# Sil Lum Tao on One Leg



## wingchun100 (May 12, 2017)

I have stated elsewhere on this board that my biggest problem right now is my rooting. Sifu has given me several different methods to improve this. However, I have decided my favorite is doing Sil Lum Tao on one leg. I haven't done it for too long, but I have already made some observations.

I wind up with a lot of pain in my foot because my balance is wobbling all around. I have to come out of the stance a few times before I can complete the form. This has to do with the fact that I am not letting the weight sink straight down into the ground...otherwise known as my rooting problem!

It's only day 3 of this new training approach. I'm monitoring my progress. After about 30 days, I will reassess where I'm at. Naturally, I will get Sifu's observations as well. Might not seem like a big deal to some, but I'm very excited to see what developments will come.


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## DanT (May 12, 2017)

Good luck, it does take a while to develop the muscles and stability for one leg SLT.


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## wingchun100 (May 12, 2017)

DanT said:


> Good luck, it does take a while to develop the muscles and stability for one leg SLT.


 
Thank you!

Yes, that is the trick: to not get frustrated and give up. I was initially because I thought, given the fact that I also do workouts, I could manage...but then I found out: NOPE!


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## wingchun100 (May 12, 2017)

DanT said:


> Good luck, it does take a while to develop the muscles and stability for one leg SLT.


 
You know what doesn't help? I am also doing Insanity: Max 30, which is putting a beating on my calves!

However, I am going to push on. I know those muscles will toughen up before I even realize it.


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## KPM (May 12, 2017)

Another good exercise is to do the form while standing on the flat side of a Bosu ball.


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## geezer (May 13, 2017)

DanT said:


> Good luck, it does take a while to develop the muscles and stability for one leg SLT.



I have fused ankles with no lateral movement so I cannot make the small corrections so helpful in maintaining static (stationary) balance as in One-legged SNT. It's a real bear for me. I looked into operations to correct it. Bad idea. Ankles are tricky things best left alone!

Then I got to thinking, _what about getting a tail _so I had tripodal stability and could even lean back and fight with both legs at once like a kangaroo. It would allow for a whole new dimension of chi-gherk. Heck, you could do poon-gherk!  The imagination reels...


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## wckf92 (May 13, 2017)

geezer said:


> I have fused ankles with no lateral movement so I cannot make the small corrections so helpful in maintaining static (stationary) balance as in One-legged SNT. It's a real bear for me. I looked into operations to correct it. Bad idea. Ankles are tricky things best left alone!
> 
> Then I got to thinking, _what about getting a tail _so I had tripodal stability and could even lean back and fight with both legs at once like a kangaroo. It would allow for a whole new dimension of chi-gherk. Heck, you could do poon-gherk!  The imagination reels...



Starting to wonder what they put in the water out there in Phoenix hahaha


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## yak sao (May 13, 2017)

geezer said:


> Then I got to thinking, _what about getting a tail _so I had tripodal stability and could even lean back and fight with both legs at once like a kangaroo. It would allow for a whole new dimension of chi-gherk. Heck, you could do poon-gherk!  The imagination reels...



While you're at it, I would add the front pouch. It would be a great place to keep a sandwich


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## DanT (May 13, 2017)

yak sao said:


> While you're at it, I would add the front pouch. It would be a great place to keep a sandwich


Or butterfly swords...


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## wckf92 (May 13, 2017)

yak sao said:


> While you're at it, I would add the front pouch. It would be a great place to keep a sandwich



Or a cerveza mas fina


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## yak sao (May 13, 2017)

I think we could do all 3.  The sandwich, the knives to cut the sandwich, and a cold beer to wash it down.


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## Cephalopod (May 15, 2017)

geezer said:


>



Guy on the left has a great bo-pai, but its a poor exchange for the double ti to the peaches.
His problem: Stance is way too open, and he got caught double-weighted.  Wonder what his lineage is.


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## KPM (May 15, 2017)

I think that's the "Roo Wah Kang" lineage.


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## wingchun100 (May 24, 2017)

This has proven to be very frustrating.

