Monday, March 2, 2009

What is Grounding? - - Chief Instructor's Blog March 2009

Grounding is an expression used in energy-based martial arts. It refers to one moving and performing techniques from one’s center of gravity (Center, One Point, or “hara” in Japanese). One’s center of gravity is approximately two inches below the navel.

By working from one’s center (being grounded); techniques can be performed as a connection of the entire body with the earth (ground). The end result is increased balance, stability, and strength with minimum use of muscular tension and/or strain.

At the beginner and intermediate level, to improve grounding keep level as move and “do not bob”. One’s ground follows the physical at this stage of development, so to work on one’s grounding, one should move through one’s center, keeping proper mechanical alignment and posture, and stay level throughout techniques.

As one progresses at the green, blue, and brown level when adding more force to the techniques, overextending one’s force can pull one off their ground (under commit) or over commit one’s ground. This is acceptable at this level as one is trying to achieve that balance between mechanics and grounding.

When working on being grounded, the ultimate goal is to have an “even” ground, not over committing or under committing. Brian Rainie refers to this as “floating one’s ground”.

In our Club, as intermediate and advanced students, we start to emphasize not only on working from your center/ being grounded, but extending energy providing even more power to your techniques. Tune into the next blog for more information/ explanation of the use of energy.

Regards,
Kelly

“Be like a tree, roots buried deep into the ground, yet able to move with the wind” ~ unknown