get stronger as you practice more.

continue practice, be patient and you will yield results. Don't expect big results unless you have done big work.

[Shaolindynasty]

Maybe I misunderstood, but I believe he's talking about not switching stances. In all reality, you shouldn't "hop" back....you shouldn't move at all. But if you're trying to "develop" a root, that's what's going to happen. In that case, don't switch stances, just learn to dig in.

If he's talking about not switching stances then that's why he is getting "uprooted". If you get pushed from the front you won't have a choice but to switch from a horse stance. You should switch if you need to. Part of "rooting" is being flexible

[Royal Dragon]

I have a Zha Bao freind who can root well on one leg. Based on what he etaches, you should be able to root strong no matter what direction you are being pushed from. Even the horse stance from the front. He just sinks into it, and it is really hard to push him over.

[Shaolindynasty]

I have a Zha Bao freind who can root well on one leg. Based on what he etaches, you should be able to root strong no matter what direction you are being pushed from. Even the horse stance from the front. He just sinks into it, and it is really hard to push him over.

Well, I'd like to test it.:p

[Royal Dragon]

Let me know when you would like to come up and see us. He has been asking me to introduce him to the local talent anyway.