I gave myself a timeframe of 30 days, practicing SLT 5 times a day: twice per leg, then once with both legs on the ground, in an effort to improve my rooting. Today is day 15, so I decided to do a "check-in" with myself. And you know what? I felt like my rooting is WORSE than it was before! When on one leg, my balance is all wobbly. Then when I do the form with both feet on the ground, I still feel wobbly. I mean, in a bad way...like when I pull my arms back into chamber, I feel like I might fall over! That's bad!!!

However, for the last two repetitions, I heard a voice in my head saying: "Try sinking the weight into the heel this time." So I tried that, and wouldn't you know it? I felt better...maybe not like a mountain, but I noticed there was much less wobbling. For those two repetitions, my quadriceps would not cooperate and I had to come out of my stance for a rest, but the muscles will adjust to that strain in time.


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## Nobody Important (May 24, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> This has proven to be very frustrating.
> 
> I gave myself a timeframe of 30 days, practicing SLT 5 times a day: twice per leg, then once with both legs on the ground, in an effort to improve my rooting. Today is day 15, so I decided to do a "check-in" with myself. And you know what? I felt like my rooting is WORSE than it was before! When on one leg, my balance is all wobbly. Then when I do the form with both feet on the ground, I still feel wobbly. I mean, in a bad way...like when I pull my arms back into chamber, I feel like I might fall over! That's bad!!!
> 
> However, for the last two repetitions, I heard a voice in my head saying: "Try sinking the weight into the heel this time." So I tried that, and wouldn't you know it? I felt better...maybe not like a mountain, but I noticed there was much less wobbling. For those two repetitions, my quadriceps would not cooperate and I had to come out of my stance for a rest, but the muscles will adjust to that strain in time.


Try placing your focus on your knee. A relaxed & mobile knee will do wonders for stabilization of an ankle.


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## DanT (May 24, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> This has proven to be very frustrating.
> 
> I gave myself a timeframe of 30 days, practicing SLT 5 times a day: twice per leg, then once with both legs on the ground, in an effort to improve my rooting. Today is day 15, so I decided to do a "check-in" with myself. And you know what? I felt like my rooting is WORSE than it was before! When on one leg, my balance is all wobbly. Then when I do the form with both feet on the ground, I still feel wobbly. I mean, in a bad way...like when I pull my arms back into chamber, I feel like I might fall over! That's bad!!!
> 
> However, for the last two repetitions, I heard a voice in my head saying: "Try sinking the weight into the heel this time." So I tried that, and wouldn't you know it? I felt better...maybe not like a mountain, but I noticed there was much less wobbling. For those two repetitions, my quadriceps would not cooperate and I had to come out of my stance for a rest, but the muscles will adjust to that strain in time.


Do you grab the ground with your toes when rooting?


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## wingchun100 (May 25, 2017)

DanT said:


> Do you grab the ground with your toes when rooting?


 
Trying, my friend...trying.


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## wingchun100 (May 25, 2017)

Nobody Important said:


> Try placing your focus on your knee. A relaxed & mobile knee will do wonders for stabilization of an ankle.


 
I tried this when I did SLT this morning. It helped a little for sure.

Last night I went to class and got a helpful tip from Sifu as well. Turns out I was not raising my leg high enough. I brought my knee up slightly higher than my hip, and wouldn't you know it? I felt like I was sinking into my roots better. The higher I raised one leg, the deeper I sank into my roots on the other.


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## wingchun100 (May 30, 2017)

Been at this for about 20 days now. My left quad still won't cooperate and stop giving out on me before I am done with the form, so I have to come out of my stance, relax a bit, and then go back into it.

Part of this is because I spend a lot of time fighting to merely maintain balance! So today I decided to take up another suggestion Sifu made, which is to not be a hero right out of box. Instead of just holding my leg up in the air, I put it on top of something. It has to be something that is the right height, of course, to ensure that my knee is slightly above hip level.

I tried it this morning, and it seemed to help.


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## wingchun100 (May 30, 2017)

Another training idea I had was from the first Wing Chun school I attended. I stood in front of the dummy and put my leg up on the lowest arm. He had me stand like that to help my adduction, but I think it could also help with rooting. Once I get my dummy finalized, I'll have to give it a try.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 1, 2017)

Day 23 out of 30. Still messing around with this idea to see how it works. I know there is some merit to it. However, I think for now I have to practice SLT on one leg while my other foot is resting on top of something. I have to face the facts: I'm not at that point where I can just hold my leg in the air and keep good balance and roots.


