How important is foot work and rooting?

[Mystic Wolf]

I have been studying Wing Chun for over thirteen years and one of the things I have noticed with other WC schools is lousy footwork with no rooting. That is pet pea of mine and it irritates me to see awsome hands with lousy foot work and no rooting.

 

[Yoshiyahu]

My Sifu always stress practicing your root...finding your center of gravity...Man of trade secrets of Traditional Martial Arts are being left out. Either because of unqualified Sifu's or because of secretative knowledge hording.

Your right foot work is the key...with out root and proper foot work you lack extra power in your punch. How else can you generate power from your horse stance. If you never practice YGKYM. Some schools negate Stance practice by having students doing SLT for an half an Hour...They feel thats enough for YGKYM work...But why do extra...


Your root is very important. Your root can help you maintain your balance when someone is trying to uproot you. It allows you to turn off their force. If you have no root it will be very hard to deflect an persons attack with out using brute force!


Many people do not care about the subtle things of Wing Chun:
1.Chi
2.Root
3.Flow
4.Fajin
5.Breathe
6.Softness
7.Deflection
8.Springy power
9.Study of the principals
10.Whole body connection

But I am glad to see you do

I have been studying Wing Chun for over thirteen years and one of the things I have noticed with other WC schools is lousy footwork with no rooting. That is pet pea of mine and it irritates me to see awsome hands with lousy foot work and no rooting.

 

[Mystic Wolf]

My Sifu always stress practicing your root...finding your center of gravity...Man of trade secrets of Traditional Martial Arts are being left out. Either because of unqualified Sifu's or because of secretative knowledge hording.

Your right foot work is the key...with out root and proper foot work you lack extra power in your punch. How else can you generate power from your horse stance. If you never practice YGKYM. Some schools negate Stance practice by having students doing SLT for an half an Hour...They feel thats enough for YGKYM work...But why do extra...


Your root is very important. Your root can help you maintain your balance when someone is trying to uproot you. It allows you to turn off their force. If you have no root it will be very hard to deflect an persons attack with out using brute force!


Many people do not care about the subtle things of Wing Chun:
1.Chi
2.Root
3.Flow
4.Fajin
5.Breathe
6.Softness
7.Deflection
8.Springy power
9.Study of the principals
10.Whole body connection

But I am glad to see you do

I agree totaly. some of the videos you showed me, the hands are awsome but the foot work is not so great. And if I notice this, I know that grapplers notice it to.
I just put this thought out there so that other WC instructors will take note.

 

[Yoshiyahu]

Your type of WC...is a dying breed my friend...There are not many out there who stick to traditional WC...Look there are very few of us on each Wing Chun forum...There are a few here and very few on Wing Chun Fight club...

I agree totaly. some of the videos you showed me, the hands are awsome but the foot work is not so great. And if I notice this, I know that grapplers notice it to.
I just put this thought out there so that other WC instructors will take note.

 

[Si-Je]

I agree totaly. some of the videos you showed me, the hands are awsome but the foot work is not so great. And if I notice this, I know that grapplers notice it to.
I just put this thought out there so that other WC instructors will take note.

Sifu, I wouldn't have any power in my punching or kicks if you didn't teach me proper stance and rooting. :asian:

And thanks again Yoshi for the chi drills love them and they've already made my power easier and stronger. :ultracool

 

[naneek]

without footwrk and rooting the base becomes unstable making us more vulerable to being knocked down and power becomes much harder to generate in our strikes

 

[Mystic Wolf]

At the beginning of class, we work on stance, chain punching, and deflections for about 30 minutes. Then we break off to groups to work on techiques according to there skill level.

 

[Yoshiyahu]

you welcome for the drills..I have so many i totally forgot which ones i given you...so sometimes re share them with me...


lol

Sifu, I wouldn't have any power in my punching or kicks if you didn't teach me proper stance and rooting. :asian:

And thanks again Yoshi for the chi drills love them and they've already made my power easier and stronger. :ultracool

 

[Yoshiyahu]

My Sifu class went sorta of like it...

1.Strength
Push Ups on bricks
Chin Ups
Wrist rollers(YGKM)
Class Jars filled with water(Holding extended out) YGKYM
Metal Pipe Torque(YGKYM)
Rotation of bricks while gripping with fingersYGKYM

Stance holding for one minute to five minutes each during class sometime longer.

1. YGKYM(Five-twenty minutes)
2. Mabu=Low Horse stance Three to twenty minutes
3. Hanging Horse (one minute to five minutes)
4. Arrow Stance (Three minutes to twenty months)

Other stances but no need to go into them.

