Sil Lum Tao on One Leg

[wingchun100]

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.

 

[DanT]

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

 

[wingchun100]

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

Angle it.

 

[Phobius]

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.

 

[wingchun100]

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.

 

[Phobius]

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.

 

[Cephalopod]

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.

 

[wingchun100]

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!

 

[Cephalopod]

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.

 

[wingchun100]

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.

 

[Cephalopod]

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...!

 

[wingchun100]

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.

 

[LFJ]

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.

 

[wingchun100]

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.

 

[Xue Sheng]

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

 

[wingchun100]

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."

 

[Cephalopod]

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.

 

[wingchun100]

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.

 

[Cephalopod]

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!

 

[geezer]

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