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## DanT (Jun 2, 2017)

When you do 1 leg SLT, do u angle your standing foot out or point it straight forward.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 2, 2017)

DanT said:


> When you do 1 leg SLT, do u angle your standing foot out or point it straight forward.



Angle it.


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## Phobius (Jun 4, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> Angle it.



I might be wrong, or my hip may be. But how do you root yourself if you angle it out without getting pain in your knee?

To me such an angle would put a strain due to my knee not being correctly balanced over my foot. Of course the answer may be in what the other leg is doing. My other leg is not going out to other side but rather staying forward and up as if ready to take a step or lunge.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 5, 2017)

Phobius said:


> I might be wrong, or my hip may be. But how do you root yourself if you angle it out without getting pain in your knee?
> 
> To me such an angle would put a strain due to my knee not being correctly balanced over my foot. Of course the answer may be in what the other leg is doing. My other leg is not going out to other side but rather staying forward and up as if ready to take a step or lunge.



The foot still on the ground should be angled because that's the way your stance opens. Visualize it: you are standing with both feet together, ready to set up YGKYM. Your hands come up to chamber. You bend your knees, and then your toes point out, followed by your heels. In this SLT on one leg exercise, you are stopping where the toes point out and lifting one leg in front while you do the form. I can't really answer your question. I mean, I don't see how angling the foot would cause knee pain, whereas not angling it would not. That sounds more like a knee problem than a position of the foot problem.


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## Phobius (Jun 5, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> The foot still on the ground should be angled because that's the way your stance opens. Visualize it: you are standing with both feet together, ready to set up YGKYM. Your hands come up to chamber. You bend your knees, and then your toes point out, followed by your heels. In this SLT on one leg exercise, you are stopping where the toes point out and lifting one leg in front while you do the form. I can't really answer your question. I mean, I don't see how angling the foot would cause knee pain, whereas not angling it would not. That sounds more like a knee problem than a position of the foot problem.



Nwm, I though you meant having the foot slightly out rather than underneath you. If as you say then it is same thing whether angled forwards or outwards.


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## Cephalopod (Jun 5, 2017)

Hi 100,
Ignore if you've already considered this but...
When I train single leg SLT I don't stand stock-still but rather let myself drift around a bit. I am always thinking about pressing my weight into the ground but if I don't allow myself any movement at all, I have to lock up my quad and it burns me out much faster.
My goal with this training is to be strong and pliable, not rigid...to be able to absorb external force that strives to unbalance me, and return to equilibrium.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 6, 2017)

Cephalopod said:


> Hi 100,
> Ignore if you've already considered this but...
> When I train single leg SLT I don't stand stock-still but rather let myself drift around a bit. I am always thinking about pressing my weight into the ground but if I don't allow myself any movement at all, I have to lock up my quad and it burns me out much faster.
> My goal with this training is to be strong and pliable, not rigid...to be able to absorb external force that strives to unbalance me, and return to equilibrium.



Yes, I did notice my quad burning out faster. The key is to not drift too much. I'll keep this in mind. Thanks!


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## Cephalopod (Jun 7, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> The key is to not drift too much.



Yes indeed. In fact this is one of the great benefits of single leg training as I see it: your body learns where the limits of your movement (or 'drift') are wherein you can recover your equilibrium. When you get comfortable within those limits, you can make small weight shifts in order to let incoming power bypass you to the side, rather than fight it and get 'planted' on your supporting leg. By planted I mean that the opponent's force stops you from unweighting your foot so it becomes effectively immobilized.

BTW, I should clarify that I strive to keep my core engaged when I train this. The adjusting movements come from the hips, knees and ankles. If you loosen your core too much, you just become wobbly and unrooted.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 7, 2017)

Cephalopod said:


> Yes indeed. In fact this is one of the great benefits of single leg training as I see it: your body learns where the limits of your movement (or 'drift') are wherein you can recover your equilibrium. When you get comfortable within those limits, you can make small weight shifts in order to let incoming power bypass you to the side, rather than fight it and get 'planted' on your supporting leg. By planted I mean that the opponent's force stops you from unweighting your foot so it becomes effectively immobilized.
> 
> BTW, I should clarify that I strive to keep my core engaged when I train this. The adjusting movements come from the hips, knees and ankles. If you loosen your core too much, you just become wobbly and unrooted.



