You raise a good point Dave and also illustrate the limitations of this forum. Face to face, I could get in my horse and point to where I align my CoG. Then you could do the same and we could compare apples to apples rather than trying to work our individual definitions of ‘balls of the feet’ vs K1 vs ‘center of the foot’.
It’s possible that when you say ‘balls of the feet’ it’s referring to what I call the K1 point and vice versa (plus or minus an inch or two :). Just more to think about.
Dzu
So now I am wondering if when one says they sink and root to center are they truly doing that or are they in reality sinking closer to the front of the foot?
IME, they are speaking in shorthand, the more accurate description being “distribute weight over heel and ball (and outside edge), such that effective CoG is at K1”. Whether or not K1 physically touches the ground is irrelevant.
BTW, there are at least two different ways to calculate the “center” of the foot:
Midway between back of heel and tip of toe, disregarding both width and height. From a physics standpoint, this is a false center.
Slightly forward of 1), considering relative width of the foot at heel and ball, and structure of the arch. This is closer to, if not exactly on, K1.
For more information, visit your local podiatrist. 
i think my thread abou tthis subject got lost in the move over to vBulletin 
I’d just like to throw some info at you all which comes from my professional background, Podiatry. I have equipment which enables me to measure foot pressure during gait and stance.It also senses the COG and maximum force points of each foot during gait and stance. What I have found is that generally, people standing in a normal relax stance (not wingchun stance), place the majority of weight on their heels. In fact it is around 60%/40% back/front. This changes dramatically with increases in anterior pelvic tilt. Anterior tilt is when you poke you butt out and the curve in your lower back (lordosis) gets bigger. The greater the anterior tilt the more weight is placed on the balls of the feet. Also any rotation of the pelvis causes changes.
With regards to the centre of force of each foot it is usually roughly halfway between front and back. I am going to go to work next week and check all the results and report back on this one.
foot shmoot
When shifting I don’t worry much about what part of my foot does what. I try to focus on starting the shift with my core, keeping my body moving as a unit and staying in my horse.
Right now, when I play CK for instance, I’m shifting very hard to try and learn and extend the limits of my balance; I find it hard not to ‘pop’ up out of my horse during the shift.
As long as you maintain your root and can deliver power I’m not sure it matters if you shift on your toes or your heel or the center of the foot.
Maybe I think this way b/c I don’t wanna find out that I’m wrong. 
"As long as you maintain your root and can deliver power I’m not sure it matters if you shift on your toes or your heel or the center of the foot. "
This is what we are discussing because IMHO it does matter where you place your weight.
Dzu
Hi everyone,
In our training we keep our weight on our heels. When we turn we keep our weight on our heels. When we kick we keep our weight on the heel (unlike other styles who might raise on their ball or toe.
When we stand we sink down, we rotate the pelvis and sink down. We don’t lean forward so as to throw weight on the front of the foot.
If your’re weight is near the front of your foot then the chances are that you are leaning into your opponent - another no-no.
We often train to strengthen our leg by holding it out for several minutes. This strengthens and stretches the kicking leg and also trains the supporting leg for those occasions when you could be off-balanced. During this excercise again, the weight is on the heel.
Just because our feet are flat it does not mean that the weight is evenly balanced under them. Clearly the direct path to the ground is through the heels.
Those of you turning near the front of the foot may find it easy on smooth ground, but actually you have to lift you whole body weight in this action.
In my school we have recently played with the different positions described by you. We find most ridiculous.
However, I concede that if that way is natural to you through training then perhaps it is okay for you to do it that way.
Turning on the heels for us is the fastest and most natural thing and we’ll continue to do it that way.
GP
Sihing73 wrote:
. If I am understanding correctly the “center” being referred to is not the actual center of the foot.
Yes in the sense that the weight is born over the center, and no that its not actually touching the ground due to the arch. The weight is then shifted from center to the structure of the foot in all directions, heel, toes, ball, sides. These are what is in contact. So both things are happening. The weight is over the center, but since our feet are not mathematical points this force is taken up by the surrounding stuff. Like putting a kettle on top of a teepee.
Girl Power -
“In my school we have recently played with the different positions described by you. We find most ridiculous.”
LOL! You go girl!
In our school we also shift only on the heels. IMO - all power and stability comes from the ground thru the heels. I believe that shifting on the heels is also much harder to do, but IMHO - more beneficial once you gain the feeling and get used to it. As far as being slower to step - not at all. As with everything - that’s where training comes in.
dzu…
" "As long as you maintain your root and can deliver power I’m not sure it matters if you shift on your toes or your heel or the center of the foot. "
This is what we are discussing because IMHO it does matter where you place your weight. "
I guess, what I meant is that if you study how to stay rooted and wallop the hell out of people then you’ll learn to shift the right way. Otherwise how could you stay rooted and hit hard.
I wonder if we’re just approaching the same thing from opposite ends?
Go Girl(power)!
I am familiar with both methods of turning but in my CK we are taught to turn as Dzu has described. When I first started training in this way I thought it was inferior for most of the reason Girl Power listed but Sifu just told me to do more CK which I did and I’m glad I did. It took a while for my legs to become strong enough so those of you who are taught to turn on the heels will not be able to do it as we do unless you have trained to and built the needed strength in your horse. I can pivot just as quickly as I could on my heels and it is much more stable in hazardous conditions. We hold class outside much of the time on a brick walk that was built in the early 1900’s and is in extremely bad condition and I manage to turn quite easily on that surface even in work boots. Turning on the heels is a lot easier to begin with but it makes you more vulnerable to take downs and tackles IMHO.
Hey all,
In my experience, turning on the heels is easier (to do and to teach). I find it more natural, I guess. Needless to say, I very seldom turn that way in my WCK (mostly for the reasons Dzu’s already pointed out).
As I think I’ve posted before, the bottom line for me is buffer. If you turn on your heels and then receive pressure, you have nowhere to go but back. Same if you turn on your toes and then are pulled. Alone, either method might work well, as either might when engaged with a partner who isn’t sensitive enough to probe each and everyone one of your joints for advantage. When engaged, however, IMHO, the two bodies work together and then the only true heel (your neutral+opponents pressure) or ball (your neutral-opponent’s pulling) occurs. (Also, there another point about potential energy from the bent knee bringing the CoG forward, but that would go elsewhere…)
Of course, there are skilled people who can make either of the three approaches work, because within their entire systems are the tools needed to take advantage of the benefits and minimize the risks.
Anyone who wants to tell othrs only heel turning or only ball turning is wrong, IMHO, needs to get out more.
Rgds,
RR
Various methods of weight distribution are used for various applications of footwork.
Gees, I thought we killed this topic ages ago…LOL