Earthbending training



When Toph trained Aang in Earthbending in the episode "Bitter Work", she used a number of different types of exercises.

Stone Carry Maze Run
In this exercise, Aang carries a heavy stone on his shoulders while running through an obstacle course. This exercise is designed to keep Aang grounded and train him to use the earth for balance.

Sand Punching
Aang punches into barrels filled with sand. This is supposed help Aang get a better "feel" for the Earth but it can also be very painful if you do not use proper Earthbending.

Whack-a-rock
The "whack-a-rock" exercise is like the real life version of the "whack-a-mole" game. Toph Earthbends rocks, quickly popping them up and then back into the ground at the same time, Aang tries to whack them while blindfolded. This is to force Aang to start trying to use vibrations.

Rock Armor


In this training technique Toph covers herself in "rock armor." While in rock armor, Toph acts as a live sparring dummy for Aang.

Sand sack throw
In this training exercise, Aang takes a stance and throws a sack of rocks from behind him up in the air, then moves forward and catches it. These exercises are all designed to help Aang in different areas of Earthbending but in general, they are all used to make him more "rock-like."

Rooting
To understand Earthbending, the apprentice must first learn the concept of Rooting: Connecting to the underground and becoming firmly established, settled, or entrenched. The easiest way to understand rooting is to look at a strong tree and seeing the way that the plants is firmly connected to the ground yet moves freely in its branches and leaves. Trees derive their great strength by rooting to the ground.

Neutral Jing
Another key aspect to Earthbending is mastering neutral jing. This involves waiting and listening to the Earth before striking. Listening to the Earth allows an Earthbender to calculate their surroundings cleverly and attack with more precision. Bumi advised that Aang find a teacher that waits and listens before striking; this teacher ended up being Toph.

Breathing
It can be assumed that proper breath control is also key when learning Earthbending, like the way it is for Firebending. This theory was implied when Master Yu stated that the beginner level of his Earthbending training class focused on basic Earthbending moves and breathing exercises.