This is something I am learning courtesy of my man Shaun T and his home-based workout DVD's (Insanity, Asylum, Max 30, etc.): KEEP YOUR CORE ENGAGED! At first I thought this was counterintuitive to Wing Chun ("never tense up"), but I am learning that is not the case.


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## Cephalopod (Jun 7, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> This is something I am learning courtesy of my man Shaun T and his home-based workout DVD's (Insanity, Asylum, Max 30, etc.): KEEP YOUR CORE ENGAGED! At first I thought this was counterintuitive to Wing Chun ("never tense up"), but I am learning that is not the case.



That's too funny! After years of trying to find my root, sink my chi etc, my biggest leap in understanding of how to be stable came after I hurt my lower back being stupid in the gym. On my wife's insistence I got some private lessons with a pilates instructor. Wow. Those guys know core.

Ah, the old "never tense up" conundrum! Between floppy loose and locked tight there is a whole continuum of muscle engagement levels...!


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## wingchun100 (Jun 8, 2017)

That frustrating feeling you get when you go to class after nearly a month of focusing solely on roots...and everyone in class uproots you!

Either they are all better than me, or my roots suck in general.

Ugh.


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## LFJ (Jun 8, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> That frustrating feeling you get when you go to class after nearly a month of focusing solely on roots...and everyone in class uproots you!
> 
> Either they are all better than me, or my roots suck in general.
> 
> Ugh.



Probably because rooting is not developed by standing around on one leg.

You need to interact with external forces, as it is external forces that will uproot you.

No wonder students who've been doing static and mobile partner training will uproot you, if you've just been standing around by yourself on one leg.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 8, 2017)

I messaged Sifu about my frustration. He wrote back:

"It is understanding and practicing the principle. I practiced 50-50 for many years until I learned the idea of rooting this way. I had roots already that became stronger with this understanding. You are already developing. Also stretching is important. You have rooting. Just have to find and keep it. Anything you can do on one leg will help you."

Which was encouraging.


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 8, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> I messaged Sifu about my frustration. He wrote back:
> 
> "It is understanding and practicing the principle. I practiced 50-50 for many years until I learned the idea of rooting this way. I had roots already that became stronger with this understanding. You are already developing. Also stretching is important. You have rooting. Just have to find and keep it. Anything you can do on one leg will help you."
> 
> Which was encouraging.



Taijiquan looks at it as substantial and insubstantial leg. Remember one must root, but not be double weighted, and the root has to move


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## wingchun100 (Jun 8, 2017)

Xue Sheng said:


> Taijiquan looks at it as substantial and insubstantial leg. Remember one must root, but not be double weighted, and the root has to move



I wrote him back and said, "I think I know what might help me to reach the next level. You said you practiced 50-50 for many years until you learned the idea of rooting this way. I think what I need to ask here, is what 'this way' means to you. Maybe I ought to hear your full understanding of this approach, and then I can move ahead."


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## Cephalopod (Jun 8, 2017)

LFJ said:


> Probably because rooting is not developed by standing around on one leg.
> 
> You need to interact with external forces, as it is external forces that will uproot you.
> 
> No wonder students who've been doing static and mobile partner training will uproot you, if you've just been standing around by yourself on one leg.



No need to mock his efforts. Single leg training, like SLT itself, is an excellent developmental exercise. Should it be done in conjunction with a variety of partner training exercises. Of course. You'll get more mileage out of any stability training when you have a partner actively trying to uproot you. No debate there.

The point as I understand it is that '100 doesn't have a training partner on a daily basis.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 8, 2017)

Cephalopod said:


> No need to mock his efforts. Single leg training, like SLT itself, is an excellent developmental exercise. Should it be done in conjunction with a variety of partner training exercises. Of course. You'll get more mileage out of any stability training when you have a partner actively trying to uproot you. No debate there.
> 
> The point as I understand it is that '100 doesn't have a training partner on a daily basis.



