Let's talk about stepping - Suction Cups Under Your Feet

Oftentimes students ask, “Where in my foot should my weight be?” I have seen several videos that instruct viewers to place their weight in the heel during one posture, and then in the "bubbling well" point in the next.

However, Tai Chi consists of continuous movement, which means your weight is dynamic and constantly shifting. In higher stances, the weight tends to be centered closer to the middle of the foot, while in lower stances, it shifts slightly toward the heels. So, asking where your weight should go in your foot often misses the deeper point.

If your feet are soft, with a natural hollow (an arch), and your toes are lightly touching the floor, then your weight will naturally find its proper placement. In this article, we explain how to achieve this and why it is important.

There is an often-overlooked aspect of walking that is crucial for rooting and transferring energy between the ground and the legs. Whether standing still or in motion, your feet should always remain "soft," maintaining a gentle arch under the instep, with the toes lightly touching the floor. This creates a subtle suction cup effect under each foot.

Maintaining this hollowness is done in conjunction with sinking the Kua and lifting the knee (see Part 2: Resting Elbows on Knees). When the knee lifts slightly, it draws the tibia upward, which gently lifts the ankle and instep, creating the desired hollow.

The opposite of this is pushing your foot into the ground and flattening it, which collapses the arch and disrupts your rooting. This action creates tension throughout the leg, raises your center of gravity, and compromises your balance. It also constricts your breathing by tightening the chest. (See Let's Talk About Stepping: Pushing vs. Pulling With the Feet)

Softening the feet and creating suction cups occurs naturally with the proper engagement of the Kua and a light lift of the knees. This action sets off a chain that relaxes the tibia, ankle, and instep.

Activity 1:

Hollowness is also created by the expansion of the joints within the foot, including the toes. To better understand this, let’s use the palm of the hand as an analogy. Place your palm flat on a table and press it down. The palm flattens (Figure 1), creating tension in the hand and wrist. You may notice that the energy feels stagnant, as if it has nowhere to go. Now, relax your palm and allow it to hollow from within. The back of the hand naturally lifts, and the energy seems to gather in the hollow (Figure 2) before flowing out through the fingertips. This is the sensation your feet should have in Tai Chi—soft, slightly lifted, and alive with energy.

Figure 1. Hand flattened

Figure 2. Hollowed Palm

When your foot touches the ground, the entire sole should rest on the floor, with a gentle hollow under the arch. This allows all edges of the foot to remain in contact with the floor, creating a light suction cup effect. A common mistake is lifting the rear heel when shifting forward, such as in Brush Knee. This often results from either misalignment or shifting too far forward.

Figure 3. The edge of the right foot is off the floor putting the knee at risk.

Each foot's outline should remain in full contact with the ground. If the edges lift, the knees are likely out of alignment, increasing the risk of injury. That is also incorrect and can cause damage to your knee (Figure 3). To prevent this, keep the feet grounded and align the knees with the toes. Any lifting at the edges signals incorrect posture and potential knee strain.

There are exceptions in certain postures where the foot or heel may intentionally rise. In those cases, you must still mentally maintain the sense of rooting as if the raised foot was still on the ground.

The hollow under your foot is vital. It enables you to absorb energy from the ground. For that to happen, the feet must be soft. Stiff feet block the energy flow, affecting the entire structure.[2] .

This stiffness often results from pushing off with the foot. Pushing causes muscle tension and restricts energy flow. Using the hand again as an analogy, clench your fist tightly and you'll feel how the tension halts the energy movement in your arm and fingers.

Activity 2:

Here is a really easy way to feel the effects of having a hollow under your foot.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Press one foot into the floor. Notice how you created tension in your body. Can you feel the muscles in the leg tightening? Are you able to root? Is your breathing shallower? Does the leg and foot feel constricted as if energy cannot pass through? Now, relax the foot and create a hollow by letting the toes touch the floor. Is your leg relaxed? Can energy flow through your foot and leg? Can you sink your foot so it roots? Which way is more balanced? Observe how your breathing changes.

Activity 3:

Stand in a Bow Stance as if doing a Brush Knee. [3] With your arms extended in front of you, have someone pull on your arms to try and pull you off your feet. First do it with your feet flat on the floor without a hollow. Then do it with a hollow under each foot. Which way kept you rooted and stable?

In this article we showed that your feet should be soft and always hollowed so that your Qi can flow, and you remain rooted and absorbing. If there is no hollow under your foot it indicates that there is tension in your foot and that you’re probably pushing off your foot. A flat or stiff foot means that you are not rooting.

Your foot should feel like a suction cup, with every edge in contact with the floor. Any lifting indicates misalignment and risk to the knee.

Soften your feet, hollow the arches of your feet, make them as suction cups and you will feel the Qi!

[1] See Part 2 of 3 -Resting Elbows on Knees

[2] See Let's Talk about Stepping; Pushing vs Pulling With the Feet

#taichiprinciples #posture #taichifoundations #alignment #taichi

Written By: Joseph Eber

deeprivertaichi.com