When properly learned, rooting can provide a martial artist with a source of power unlike any other. Rooting is the ability of a Tai Chi practitioner to use mind intention to drop their center of gravity down below the ground underneath their feet. When rooting ability is developed, it can feel like more and more of the martial artist’s compressed body weight is in the ground. Rooting makes an opponent feel like they are up against a concrete slab stuck down deep into the ground. Having a deep and firm root can also help Tai Chi artists generate strong internal energy. Some masters can drop their root to what feels like 50 feet below the ground or even deeper.

Rooting is different than whole body connection where the artist learns to keep all parts of the body connected down to the feet. Some athletes such as Mike Tyson have learned how to put the whole weight of their body into their strikes through keeping their whole body connected. However, it is very difficult to learn the art of rooting without training.

Although sometimes it is taught as a stationary skill in the States, rooting is not limited to times when the practitioner is standing still. Rooting can be practiced while walking, running, or even in the midst of a combat situation. In fact, a martial artist can actually learn to drop their root deeper and deeper while moving or during a conflict.

The best way to develop a deep root is through practicing the right kinds of push hands with a partner. Push hands is a game between two people where facing opponents attempt to make each other lose their balance so that they either step forward or backward. One popular push hands style has partners stand with one foot forward and one foot back while opponents touch arms at the wrist and with the remaining arm hold their opponents’ elbows. Although this stance can be useful at higher levels of practice, it allows beginners to avoid learning rooting and other internal skills. If a person senses they are about to be pushed over, they can simply lean back. Because of this, participants can look like they are doing well in push hands without really learning to drop their root or to sense where other peoples’ roots are located.

A better method of push hands has the two participants stand with their feet spread about shoulder width apart but neither forward nor backward. Participants stand about as far apart as the distance from the tip of their fingers to their elbows. Sometimes they can stand a little closer together or a little bit further apart, but this is the approximate distance. Hands are placed on the opponents’ torso or elbow between the shoulders and the waist. The best place for beginners to place their hands is on the waist. This puts the students in a position where, if they wanted to give their opponent a good shove, they would be in a good position to do so in terms of their body’s mechanics. The two individuals should stand with their posture as correct as possible and should drop their roots. This push hands drill should not be practiced quickly. Participants should go slowly and attempt to move each other through correct positioning and deep root rather than through surprise and speed.

If you try out this push hands method as opposed to the other one, you will find that if opponents are about to be pushed, if they don’t really have the ability to relax and drop their root, there is no possible way for them to dodge or avoid being pushed over. This forces students to really learn to develop a deep root and to develop real internal skill.

Author Bio: Anchor Text: Sigung Richard Clear has over 30 years of continuous study in Chi Kung and Martial Tai Chi both in the U.S. and China. For more information, check out his website at: clearstaichi.com

Category: Sports
Keywords: Rooting, push hands, martial tai chi