No need to worry about any mocking. When a website has "block" or "ignore" features, I use them.


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## Cephalopod (Jun 8, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> No need to worry about any mocking. When a website has "block" or "ignore" features, I use them.


No Prob 
I was just defending the value (albeit limited) of single leg training!


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## geezer (Jun 8, 2017)

LFJ said:


> Probably because rooting is not developed by standing around on one leg. You need to interact with external forces, as it is external forces that will uproot you.



This is true. _Static _training is not the same as _dynamic _training, and _solo _training cannot replicate working with a partner who can apply _unanticipated force_ to test your stance.


On the other hand, I always admired the balance and grace of those Sudanese herdsmen who could stand around on one leg for hours....

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/bb/b4/0e/bbb40e04098a4f2b189b88e369dcbd55.jpg


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## Cephalopod (Jun 8, 2017)

geezer said:


> This is true. _Static _training is not the same as _dynamic _training, and _solo _training cannot replicate working with a partner who can apply _unanticipated force_ to test your stance.


Granted.
The interesting question that this thread has raised, however, is how can you make best use of solo training to improve your stability under duress.

As I'm lucky enough to have people to frequently train with, it is hard for me to measure exactly how much benefit I have gleaned from the solo training I do at home. But I still feel that it is significant.

I know beyond a doubt that my increase in stability over recent years has not come from getting stronger legs (yep, I'm still pretty scrawny and I ain't getting any younger) but rather from increased mindfulness of the engagement of my core. (That, and I've gotten better and not letting people apply force directly onto my center, but that's a separate topic)

In the pursuit of said mindfulness I have made it a habit to practice this awareness when I do chores about the house. For example, when I open the utensil drawer, previously I would always stoop slightly (curve the spine forward) to reach the drawer. Now, I keep the core engaged and bend slightly at the knees to reach the drawer. Similarly, when I open and close a heavy door at work, rather then flexing my shoulder and tilting at the hip to deliver force, I relax my shoulder, engage my core and do the work entirely with my legs.
The more I practice these silly sounding habits, the more I find myself doing them without thinking.

For myself I have no doubt that the stability trained like this on my own has translated to better stability under forces from a partner. Sure, there's other aspects that can only be trained with a partner such as sensitivity to where said forces are directed, and timing. But for me that partner training builds on a foundation of mindfulness to not let the core tilt and buckle, but rather efficiently translate the force through the body to the ground.


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## LFJ (Jun 9, 2017)

Cephalopod said:


> No need to mock his efforts. Single leg training, like SLT itself, is an excellent developmental exercise.



Was not mocking. Static balance and isometric endurance are being confused for rooting here, and then he's wondering why he's being uprooted after spending a month focusing on static balance and isometric endurance.

When he complains about the ineffectiveness to his teacher, he's basically told to just trust him and keep standing around on one leg.

Single leg training can be beneficial, but I personally think single-leg SNT is a waste of time. I don't think if he does this for another month the results are going to be any different. It is not how you develop rooting.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 9, 2017)

geezer said:


> This is true. _Static _training is not the same as _dynamic _training, and _solo _training cannot replicate working with a partner who can apply _unanticipated force_ to test your stance.
> 
> 
> On the other hand, I always admired the balance and grace of those Sudanese herdsmen who could stand around on one leg for hours....
> ...



Of course not. I was never saying anything to the contrary of that. And if certain people are insinuating I did...then they are reading between the lines for things that aren't there.

I train any way I can. If the benefits of what I do are limited...well, it is what it is.

I think it's rather immature and counterproductive to mock people for their way of training. Even if I read on here how someone was trying to train for Wing Chun in a way that wouldn't work, I would never insult them. I would say something like, "Interesting. Have you ever heard of method X? That could benefit what you are trying to achieve because of reasons XYZ."

That's a MUCH better way to approach it.

And I say that without having read a single word of what the ignored member has said. I just know how they operate enough to say that communicating in the way I described would be received more positively.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 9, 2017)

Cephalopod said:


> Granted.
> The interesting question that this thread has raised, however, is how can you make best use of solo training to improve your stability under duress.
> 
> As I'm lucky enough to have people to frequently train with, it is hard for me to measure exactly how much benefit I have gleaned from the solo training I do at home. But I still feel that it is significant.
> ...



