Setting The Anchors
developing “rooting” power is a VERY difficult “little idea” to tackle, and can be a very “advanced” concept which also opens up whole new set of “questions”, and to be honest, most instructors don’t have a clear and concise way to teach this concept or don’t fully understand the concept or worse, they contradict themselves while trying to teach this concept.
instructors will say, “root” but when you ask “how”? they usually expain with such vague answers such as “just drop your stance” or “relax” or “get heavy” but how the heck does that really explain anything to the student other than just “skimming the surface”, and the real answer is usually because the instructors only understand the “tip of the iceburg” but don’t even “see” the “huge body of ice” that supports that “tip”.
this video will also help you realize “how i personally see things” from “my point of view”, especially when i get questions from all of you.
don’t take this video lightly, there are many “keys” to your questions here. and this will also help you understand why i say you can’t mix different “methods” of getting power. after seeing this video, hopefully you get why you can’t do this method of wing chun structure and try to incorporate it with a muay thai stance, or a boxers stance which has you light on your feet, heels off the ground, rotating your shoulders etc…
this video shares with you how i teach my students this “grounding” concept, which is the “heart” of Hawkins Cheung’s method of Wing Chun and IMO what makes him completely different than almost every other Wing Chun instructor in the world.
it is one of the “keys” to putting the “big picture” together, so i really hope everyone enjoys it, learns from it, grows from it and appreciates the information.
Jin
37 Responses to “Setting The Anchors”
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Hi, Jin.
Great video, except for the sound. YOur viove was constantly interupted, and it was extremely difficult to understand what you where saying. Something with the audiosettings probably not quite right.
Greetings
martin
)
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Dallas Reply:
October 10th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I turn my volume all the way up, so my old ears don’t miss NUTHIN! I find that in windows [regardless of version] there are various audio mixers. I don’t have these issues in linux, but that’s another story. Turn ‘em ALL up to FULL, and fahgettabot it. I had NO problems hearing err thang Sifu Jin was layin down.
If you are a windows user, you’ll find multiple audio mixers. Make sure all the sliders on ALL the mixers [if like me you find more than one] are cranked.
Jin, setting the anchors was yet ANOTHER thing that was glossed over in the past. I had no concept of what “settling your chi”, “rooting” or “anchoring your structure” meant. At least now, I have a starting point, and that’s just friggin priceless! Can’t say thanx enough.
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Sorry for the typo. “it should read: your voice was interrupted.
martin
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Jin Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 10:50 am
hey Martin, hmm..i’ll check into it, i’m trying to save for an HD camera and hopefully that will improve the quality in the future. as for now,i gotta go with what i got..*cry
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martin Reply:
October 10th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Well the upside of it is that I do watch the video more often, and thus get more input.
Have a nice day
)
martin
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Sifu,
This is a fantastic video that explains so much to me. With practice can I assume that I will be less robotic and stiff with my footwork as I drag around all of my anchors?
Thanks for making Wing Chun possible for me.
Scott
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Jin Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 10:51 am
thanks Scottt, yes, as you progress, you will become more fluid in your motion as the concepts become more and more a part of you.
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jin, i got question for you,
i thought hawkins cheung method is to bring your head back and straight, chin tucked in? because i watched it on another video on youtube, by alan orr, student of robert chu, student of sifu hawkins cheung if im not mistaken. regards
peace!
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Jin Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 10:55 am
hmm..all the “original, old school” students of Hawkins just came to visit us last week and we all went out to eat after training and they had a few choice words about Robert Chu. But it’s all politics and you know how i feel about that, so i stay out of it. But the information about the head position comes directly from Hawkins to me to you.
Also, who knows, maybe Hawkins has changed his method from when Robert Chu was training, so i really can’t say, other than, right now, that’s how it’s taught to us. take care and peace!
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Another great video!
Heavy elbow (and structure) and not practicing the first form just like a hand exercise as you said, is one of the first things that newcomers should learn and is indeed very difficult to explain but is the key to (almost) everything in Wing Chun. Once you develop a stable stance and you know how to move keeping that stance, most of the techniques come easily after. Without this concept, Wing Chun means nothing! Nice to see that we have so many similarities in our training!
Great job sifu Jin
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Jin Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
thanks for the kind words, peace!
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Awesome drill
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Jin Reply:
October 10th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
thanks!
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This concept helped me almost immediately. It’s really bringing everything else together. So much to learn and master!
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Jin Reply:
October 10th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
glad it’s helped you, keep it up!
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wow, wing chun really is not that easy to understand especially its concepts but i know that it just takes time for us to understand it ,and that is why i thank you again sifu jin cause your there helping us understand wing chun one step at a time.
