ZhanZhuang To Build Up Rooting

What is Zhan Zhuang? Zhag zhuang is the Chinese words for Pole Standing. Zhan means stand and Zhaung is the pole halfway driven down into the earth.

As the name implies the meaning, stand like a pole, be grounded and rooted.There is only one focus in Zhan Zhuang training and that is to get rooting.

Rooting is like the foundation for the building. There will be no effective martial application without sound rooting.

Stand like a live tree, not like a dead pole.The particular quality of tree is the roots always going down and seeking the water.

Most common Zhan Zhuang posture is like this: stand like a tree and holding a tree.If you want to move me, move me together with the tree.

But there are two things about this posture that make it difficult for the beginners.

One is you hold your arms high, you feel sore easily.The other is when your arms high, it’s difficult for you to relax.

In order to build up your rooting, you need to have your Qi sinking down.

There are two essential techniques to achieve solid rooting.

One is to learn how to relax your Kua. The other is to know how to use your Yi to cut a piece of earth to serve as your base. 

There are too many benefits we want to obtain through Zhan Zhuang, like to meditate, to relax, to develop awareness and to regulate breathing. But there is only one major purpose of doing so, and we should be very clear of and focus on it, that is to stand like a pole, deep down into the earth, totally unmovable.

(Written by Sun, Anguang, Peaceful Light)