Rooting on one leg?

Discuss training methods, physiology, pedagogy, psychology, morality. Conquer yourself, contribute. Please stay on topic.

Moderators: nyang, Dvivid, Inga

Rooting on one leg?

Postby yat_chum » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:50 pm

Something made me remember a former work colleague and pakua chang player telling me about the ability to root using one leg. Apart from practising forms like Siu Nim Tao and punching a bag on one leg, does anyone have any ideas as how to develop this skill?
yijing zhidong

use stillness to overcome movement
yat_chum
Forum God
 
Posts: 3176
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:18 am
Location: United Kingdom

Postby John the Monkey mind » Tue Mar 01, 2011 6:18 pm

Seen a I-liq Chuan instructor from Vienna do it. He said it was using your feet like a suction cup. He had people try and push him over and no one could. Griping with the toes. 9 points of contact or something like that.
John the Monkey mind
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 482
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:15 am

Postby Inga » Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:46 am

Ma Bu training will help build strength in the legs. With a powerful leg, one can sink lower, bending the knee - lowering your center of gravity will improve the root. We train Golden Rooster and False stances, both one leg (tho with false the foot rests on the ground, but there should be no weight on it). A really low false stance (deep bent knee, straight back) will have some root.

http://www.yangsandover.com/photos.shtml?page=page2

Kathy Yang in the photo with the pink background, her front leg is extended, but the back leg is supporting her.
Inga
Admin
 
Posts: 517
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:55 am
Location: New England

Re:

Postby pete5770 » Sat Feb 11, 2012 3:17 pm

John the Monkey mind wrote:He said it was using your feet like a suction cup. He had people try and push him over and no one could. Griping with the toes.


Gripping with the toes is very effective, even if you're wearing shoes. It's great for helping to stabilize you while on one leg. Also pushing your leg /foot into the floor / ground will have a profound impact on how well you can resist toppling or being pushed over. Press hard toward the floor and you will also find yourself sinking lower and lower. Strange but true. Remember to keep the upper portion of the body relaxed so that the pusher can't find any solid spots to push against. Not at all as easy as I make it sound.
pete5770
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 560
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:16 pm

Re: Rooting on one leg?

Postby Josh Young » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:35 am

The golden rooster posture is excellent for developing this.
Josh Young
Forum DemiGod
 
Posts: 720
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 12:03 pm

Re:

Postby pete5770 » Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:09 pm

Inga wrote:Ma Bu training will help build strength in the legs. With a powerful leg, one can sink lower, bending the knee - lowering your center of gravity will improve the root. We train Golden Rooster and False stances, both one leg (tho with false the foot rests on the ground, but there should be no weight on it). A really low false stance (deep bent knee, straight back) will have some root.

http://www.yangsandover.com/photos.shtml?page=page2

Kathy Yang in the photo with the pink background, her front leg is extended, but the back leg is supporting her.


Ahhh, to be young again and able to do a really low false stance. That must have been, let's see now, when I weighed 45 pounds less than I do now. Go figure.
pete5770
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 560
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:16 pm

Re: Rooting on one leg?

Postby pete5770 » Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:20 pm

While it's not really a skill for standing on one leg it does help. Remember to relax your face and facial muscles. Squinting and struggling with your facial muscles really doesn't help at all with balance. In fact it hinders it. I know we all do it. Who doesn't, especially when we struggle with something(like balancing on one foot). Any tension in the upper body will adversely affect this somewhat delicate posture. I used to tell students to relax their cheeks, all four of them, and it will help steady you. As for your butt cheeks, these should always be relaxed, as if you were going to the bathroom. Everything should go into the leg / legs.
pete5770
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 560
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:16 pm

Re: Rooting on one leg?

Postby Amaranth » Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:13 pm

I would recommend holding a posture like golden rooster in tai chi, as if doing 'standing post' - try having someone apply pressure to different areas of your body while you allow their force to go through the rooted leg. I am sure improvement will come with practice. The main thing is as was already stated: relax.
Amaranth
Forum Contributor
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:11 am


Return to General Training and Practice

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 27 guests

cron