Then we start punching drills atleast 12 of them. In YGKYM and side stance.

Then we do form training. Sil Lim Tao,Ma Form, Bashi, Northern drill

Chi Kung exercises In various stances.

Then partner drills

Chi Sau and blind fold Chi Sau

Then free style sparring.

There is nore but this is just a summary of some of things we did.

At the beginning of class, we work on stance, chain punching, and deflections for about 30 minutes. Then we break off to groups to work on techiques according to there skill level.

 

[naneek]

what is hanging horse dont think i have heard of this one?

 

[Si-Je]

Doing SLT reallllly slow then keeping stance and doing deflections slow with punch while using "wing chun curl" to extend punch evertime, all very slow. That one rulez! Makes me sweat, makes my body get hot and I can feel energy in my hands, arms, chest, head and shoulders.
Very good stuff.
The bag work for increasing power in punching at close range I saved to disk and am waiting until we get a bag to try those.

you welcome for the drills..I have so many i totally forgot which ones i given you...so sometimes re share them with me...


lol

 

[Yoshiyahu]

Oh well i normally call it crane up...But many call it hanging horse...

So I utlize both terms i was taught both but i wont go into differences between the two...hanging horse is like doing Sil Lim Tao on one leg.

http://www.hungkuen.net/training-basicstances.htm

what is hanging horse dont think i have heard of this one?

 

[Mystic Wolf]

I usually have the students stand in basic stance while chain punching focusing on there rooting. While they are are doing that, I will walk around them giving them a shove or tug on there leg checking there stance.

Then I will have them step and will check there stance immidiately.

We also focus alot of sring energy in our footwork.

Also having the student walk around class in basic stance helps, no normal walk allowed.

 

[Yoshiyahu]

Okay I remember now...yea...also practicing all the blocks at regular speed fifty to hundred times each will definitely give you good foundation...

But yea the wall bag exercises can be practice slowly in the air...

For instance
1.Using just the wrist to punch
2.Using The Wrist and elbow to punch
3.Using just wrist-elbow and shoulders to punch
4.Use Wrist elbow shoulders and waist
5.Use Wrist Elbow Shoulders Waist and hips
6.Use Wrist Elbow Shoulders Waist Hips and stance
7.Don't for get Hand Tensing and relaxing exercise(Squeeze fist on impact)

You do this with air.

A candle practice putting the flame out

A sheet of paper hanging on string from the shower pole..etc etc..or you can tape the string up above the kitchen interest and have the string long enough to where you can punch the sheet of paper.

Doing SLT reallllly slow then keeping stance and doing deflections slow with punch while using "wing chun curl" to extend punch evertime, all very slow. That one rulez! Makes me sweat, makes my body get hot and I can feel energy in my hands, arms, chest, head and shoulders.
Very good stuff.
The bag work for increasing power in punching at close range I saved to disk and am waiting until we get a bag to try those.

 

[Yoshiyahu]

I like the no normal walking ha ha...Sometimes the police officer i train work on root by doing chi sau centered on off balancing or uprooting the other person. This way you have to concentrate if your stance is right and learn how to turn off the force. Also we practice with her hands already on the other person chest or stomach and feel you feel the push shift your body to turn the force off.

Here is a interesting Question I may have gave the answer away on another thread but does any one know what Yee Gee Kim Yeung Man means?

I usually have the students stand in basic stance while chain punching focusing on there rooting. While they are are doing that, I will walk around them giving them a shove or tug on there leg checking there stance.

Then I will have them step and will check there stance immidiately.

We also focus alot of sring energy in our footwork.

Also having the student walk around class in basic stance helps, no normal walk allowed.

 

[Mystic Wolf]

My Sifu class went sorta of like it...

1.Strength
Push Ups on bricks
Chin Ups
Wrist rollers(YGKM)
Class Jars filled with water(Holding extended out) YGKYM
Metal Pipe Torque(YGKYM)
Rotation of bricks while gripping with fingersYGKYM

Stance holding for one minute to five minutes each during class sometime longer.

1. YGKYM(Five-twenty minutes)
2. Mabu=Low Horse stance Three to twenty minutes
3. Hanging Horse (one minute to five minutes)
4. Arrow Stance (Three minutes to twenty months)

Other stances but no need to go into them.

Then we start punching drills atleast 12 of them. In YGKYM and side stance.

Then we do form training. Sil Lim Tao,Ma Form, Bashi, Northern drill

Chi Kung exercises In various stances.