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Jin Reply:
October 10th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
now you know what i mean when i say “simple doesn’t mean easy” =D
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Ho, Ho. Thanks so much. I’m going to try this right now!
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Jin Reply:
October 10th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
awesome, keep practicing!
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HI Jin,
Things brings all your points together clearly, good stuff.
Question – when in two arm chi sau, you may only have space to step in forwards to pin and punch, for example. What is the movement for this step in. Many times there is not speace or time to go to inside v footwork, only a step forwards. I ask as this is the very step where i tend to lose my anchors!
hope this makse sense. simply put how can i step once forwards and keep anchors, when in the the su lim tao staditional stance.
many thanks
Saj
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Jin Reply:
October 14th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
hey Saj, yes, there are ways to “shortcut” the movement as long as you don’t sacrifice your body structure.
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Hey Jin, interesting vid. Just wondering. It looks like you’re leaning back in the stance. Is it just the angle of the camera or does Hawkins line teach a 60/40 or 70/30 stance?
Ken
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Jin Reply:
October 14th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
hey Ken, this is a very tough question to answer in words, i guess i’ll have to work on a video to explain.
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Sifu,
Thanks for this anchoring video. When I visualize the anchors going to the triangle point in front of me I tend to lean forward. Should I also visualize anchors to the point of the triangle behind me as well to stay down and balanced?
Scott
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Jin Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 11:31 am
that’s a great question, and to be honest, i’ve never thought of that..hahaha..nice! but as long as you keep the “shoulder, hip, heel” alignment that i’m always talking about, then you’re always going to be “centered”. let me think about this “reverse anchoring” that you suggested.
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Hi, Jin -
Thank you for the unique training materials and precious advice. Unfortunately, many sifus do not share such knowledge with the students. Maybe because they don’t have it themselves… maybe because they keep it for later. But all of that is essential for understanding at the very beginning!
My question: If someone practices qi gong from (e.g. eight silk weaving) he/she learns not just the form itself, but also the incorporates mental work of moving the qi around the body. Does Siu Lim Tao has the same mental component?
Regards,
S.
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Jin Reply:
October 18th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
thanks for the kind words, and i agree, why would any instructor neglect to teach the very foundation of wing chun which are the concepts and principles and drill them into each and every student until they get sick of hearing the same thing over and over! =D
siu nim tau MUST incorporate, the same type of “mental” or chi development. like i’ve said before, the “body structure” controls from the heels to the elbow, the third stick is ONLY controlled by the mind. so with this type of thinking, how can you do siu nim tau without the mind?
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Hi Jin,
I studied wing chun for about a year and a half 6 years ago but i havn’t forgotten anything i’ve learnt. Your videos are great and have encouraged me to go back and resume my training. I’m amazed at how i can have more deeper understanding of moves which i thought i’d grasped !
You have a great way of explaining things; you’re a good teacher, keep up the good work. I’m all the way in england otherwise i would have come to visit you school.
Q: The anchor method is great, i feel heavy on the bottom whch gives me good stability and weight in my moves. I’ve found it effective in application except i start to get a build of lactic acid in my thighs due to the ancohring and bending of the knees; what am i doing wrong?
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Jin Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
sounds like you are doing everything right, but you are “contracting” your leg muscles while you are anchoring. make sure to keep your legs relaxed, like a spring, rather than a stick. take a look at my video on “power of the squat” that i did which might help you out.
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Hi Jin,
this is another awesome video which really makes me wanna train!
just one thing makes me doubful: the forward chin, i know u said just a little bit, but i also know that little bit can make the difference in a fight!
in Leung Ting system we say “be always proud” to remind this thing of not bending the head forward
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Jin Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 11:20 am
this has to do with “forward intent”.
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Anyway i have to say that ur explanation is very convincing!
probably because i wasnt taught any other concept like yours..but still, it really makes sense to me!
…while im typing some ideas go through my mind…maybe LT sys has the same anchor principle even on the chin having the forward intent (which pulls down ur chin) keeping the center of gravity of the head in vertical line with the heels
im little bit confusing…sorry for these too many words
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Jin Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 11:21 am
it’s good that it makes you think on a deeper level. keep at it!
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sure i will
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my question is: when i set my ancors it seems to me that mi hole body is tennsed.
that is good? i was thinking that one should be relaxed ; but not vrey relaxed.
i understood this corect?
and thanks for your greate videos!
many,many thanks!!
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Jin Reply:
March 17th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
think of your body like a spring, when it’s “compressed” there is going to be a slight “natural tension”, this is normal, just don’t add to this by tensing your muscle.
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After seeing your videos, I can easily say ive never come across anyone explain the concepts with such clarity as you do. Would love the chance to have been taught by such a great teacher! Keep it up
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