Right.

Unfortunately at this point in time, the class I attend meets only once a week. Due to my crazy life schedule, I get to go only once every TWO weeks. Even when I do go, the largest the class has ever been was 5 people...many of whom are just learning and therefore not working on the same things that I am at my level. Long story short: I do what I can. I don't care if some anonymous person on an internet message board mocks my training. I do what I can, and I keep my passion and drive for Wing Chun alive. THAT is what counts.


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## Cephalopod (Jun 9, 2017)

LFJ said:


> Single leg training can be beneficial, but I personally think single-leg SNT is a waste of time.


Fair enough. I respect that opinion.



LFJ said:


> When he complains about the ineffectiveness to his teacher, he's basically told to just trust him and keep standing around on one leg.


So I present to you this question: If you were in a hypothetical situation that '100 lays out in post #44, what would your teacher (hypothetically) tell you to practice in your free time to improve your rooting?

You don't need to remind me that distance learning is sub-optimal. That's beyond question. But would your teacher really just shrug his shoulders and tell you to give up?


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## wingchun100 (Jun 9, 2017)

I expanded my searching to include non-martial arts balance exercises, preferably those on one leg of course.

Wound up with a TON of options to search through.


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 9, 2017)

Just remembered there is a style of taijiquan, Zhaobao, that does push hands on one leg to train root and improve leg strength. maybe you should give that a try with chi sau


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## KPM (Jun 9, 2017)

I think training by standing on one leg is a mixed bag.  Rooting isn't entirely about balance or even strong legs.  Rooting is more about having a firm connection to the ground....which is more a matter of learning how to sink your center of gravity into your stance.  It is about how to control your center of gravity to keep from being pushed or pulled off-balance.  Strong legs are a factor, but it has to be more of a dynamic strength.   Think about a big dog on a lease that doesn't want to go where you want him to go!  He sinks his weight and braces against the pull of the lease.  That's one aspect.  Now think about trying to pick someone up that doesn't want to be picked up.  They can relax and be like jello and make themselves a "dead weight."  That's another aspect.  So standing on one leg is a mixed bag because it develops some strength that is an aspect of rooting and helps with balance that is another aspect of rooting, but there is more to it than that!  And if you are really concerned about stronger legs, there are far more efficient ways to develop that strength than standing around on one leg!


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## Vajramusti (Jun 9, 2017)

Xue Sheng said:


> Just remembered there is a style of taijiquan, Zhaobao, that does push hands on one leg to train root and improve leg strength. maybe you should give that a try with chi sau


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Standing on one  leg when done right can improve strength and balance in
good wing chun. Chen stylists including CXW  can do various pushing exercises on one leg.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 9, 2017)

To train how to stand on single leg (static rooting) is hard. To train how to hop on single leg (dynamic rooting) can be harder.


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## anerlich (Jun 10, 2017)

I had physiotherapy for some back trouble about 20 years ago. One of the exercise was to stand on one leg with a proper pelvic tilt, and move your arms in various patterns so as to work balance and  the supporting and stabilising muscles around the hip and sacroiliac joint. Seems one legged SLT would work those muscles in a similar fashion.

Did various precision hopping and leaping drills as well, concentrating on stable landings in good posture with the right muscles contracted.

The physiotherapy was very successful. So this might be worthwhile for some people, at least.


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## LFJ (Jun 10, 2017)

Cephalopod said:


> But would your teacher really just shrug his shoulders and tell you to give up?



What do you mean "really"? You didn't even give me a chance to answer the question! lol

As stated, static balance + isometric endurance ≠ rooting.

To figure out how to train rooting on your own, first determine what it is that uproots you.

Unless you're a toddler just learning to stand and walk, you should never fall over by losing balance or tiring out from just standing around on your own. 

So, just standing around on one leg (i.e. single-leg SNT) is a waste of time for developing root.

What will uproot you, then? 

It is possible to lose one's own balance in fighting due to over-rotating, over-reaching, or just not keeping a good stance beneath oneself while moving around.