Then partner drills

Chi Sau and blind fold Chi Sau

Then free style sparring.

There is nore but this is just a summary of some of things we did.

Standing on one leg is ok, but trained improperly will develope bad habits. As with the hanging horse, and the wide horse stance.

We do not use these stances. The stance we use is as follows:

1. Arms withdrawn to chest, while standing with feet close together.
2. Bend knees slightly.
3.Pivot toe outwards.
4. Then pivot heels outwards. Toes should be pionted inward at about a 44 degree angle.
5. The knees are turned inwards towards each other.
6. You should have tension between your adduct muscles like sqeezing a ball. The tension is what will cause the spring energy and rooting.

 

[Yoshiyahu]

The Stance you speak of is

Yee Gee Kim Yeung Ma

Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma
- Pull in the chest, push out the upper back, and bring in the tail bone.
- Fill the Tan Tien with chi and distribute the strength to all parts of the body.
- Point the knees and toes inward.
- Form a pyramid with the center of gravity in the center.
- Fists are placed by the side of the ribs but not touching the body.
- Sink the elbows, the shoulders, and the waist.
- Hold the head and neck straight and keep the spirit alert.
- Eyes are level, looking straight ahead, and watching all directions.
- The mind is free of distractions and the mood is bright.
- There is no fear when facing the opponent.
- Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma is the main stance.
- Develop a good foundation for advanced techniques.

http://www.wcarchive.com/articles/maxims-kuen-kuit.htm#Yee_Jee_Kim_Yeung_Ma


You may like this thread:

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10415

Standing on one leg is ok, but trained improperly will develope bad habits. As with the hanging horse, and the wide horse stance.

We do not use these stances. The stance we use is as follows:

1. Arms withdrawn to chest, while standing with feet close together.
2. Bend knees slightly.
3.Pivot toe outwards.
4. Then pivot heels outwards. Toes should be pionted inward at about a 44 degree angle.
5. The knees are turned inwards towards each other.
6. You should have tension between your adduct muscles like sqeezing a ball. The tension is what will cause the spring energy and rooting.

 

[Mystic Wolf]

The Stance you speak of is

Yee Gee Kim Yeung Ma

http://www.wcarchive.com/articles/maxims-kuen-kuit.htm#Yee_Jee_Kim_Yeung_Ma


You may like this thread:

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10415

We have always refered to this stance as basic stance or ready stance.

 

[Si-Je]

Is this "horse stance" what everyone uses when they train, spar, and fight? I thought that stance was for designed use with the dragon pole?
Basic stance is what helps against a grappling takedown, where you get your power, structure, and spring from.

 

[seasoned]

I have been studying Wing Chun for over thirteen years and one of the things I have noticed with other WC schools is lousy footwork with no rooting. That is pet pea of mine and it irritates me to see awsome hands with lousy foot work and no rooting.

Okinawan GoJu has roots back to China, have you heard of Sanchin kata, and is this kata similar to what you are talking about? Thank you

Sanchin in China
Variations of Sanchin kata occur in many Arahat/Lohan schools (monk fist), in White Crane schools and in Ngo Cho Kun or Wu Zu Quan (5 ancestor fist — a style based partly on White Crane and Lohan boxing).
It is said that “if you do not do Sanchin you do not do White Crane”. The Yong Chun white crane Sanzhan form appears to be closer to Goju's Tensho kata than it is to its Sanchin.
Purpose of Sanchin
Sanchin is regarded as the cornerstone of Goju-ryu and hence of Muidokan karate. Its primary purpose is to as an "iron shirt" training tool. Initially the kata teaches basic posture, balance and breathing, but later it is used to develop correct tension to resist the impact of blows. A student's development of proper Sanchin is tested at the lower levels with examiners exerting resistance against the students techniques. From black belt onwards the test includes strictly controlled impacts. These are administered by experienced, senior examiners to ensure that no injury is done to the student.
As a student becomes more senior Sanchin kata begins to take on a "softer" or more internal appearance, eventually fulfilling the same function as zhan zhuang (a form of rooted posture mediation) in the internal art of Yi Quan. It is at this stage that the long term aim (and form) of Sanchin kata is realised. An exercise for testing this aspect of Sanchin is Sanchin pushing, where students attempt "not to be pushed" rather than to push their training partner. The goal is to be able to resist a push using as little pushing action of your own as possible. Ultimately the key to success is to think of yourself as being immovable.
Sanchin kata (Miyagi version) is required from White 2 to Nidan 3.