# Rooting



## mantis (May 25, 2006)

Howdy

I wanted to have a thread that discusses approaches to improve rooting in CMA's and other arts as well.

Do you have any thoughts, do you know of any exercises for rooting while mobile or stationary?


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## 7starmantis (May 25, 2006)

You know, I think its taught at the beginning as getting low. Low stances, low horse stance, etc. However one the idea is understood it can be done with much higher stances. I do think one of the best ways to learn your own center and root is prolonged horse stance. Aside from that we do movement drills with each other. Think of standing facing someone in fighting stance. One of you moves in and gives a straight punch. The other follows you back with an ou lou choy or so. This way the one following (going backward) can take you off balance with the smallest bit of a pull or pluck while your moving. This makes you move while being rooted.

7sm


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## Xue Sheng (May 25, 2006)

Any GOOD stance training will help rooting. 

First: Don't try this at home

I was shown a practice specifically for rooting once that involved standing on 2 bricks.

First start standing on the bricks, one under each foot, with them on the side. Visualize actually rooting through the brinks into the ground.

After you are good at that stand the bricks on the side and do the same.

Then stand the bricks on the end and do the same.

Eventually you can get to 4 bricks, 2 under each foot on the end.

I never got past 2 on the end; the 4 looked a bit to dangerous for me. Besides I was too tall for the room that way.

Basically it is a qi gong rooting exercise, it helped my rooting considerably.

There was another exercise I was show before but that would take too much typing.


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## mantis (May 26, 2006)

thank you guys

yeah that should be helpful
i guess i need to find some bricks now 

hey, all these people who practice CMA and only 2 answers on rooting?
next time imma consult google instead


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## Xue Sheng (May 26, 2006)

mantis said:
			
		

> thank you guys
> 
> yeah that should be helpful
> i guess i need to find some bricks now
> ...


 
Somewhere in one of Dr Yang's books he talks about rooting, possibly the introductory Qi Gong book he wrote (more like a text book actually)

Also I forgot to say that when practicing rooting in the ways I mentioned you are rooting from the yong quan point (aka the Bubbling Spring) located roughly behind the ball of the foot.

If you listen to William CC Chen you root with 3 points on the foot. One on the big toe, one just behind the ball of the foot and one on the heal.

I could type up the other exercise I know for rooting, but I am not sure they have enough space on their server for the over explanation I am bound to do


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## mantis (May 26, 2006)

Xue Sheng said:
			
		

> Somewhere in one of Dr Yang's books he talks about rooting, possibly the introductory Qi Gong book he wrote (more like a text book actually)
> 
> Also I forgot to say that when practicing rooting in the ways I mentioned you are rooting from the yong quan point (aka the Bubbling Spring) located roughly behind the ball of the foot.
> 
> ...



Dr Yang seems to have lots of qi gong books.  do you know title/isbn?  i just bought one of them yesterday from amazon and waiting for it to ship.

I have a flat foot so i can root on 6 points haha
yep, i see what you're saying.
do you feel the hip 'positioning' has to do anything with rooting?


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## Xue Sheng (May 26, 2006)

mantis said:
			
		

> Dr Yang seems to have lots of qi gong books. do you know title/isbn? i just bought one of them yesterday from amazon and waiting for it to ship.
> 
> I have a flat foot so i can root on 6 points haha
> yep, i see what you're saying.
> do you feel the hip 'positioning' has to do anything with rooting?


 
I have read several of his books, I believe it was discussed in The Root of Chinese Qigong, but I am not sure. Could be in either of the list Tai Chi books too. If I find anything else in my library that talks about rooting I will let you know.

The Root of Chinese Qigong - The Secrets for Health, Longevity, & Enlightenment 
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

Tai Chi Theory and Martial Power Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

Taijiquan, Classical Yang Style - The Complete Form and Qigong
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

Flat feet just means you have a good understanding   Yes I know that was bad.


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## mantis (May 26, 2006)

Xue Sheng said:
			
		

> I have read several of his books, I believe it was discussed in The Root of Chinese Qigong, but I am not sure. Could be in either of the list Tai Chi books too. If I find anything else in my library that talks about rooting I will let you know.
> 
> The Root of Chinese Qigong - The Secrets for Health, Longevity, & Enlightenment
> Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
> ...


Those are exactly the ones..... that i did not buy!!!
I guess i have to keep them in mind until the next round!

and no, it's not a bad joke


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## Xue Sheng (May 26, 2006)

mantis said:
			
		

> Those are exactly the ones..... that i did not buy!!!
> I guess i have to keep them in mind until the next round!
> 
> and no, it's not a bad joke


 
Ain't that always the way 

I will check through them when I get the chance to make sure that at least one of those is the book I am thinking about and get back to you.


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## pstarr (May 28, 2006)

There is a secret to rooting and it's found in the breath.  To root, you must use "reverse breathing."  This form of breathing is found in the traditional internal styles but was once (upon a time) practiced by most martial arts enthusiasts.  However, because it's not very exciting to practice, most of them forgot about it and tossed it by the wayside.