CK and related footwork drills will help with this. You can do them in such a way that it forces you to your limit, to maintain alignment and control your own body mass through extreme motion.

But, that's not yet even considering facing an opponent and what they might do to uproot you. That is, you also have to deal with external forces.

In absence of a training partner, there are many things you can do to simulate external forces acting on your structure and testing your alignment;

Lots of heavy bag punching and kicking drills. Single-leg training can also be beneficial here. Single-leg kicking drills on the heavy bag, dummy, or wall; single-leg pole drills, etc..

These things are all far more useful than just standing around on one leg for long periods of time. That will do nothing to help develop rooting.

A good teacher should be able to instruct someone on such drills, and not just say; "_trust me, it works, just keep standing around on one leg_" when that obviously hasn't been working.

Only having lower level training partners shouldn't be a problem either. Especially if they are all able to uproot the guy, as he said.

There's no need to get too "advanced" and "spar" each other in _chi-sau_. Just work together on exchanging forces through basic _pun-sau_, then basic _seung-ma_/_teui-ma_ drills, some simple pushing and pulling drills, etc.. 

It should be a method of mutual development!

Giving the guy a program to train rooting really shouldn't be that hard if the teacher knows what he's doing. But WC100 seems pretty lost, right now.


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## wckf92 (Jun 10, 2017)

LFJ said:


> But WC100 seems pretty lost, right now.



Agreed.
And, if I recall correctly, he once posted about being between lineages, not being certified by either of his sifus to teach etc.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 11, 2017)

wckf92 said:


> Agreed.
> And, if I recall correctly, he once posted about being between lineages, not being certified by either of his sifus to teach etc.



I can teach up to my level, hence why I offered that intro to wing chun class at a local college last March.


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## Phobius (Jun 12, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> I can teach up to my level, hence why I offered that intro to wing chun class at a local college last March.



I hope noone ever has the option to teach above their level.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 12, 2017)

Phobius said:


> I hope noone ever has the option to teach above their level.



Some students turn into renegades and strike out on their own because they believe they're at a higher level than they actually are.


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## geezer (Jun 12, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> Some students turn into renegades and strike out on their own because they believe they're at a higher level than they actually are.



Yep. And other students who are actually very good become renegades because they are egotistical jerks.

...and still others become renegades because their sifus are egotistical jerks!

Gotta assess the situation on a case by case basis.


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## Cephalopod (Jun 12, 2017)

geezer said:


> Yep. And other students who are actually very good become renegades because they are egotistical jerks.
> 
> ...and still others become renegades because their sifus are egotistical jerks!
> 
> Gotta assess the situation on a case by case basis.



...and then there are those big beefy lads who become sifus because, skill notwithstanding, they can run over their classmates like Jeep Renegades.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 13, 2017)

Cephalopod said:


> ...and then there are those big beefy lads who become sifus because, skill notwithstanding, they can run over their classmates like Jeep Renegades.



Yes, and then spread a version of Wing Chun that is NOT Wing Chun.


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## geezer (Jun 13, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> Yes, and then spread a version of Wing Chun that is NOT Wing Chun.



Well, _hard-style _Wing Chun anyways. Historically different VT/WC personalities varied their interpretation of the system according to what worked for them. Larger. more powerful individuals typically expressed their VT differently than smaller, weaker individuals.

In my lineage, _this _is the interpretation of the story (or_ fable_, if you prefer) of Yip Man's two teachers, _Chan Wah Shun _and _Leung Bic_. Chan Wah shun in his prime was a powerful and aggressive fighter. Leung Bic was less powerful and more of a technician, ...a _soft stylist _if you will. Yip Man stated that he learned from both, and at different times in his life stressed one or the other more. My teacher learned from Yip Man at the end of his life, when he was physically weak and emphasized the later (Leung Bic) perspective.