     It's called "reverse breathing" because the abdominal movement is opposite that which you normally do when you breathe.  To do it:

1. Inhale and draw the abdomen inwards.  Don't raise your chest or shoulders - just draw in your tummy.

2. When you exhale out your mouth, push your tummy outwards as if trying to make yourself fat (for some of us old farts this is really easy).
     In fact, push outward on your flanks and lower back area as well.
     AND- slightly contract the anal sphincter and tilt the coccyx slightly inward and upward.  If you don't contract your sphincter, you can eventually develop hemorrhoids.  Really. 

     After you've practiced this for a time, you can visualize pushing the air out through the Bubbling Well points in the feet.

     No need to get very low in your stance.  One who can truly root can do it while standing straight up as well as in a deep stance.

     Let me know if you have any problems with it.


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## Xue Sheng (May 28, 2006)

pstarr said:
			
		

> There is a secret to rooting and it's found in the breath. To root, you must use "reverse breathing."


 
Aka Buddhist breathing. The other way is also called Taoist breathing. 

You can do rooting with either way of breathing.

But that is a good rooting exercise.


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## pstarr (May 28, 2006)

Once you get accustomed to it, imagine drawing the breath in through the bubbling well points from a depth of 3-4 ft. below the ground.  Then when you exhale, imagine breathing through tho same points to the same depth.

     The idea in standing on bricks and that sort of thing is:

(A) To make you adjust your spinal alignment so that it's straight and your balance is perfect.  Only when your posture is correct can the breath be right.

(B) Because it brings your attention to the soles of your feet, your yi (will, imagination), and consequently, your chi, is directed to them and this helps you learn to root more effectively.


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## dmax999 (May 29, 2006)

Xue Sheng said:
			
		

> Aka Buddhist breathing. The other way is also called Taoist breathing.


Actually I believe Taoist breathing is the "reverse breathing". Buddhist think that method is incorrect. But yes, those are generally other references to them.


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## Xue Sheng (May 30, 2006)

dmax999 said:
			
		

> Actually I believe Taoist breathing is the "reverse breathing". Buddhist think that method is incorrect. But yes, those are generally other references to them.


 
Very likely I got it backwards


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## DavidCC (May 30, 2006)

I read the exercise with the bricks in Yangs Jwing-Minn's White Crane book.  He also talks about doing this on one foot.


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## mantis (May 31, 2006)

I ran into our old friend's (sifu adam hsu) picture teaching rooting here I do not know how this is done, but i guess he's teaching them to feel supporting their weight on those three dots in their feet.


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## Xue Sheng (May 31, 2006)

mantis said:
			
		

> I ran into our old friend's (sifu adam hsu) picture teaching rooting here I do not know how this is done, but i guess he's teaching them to feel supporting their weight on those three dots in their feet.


 
This looks vaguely similar to the other tooting exercise I referred to, or at least part of it. It could be something entirely different though.

If it is the same you stand up from there and then return to this position.
And now that I think about it, that is all I remember about itdamn! I AM getting old and forgetful


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## mantis (May 31, 2006)

Xue Sheng said:
			
		

> This looks vaguely similar to the other tooting exercise I referred to, or at least part of it. It could be something entirely different though.
> 
> If it is the same you stand up from there and then return to this position.
> And now that I think about it, that is all I remember about itdamn! I AM getting old and forgetful


oh that makes sense.. sounds good
i mean the exercise sounds good, not that you're getting forgetful 

hmm... maybe later when i get home i can look in his book for what he says about rooting and place it here for discussion
thanks


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 9, 2006)

DavidCC said:
			
		

> I read the exercise with the bricks in Yangs Jwing-Minn's White Crane book. He also talks about doing this on one foot.


 
Sorry it took me so long to get back with the books.

The above book that DavidCC mentions is the book that goes over rooting using bricks. 

The Essence of Shaolin White Crane Martial Power and Qigong.
- Dr Yang, Jwing-Ming.

The book;
The Root of Chinese Chi Gong, the Secrets of Chi Kung Training
- Dr Yang, Jwing-Ming.

Goes over rooting and has some exercises, but it does not talk about the bricks. Or at least my editions doesn't. He has updated it since then.

He went over rooting and using the bricks at a Push Hands Seminar I went to at YMAA many years ago.


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## mantis (Jun 10, 2006)

oh no worries. it is still great that you did.  I appreciate it.


			
				Xue Sheng said:
			
		

> Sorry it took me so long to get back with the books.
> 
> The above book that DavidCC mentions is the book that goes over rooting using bricks.
> 
> ...


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## North Star (Jun 24, 2006)

Another method is to imagine your feet are like tree roots, digging under and becoming part of the ground. Sounds silly, but with the proper visualization and centering, this will make a difference even when you push hands.

Bearing in mind visualizatin = intention.

You can also practise this way while practising forms (slowly, if it is a fast form).

I've pushed hands with some well rooted people (taiji) and they are just like ... impossible to move. It felt like I was pushing hands with a tree (just the way he was moving, his arm extended), it was amazing how immovable he was. 

The above 'excercise' or training concept was his advice.


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