Note: I do not insist that the anyone believe the Leung Bic story. I present it as a part of our oral history that addresses the harder and softer strands within the Yip Man VT lineage. And, it _is_ evident that at different times, with different students, Yip Man emphasized different aspects of the totality that is Wing Chun. Unlike some forum members, I do not subscribe to the theory that the variation in WC/VT as practiced by Yip Man's students today is _entirely_ due to their poor understanding or unbridled personal creativity. Although, that is a factor too.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 13, 2017)

geezer said:


> Well, _hard-style _Wing Chun anyways. Historically different VT/WC personalities varied their interpretation of the system according to what worked for them. Larger. more powerful individuals typically expressed their VT differently than smaller, weaker individuals.
> 
> In my lineage, _this _is the interpretation of the story (or_ fable_, if you prefer) of Yip Man's two teachers, _Chan Wah Shun _and _Leung Bic_. Chan Wah shun in his prime was a powerful and aggressive fighter. Leung Bic was less powerful and more of a technician, ...a _soft stylist _if you will. Yip Man stated that he learned from both, and at different times in his life stressed one or the other more. My teacher learned from Yip Man at the end of his life, when he was physically weak and emphsized the later (Leung Bic) perspective.
> 
> Note: I do not insist that the anyone believe the Leung Bic story. I present it as a part of our oral history that adresses the harder and softer strands within the Yip Man VT lineage. And, it _is_ evident that at different times, with different students, Yip Man emphasized different aspects of the totality that is Wing Chun. Unlike some forum members, I do not subscribe to the theory that the variation in WC/VT as practiced by Yip Man's students today is _entirely_ due to their poor understanding or unbridled personal creativity. Although, that is a factor too.



I am in full agreement with you. I don't think anyone's interpretation should be dismissed outright. I think we should examine them all as valid because, after all, my truth is valid for me, but it might not be for you...and that is okay. The two can coexist.

It's too bad not everyone sees it that way. You can cheat yourself out of a lot of learning. I mean, there have been times when I have watched a Wing Chun video and I came here and said, "Hey guys, this was a revelation to me! Check it out!" Next thing you know, I am getting blasted for giving any attention to a video from some Wing Chun person that I didn't even know was despised.

Recently I came across some Randy Williams videos that show things you can do with the wooden dummy that never even crossed my mind, and it amazed me...but I never shared it here, because I thought to myself, "I bet I get blasted for sharing this guy's stuff!" Which is sad, because I personally think the videos and ideas are really amazing.


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## geezer (Jun 13, 2017)

^^^ Yeah. I always thought Randy Williams was annoying. Now that you said that I'll have to blast you. .....Soon as I think of something.


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## wingchun100 (Jun 15, 2017)

I came up with a list of no less than 30 different exercises that could help with this rooting stuff. So you know what I did, with my obsessive and overanalytical brain? I picked one exercise to do per day for the next 30 days. I am going to cycle through them and see which ones I like. The ones I don't will be forgotten. (Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless...so they say.)


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## wingchun100 (Jun 15, 2017)

Today's exercise is to put one leg up on the lower wooden dummy arm (or something of comparable height) and stand there for as long as I can. This exercise works the rooting, because my weight sinks into the other leg, but it also works the proper adduction because my hips are tucked in and under, and my spine is completely straight.

There are some exercises I picked where it's better to go by a number of repetitions, but for this one it is better to go by time limit.


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## LFJ (Jun 15, 2017)




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## wingchun100 (Jun 15, 2017)

Dude, seriously...if you can't ever at least offer constructive criticism, instead of just insulting, why don't you just go somewhere and get a life?


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## LFJ (Jun 16, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> Dude, seriously...if you can't ever *at least offer constructive criticism*, instead of just insulting, why don't you just go somewhere and get a life?



I did. You had me on your ignore list.

See post #52.


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## Bino TWT (Aug 5, 2017)

This is a big deal for me, because I have torn ligaments in both knees.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Aug 6, 2017)

wingchun100 said:


> I have stated elsewhere on this board that my biggest problem right now is my rooting. Sifu has given me several different methods to improve this. However, I have decided my favorite is doing Sil Lum Tao on one leg.


You may try to do SLT when you are running instead.

dynamic rooting > static rooting
footwork > no footwork

1step 1 strike -> 2 steps 1 strike -> 3 step 1 strike -> ...

The day that you understand "running punch", the day that you will have good "dynamic rooting".


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## Bino TWT (Aug 6, 2017)

When I take the kids skating, I do SNT on roller blades. That said though, he should probably get his static structure correct before he tries to focus on dynamic structure.


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